El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-06-23

VSrSeQ MS engine. Inc uuiorIuHh 2
mans fellow engineers think ne must
least have jumped as did his fireman
who escaped without any injury, eX-
cept a slight spraiD or two. Ihe
freight car nearest the G. H. engine
was loaded with blankets in bales
which were scattered over the right OF
way, and several were taken to wrap
up poor Pierson in ere putting him
into the T. & p. special that Engineer
Hadlock brought out from Ell Paso
Mr.. Oliver frankly saws he did not
notice any white signal on the
extra, and thought it was the second
section of "A. He, however, had very
little to say, as he said an investigation
was pending, and that the facts OF the
case would be brought out at the hear
ing. Mr.. Oliver is veteran engineer,
and railroad men say that there are
not two men in this part of tie country
who have better reputation for care
fulness and general reliability than
Engineer Oliver and Conductor Encke.
But even the best of US will err some
times, and criticism will be tempered
by knowledge OF the high reputation
these two men have sustained Tor
years.
Head Brakeman Vineyard, of the G.
81. train, was on the engine, and saved
himself by jumping, receiving only
few sprains. Mail Clerk Brown on the
passenger was caught against the rail-
ing he puts his mail bags on, and was
bruised and jammed about the hips and
thighs. No one else was hurt.
THE MESSENGER'S STORY.
Messenger w. A. Christopher, of the
Pa life Express company, was acting
baggae emas er as well as representa-
tive of the express company on the T.
II hn 1oS Sta
the Texas & Pacific passenger train
stopped at was Fort Hancock, and did
not stop at Madden to wait for orders
as had been reported. He did not
know when the G. Fl. freight train "A
had passed, as be had no occasion to
interest himself in that particular line.
It was about 500 p. M, when the I. u
P. on an up grade for them, little
over mile east of Madden station, was
| Just rounding a curve, when q. II.
freight pulled by S04, Samuel Pierson,
engineer, suddenly showed up around
| the curve beyond. Mr.. Christopher
| saws the L. q Z. was running at II
miles an hour when the G. H. train was
first 81 GIFTED, but when the collision oc-
Cured, Engineer William Oliver OF L.
g. P. engine ITO, had thrown on his
emergency brakes, sanoed and revers-
| ed, so that the passenger was running
at the rate of 5 miles per hour, and in
| a moment more the passenger train
would have been backing.
| But the G.. H. freig ht was approach
| ing at the rate of 80 miles per hour on
the down grade for them, and Engi-
neer PiersOn does not seem to have
| been able to accomplish much in hold
ling up his train. Mr.. Christopher
| Jumped aud was 10 yaros from the spot
| OF coil sion. The shock was such as TO
| force the passenger back for feet
from The point OF contact. This and
the shock seut the L. & P. engine ten
der back 10 feet into the baggage and
express compartment OF the hrsI car.
| Ma Clerk Brown was alone IN the
meil com apartment next to the express
part and he was caught there by the
shock which smashed the first car to
| kindling. He was hurt about the hips
| and badly bruised and scraped, but foI :
| tunately escaped with no other 1nJur-
| les. He was able to get out ali right.
| After Engineer Oliver had done all be
could 70 avert the DISASTER, he with Joe
Copeland, his fireman jumped. The
| fireman landed rig bit side up with care
| while Oliver cut his chin and bruised
his neck badly. Conductor Eucke Was
| back in the train al the me, and was
unhurT, beyond the shaking up he got.
| The passengers were frightened and
shaken up, out 90 one was hurt.
The I. q p. engine was demolished
| by the great G. H. freight engine, but
| with the exception of the smashed
baggage and mail car, only the front
end Of the smoker was knocked in, and
the front trucks knocked off the track.
| The latter car was afterwards hauled
onto the track and onto ding. The
| G. H engine did not leave the track.
Bat It's front end was stove in, and the
tank the tender Was throw n right
| nto the cab, and poor Pierso1 was
| buried uuder Il ton or Two Of coal. His
| brennan jumped and saved himself.
Some nine fire. ght cars smashed up On
either side of the track around and
| behind the engine, and distribute
| their contents, merchandise, over con-
| slderao ole of an area of country. En-
| gineer PierSOl was dug out, but the
poor fellow was dead.
| A L. u p. special was sent out and
| brought back the Pullman and the day
coach: and the express matter, baggage
and mail was put into a box Car and
brought back this morning to this city.
The only bit of express matter lost w DIS
case of eggs that were not suffic enty
tough to withstand the shock. III.
ends of box holding corpse was
sm 4shed In, but no fur Their in Jury done.
| In his fig ht from the express car, Mr..
Christopher lighted on natures cush-
ion. He feels now as though he had
been riding horse back for several days
without rest. Otherwise he is In
the pink of health and condition.
Supt. Martin who turned back from
No. 10 on learning of the accident,
| thought last night hat the track woul d
be cleared this morning, by 10 O'Clock.
| But il became evident later that there
would be no thorou ghfars until some
| time this evrnlng, for the right of way
is all torn up and blocked by the
smashed eleven freight cars ana their
scattered contents. The T. & p. en-
CINE is in bad shape to get at, but
| the other engine can pc moved without
difficulty.
The remains of the dead engineer
| and the injured men We're brought
back to this city, ana Undertaken Ross
| was given charge of poor Piersou. He
| was 36 years old and single, and be-
longed to the Bliss lodge of the
! Knights of Pythias. He will be bur-
| ed under K. of P. auspices from Ross
| parlors tomorrow at 500 a. m.
n. hi