El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-09-08
FATAL ACCIDENT.
T. & P. Fast Freight Ditched and
ENGINEER McCIane Killed.

l.. L
Engineer McClane Killed.
l. is the old story of cattle on the
track and train in the ditch, with one
man killed and two men injured; all
done in few seconds. The story is
as follows:
West bound fast freight No. Is of the
Texas 81 Pacific, Eogineer Richard
McClane ard Conductor Carroll, was
bowling along at 1890 q. m. last night
on straight piece of track, but down
hill, halt way between Wild Horse aud
Plateau, about 1877 miles east of Ell
Paso. suddenly, as McClane looked
ahead. he saw the eyes of several head
of stock glistening in the glare OF the
He reversed and threw on
the air, but too late. The engine struck
the cattle, ran over one or two OF them,
the engine trucks were derailed, and
presto! the engine was in the ditch and
over on her back with her heels
straight up in the air. The runner
was crushed under the wreck, seven
freie ht cars were smashed up, and the
fatally caught as the engine turned
over GU her right side, and
ere Fireman Mabry could es-
cape, the steam fittings on the
back head of the boiler was stripped
of, letting out the hot steam from the
boiler, and badly scalding the poor
fellow. Fred Taylor, the head brake
man, was also hurt in jumping, but
was not very seriously injured and Is
expected in this afternoon on thu de-
layed passenger which is scheduled to
arrive at 500 p m. Conductor Carroll
and other train men hurried to the
front of the train where Mabry was
rescueds from being boiled alive,
wrapped up in a sheet, and carried to
the caboose where he was cared for as
far as the circumstances would allow,
and a man was hurried to the nearest
telegraph station to call up Toyah.
Medical aid and wrecking train
was sent on as soon as possible, but
owing to the hour and the location,
some time necessarily elapsed before
help could reach the spot. Poor Nc
Clane was pulled from under his en-
CINE, and the mangied remains tender
ly laid out in the cabOose of the wreck
err, and Mabry aud Taylor were put in
as comfOrta BILE a condition as possible
ere Mabry was taken back to TOyah.
Then the wrecker began to clear the
road. 1t was noon today before the
track was cleared.
Richard McClane, the dead engineer,
was 40. and leaves wife and two
daughters at Toyah. He has been
with the Texas & Pacific road for if
teen years. coming from the Missouri
Pacific, and was held in the highest
esteem by his associates aud the OIL
cials of the road. IAN honest, capable
and upright man," is the character
that Engineer Hadlock and others gave
the mau today. The deceased was in
sured for $1,000; $4,000 in the New York
Life, $1,000 in the Fidelity and Causal-
ity, and $4,000 with the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers of which
order he was an hOnOred member
M ,bry is insured for $500 in the Fidel-
ity and Causality. He also is married
and lives at Toyah.
This afternoons east bound train left
this city on time, and tomorrow west
bound train is reported on time.
1t was at this same spot that Engineer
McClane ran into washOut six years
ago which killed his fireman. The
right of way is unfenced through this
section, as the owners OF cattle agree
not to sue the company for stock killed
IN return for the use Of the cOmpany's
wafer wells for watering stock. An
electric headlight might have avoided
the disaster as the old fashioned
headlight is of cot much benefit be-
yond notifying people of the approach
If a tram. The T. & P. company,
however, are placing electric head
lie hts on their engines just as Iast as
they go into the shop, SO it will only
be snort time before all the locomo-
tives are thus equipped.
LATER was the intention to bring
Fireman H. w. Mabry to this city.
But while he apparently regalne
strength and was able to walk around
this morning. he suffered a relapse
and at last accounts was unconscious:
so the doctors say ne must not be NOV
ed. He is badly scalded and bruised
Mrs. Mabry who is in this city left on
this afternoons train for the scene of
accident where she will nurse her
husband. A coffin and box were sent
out by Emerson & Eerrien on the
same train for poor McClane.
While it was expected the right OF
way would be cleared by this noon,
later advices state that the east bound
passenger could not pass before 400 p.
m, so that it will be $50 before the
passenger arrives in this city.