The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-28
THE ENGINEERS STORY.

was difficult task. Most of them de-
INJURED until the railway officials could
be communicated with.
THE ENGINEER's STORY.
Engineer Hickman of the Portland
express, which was the train that
caught the headlong rush of the freight
train, related what he knew about the
accident. He had received orders to
remain at American Falls station until
the arrival Of the freight. which was
to have taken the siding at that point.
There was a tangent for some distance
ahead of the spot where his locomotive
was standing, then a sharp curve car
ried the rest of the track out of view.
He heard the freight whistle and then
a moment later got a signal blast, con-
Veying TO him the terrific intelligence
that the engineer Of the oncor1ing
freight had lost all control of his
charge It meant that Hickman must
back down the track TO avoid a col
lision. Quickly he sprang TO the lever
and threw on the steam. The driving
wheels of the ponderous machine did
not respond an inch: they slipped on
the track instead. The tension on the
nerves of the engineer and his fireman
was described by Hickman as some
thing appalling. Behind him, sleeping
in the coaches. were many passengers,
how many he did net know. but in that
ACCOUNTING MOMENT,
the full realization that human lives
were relying on him, nerved the man TO-
reverse his locomotive, stop and make
another attempt. The wheels slipped
again. For a third trial he stopped the
engine and then threw on full head
Ut ,t.,.n. wh.,~ Ii freight had
rom =. Ihe c:srve AMI Vas now within
20 wards . hiil. mCV,ng al the rate or
so miles an hour. the passenger was
in motion when the collision occurred
Hickman saw that he mad done every
thing in his power. and calling TO the
fireman, leaped from the moving tram,
getting about so feet away before the
engines came together with crash
and a binding glare.
TERRIFIC IMPACT.
To use Heckman's expression, the
monster engines seemed to welt in the
impact. Hickman was injured after
the accident while helping to rescue
John Brennan from beneath a mass of
debris.
George Moore, engineer of the freight
train. lay in the next cot TO Heckman
at the hospital. He is suffering from
the most serious injuries of all the
patients and was unconscious from the
effects of anesthetics, therefore could
give no statement. Ii is understood,
however. that Moore declares the air
brakes on the freight would not work.
the circumstance that caused the ac-
cident.
WORK OF TRAMPS.
It is believed that the air connec-
tons were severed by tramps who
were stealing rides. The death record
and list of the injured shows that this
class of tourists came out the worst in
the smashup.
A complete rostor of the wounded. /
with a revised directory of hurts in |
cludes the following:
c. E. Hickman, engineer of the pas
senger: a sprained back.
George Moore. engineer freight train; |
compound fracture of the right leg.
joan Conley. no occupation. one of the |
men stealing a ride on the freight;
spinal injury: exact nature not learned. |
G. F. Brennan, passenger on the ex-
press. residence Pearl, Ida; scalp |
wound, confusion of the wrist and |
compound fracture of the leg.
John Peters, no occupation: laeerated /
ear and fracture of the leg.
r. J. Cosgrove fireman on the freight
train; severe confusion of the knee.
John Bergen, no occupation, fractured |
ankle.
F. D. Springer. no occupation; frac-
ture of the forearm.
II is the opinion of the hospital staff
that none of their patients are SO badly
injured that death Will result.
CALVIN IS SILENT.
General Superintendent Calvin. of the
Short Line left at an early hour this
for an inspection of the scene
Of the wreck. He was not prepared to
say last night TO what causes 1he ac-
cident might be attributed. This is the
second wreck on the Idaho division