The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-05-28
DISASTROUS WRECK
A Runaway Freight Train Dsshss
Into the WestbOund Passenger.
NINE KILLED OUTRIGHT
Eight Men Are Seriously Wounded
Most of Them We're Hoboes
Beating Their Way-The
Station Demolished.
specIal DIspatch to the slandard.

ep'Niai Dispdttn 10 the standard.
Boise, Idaho. May 27.-A special to
the Statesman from Pocatello saws:
The most disastrous wreck in the his
tory of the Short Line railroad occurred
at American Falls at i:30 O'Clock this
morning. A runaway freight crashed
into the westbound passenger Nine
men were killed outright and eight
others were seriously injured. Both
engines were demolished, the station
buildings shattered to pieces and Is or
20 cars smashed. The dead are:
{. w. Shields. residence unknown.
ID. l.. Thompson. Dayton Wash.
John X. Cooper. Wellsville, Utah.
]. Stefan, Dillon. Mont.
Five unknown men.
Excepting Cooper, these men were
beating their way on the freight. Most
OF them were sheep shearers.
The seriously injured are: G. w.
Brennan OF Pearl, Idaho, leg broken
and scalp wound; +. ID. Springer of
Dayton, Wash, leg and ribs broken;
John Began OF Brigham, Utah. leg
broken; William Connolly of Great
harrington, Mass. frightfully crushed
about the lower part OF the stomach:
John Peters, residence unknown. leg
broken; George Moore. engineer Of the
freight. compound fracture of the leg,
which will necessitate amputation; X.
j. Cosgrove, fireman Of the freight, leg
broken; F. c. Hickman engineer Of the
passenger. back injured.
All these were also trespassers on the
trains excepting Brennan and the train
men.
Brennan was on the passenger and
had stepped on the platform for a
breath of fresh air. Connolly was so
seriously injured that the doctors did
not think he would live to get to the
hospital. There is no blame attached
to anyone for the wreck. The west
bound passenger had pulled into Amer
lean Falls and was standing at its ac-
customed place waiting for the freight
to pass II on the sidetrack. American
Falls station is situated in a depres-
sion and there is quite an upgrade In
both directions.
The first warning of any danger was
when Engineer Hickman heard the
freight whistle to back up. He at once
reversed his engine. but the rails were
wet and the grade heavy and II was
an instant or two before the train re-
sponded. and in that moment the
freight thundered around the curve and
across the bridge. going at the rate Of
80 miles an hour.
Inc passenger tram hardiy began TO
move pack before the ireignt dashed
In,o H. po,n engines were uemoisneu
anu .he ireisnt ears piiea up one on tne
I,n., t"h,, 'a.n''hs IN .he sue anu uenol-
,s.,,,as sns que mnoie enu vi ,ne s.a,oh
punuaS; ,,,., Jus. as .ne ensihes nie,, EN-
s.nee. ~. -, neshm'an Jun,peu anu eaIne 10
bers and debris
yonn Sooper, FRANK burke anu Night
Leiesraph operator Cnaries Goodwih
hau peeh taxing on tne piatiorm an
lhs.ah. pe,oIe .hey saw ,he wiz ireight !
soii,'ki M, Sooper ran in,o ,ne uePo. anu
% nu .ns'a' purne anu "oou-
vii %" ou. peh"u ,ne ouIiulhs anu es
sapeu. brennan, VINO was on the plat =
!Srnl az ,he same 'ime' was buried In
'nr WRECK.
me s,atIon ouiiuihg was demolished
10 'ne partition between the depot and
tme priVa'e rooms, where Agent st.
olalr ana MS wire ana three children
were asleep.
Inc uead ana mangied bodies OF two
oI tne killed were hurried against TINS
partition. Beams We're forced through
" anu over tne ped occupied by the
chiidren, but miraculously not one OF
tneH was injured although the room
was twisted ana shattered almost to
fragments.
Tne Ireight mad run away ON the hill
west Oh American Fails. IL Is thought
tnat some OF the sheep shearers or ho-
Does hau cut on the air. The airbrakes
Wouiu NOT Work auu on the NIL the
train was unmanageable. Conductor
COOK ana Brakemen Davis and West
ron were on top setting the brakes and
Fireman COSgrOve had climbed back to