The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-01
MAnGLEDUNDER THE WHEELS
john PHILLIPS CRUSHED To DEATH
AT Q. l. CO.'S BUNKERs.
H Was E@Dseyed ~ . svsfteh"'as-
Ne witnesses 10 the Aecidens-
Phillips said tn Have Bees Reck-
1ess - WarneA without Avail.

John Phillips, for four years employed
by the Oregon Improvement Company az
4 coal bumper and switchman on It's BUNK
srs Ia this city, WAS run over ana era8sso
for 900 feet by q train on the burksTs yes
terday afternoon and frighffuily INITIATED
His Injuries were pronounced fatai. he
was taken TO Providence hospital ana OPP
Grated upon. bug with little hope OF saving
his life. without recovering consciousness.
Phillips passed away last night shortly be-
fore 8 O'Clock.
Phillips misfortune was witnessed by no
one and vas difficult to obtain definite
idea Of how he fell Under the cars. During
the four years that Phillips was employed
by the company on the bunkers. IL was MS
custom to make from eight TO ten flying
switches per day and he was thoroughly
familiar with his work II is supposed
that in making q switch yesterday, after
q train Of cars had been empsied In the
bunkers. he slipped from the engine or
car and was caught under the cars.
The accident happened al o'clock yes
terday afternoon A train OF ten coal cars
was pushed up to the bunkers by tns
dummy locomotive In charge of Engineer
Phelps. The cars were esnptied In the
usual manner and were started back down
the track on the trestie. Phillips was seen
10 get on step On the rear Of the engine,
where he usually stood. Sometimes Phil
lips would uncouple the cars and ride On
tho engine. where the main switch was,
and. dIsmounting. turn 1t so as to allow
the empty cars to pass on another track.
No one knows whether he followed this
habit. and. slipping from the engine, fell
to his death, or tried 10 Jump from the
tender 10 the nFgt car and ride the eutpties
TO the switch This last theory is enter
tanned by Superintendent l.. r. Smith. The
first information that came 10 the train
crew that anything was wrong was when
the engineer looked hack TO find that the
cars were following him down the main
track. instead OF being diverted 10 the
side tack az he expected He stopped the
engine and Brakeman John Olson, who
stood On the rear ca. set the brakes. Eoth
men hurried to the front ear TO find the
body of Phillips under the wheels.
The track for distance of 400 feet was
hecked with the mans blood. and his right
leg 10 the hip was crushed TO fragments.
He lay perfectly STILL and IL was supposed
that he was dead. Tenderiy Phillips fell
low-workmen pulled him out from under
the cars and carried him 10 the street be-
low. Relieving that the injured man was
dead, telephone message was sent to the
coronars Office apprising him that a fatal
accident had occurred.
A call was likewise sent In to the police
station for the patrol wagon. Phillips was
taken In the wagon to Providence hospital.
where later the surgeons used their knives
In an effort TO cut away the broken bits of
what WAS left of his leg and save his life.
On the way to the hospital Phillips was
able TO give hs name and residence, but
was TOO weak to tell anything of the acct
dent. He WAS taken to the operating room
and sooE after placed under the influence
of anesthetics.
Philiips wife was sent for and Drs. Rus
sell and Horton were summoned. Mrs.
Phillips sat In room adjoining the ope-
rating room while the surgeons worked
over the crushed body of her husband. try
Ing to save the little life that remained In
him.
Superintendent l.. f. Smith. of the Q. 1.
CO.. said last night that Phillips had been
frequently warned by the foreman at the
bunkers not 10 make a switch In the man.
ner described. Mr.. Smith said that Phil
lips preferred 60 follow his own bent. and
that he has himself to blame.
Phillips lived with his wife and family
at No. go Maynard avenue south.
lie sure and read History adj, page g.