The herald., 1898-01-19
TRAIN OFF
THE TRACK
With the Fireman Under
the Engine
THE WESTBOUND OVERLAND
JUMPS THE TRACK ON THE EILL
AT COLFAX
Fireman Lightner and Engineer
Hackett Make Their Last Run.
No Passengers Injured

/
SACRAMENTO. Jan. 1S.--At o'clock
this afternoon the forward engine of the
westbound' overland train, due in this
city at $40 p. M, jumped the track one
roadbed, turned down over a low en-
bankment.
The second engine followed Its leader
off the track, but, luckily, turned over
and remained on the roadbed, instead of
Pumping upon the engine down the en-
bankment, or the fatality list might
have been longer.
| Engineer c. c. Brown and Fireman
Edward Lightner were on the forward
engine and as the great machine lurched
and went over both men went down with
1t. Engineer Brown escaped with a few
superficial bruises and an hour later
was walking around; but Lightner is
somewhere underneath his engine and
presumably dead, as up to a late hour
tonight he had not been found.
| Engineer D. z. Hackett and Fireman
C. F. Brown, both of this city, were on
| the second engine, and the accident.
| happening, as it did, without warning.
gave UGlLueT OIL tueIIl d CIldHCC W jump.
Engineer Hackett was badly scalded
about the head and face, besides being
| injured internally, and at o'clock, two
hours after he went over with his en-
gine, he breathed his last.
c. f. Brown, Hackett's fireman, sus-
tained several contusions about the body
but was not seriously injured.
The mail car, the baggage and express
car, the day coach and the smoking car
also left the rails but did not leave the
| roadbed, and beyond general shaking
| up none of the passengers were injured.
| Mail Clerk Stevens was flung against
the end of his car with extreme violence
and his back is injured, though how Sc
verely could not be ascertained.
| Express Messenger Burke was also
shaken UP but received no contusions.
and at last accounts was said to be all
right.
d. q. Hackett, well known all over the
coast as "Don" Hackett, had been in
the employ of the Southern Pacific COM
pany for many years and was considered
one of the most careful, reliable men on
the road. His run was from Sacramento
to Reno, his home station being this
city. He has two daughters living in
San Francisco and ha6 other relatives In
other cities in the state. He was 20
years Of age.
Edward Lightner was 20 years old and
a nephew of Passenger Engineer Bonus
Lightner. His home station was Rock
lin, Engineer Browns engine making
the run between Rocklin and Wads-
worth. Lightner was well known in this
city and had a host of friends here, to
whom the news of his death will be a Sc
we're blow. His home was at Colfax.
Two tourist, two sleeping and a dining
room car remained on the rails, and be-
yond shock and jar, the passengers
knew nothing at the moment of the ac
cident of the tragedy at the front of the
train.
The track from Long Ravine bridge to
the town of Colfax Is on an upgrade and
the train was consequently not descend
ing but ascending when the train left
the track. The train men say that while
the train was two hours late, owing to
delays east of Ogden, it was not moving
at an excessive rate of speed when the
accident occurred. The engines had just
pulled out of cut and struck a small
embankment when Browns engine
jumped the track, and the rear part of
the train was left standing in the cut
after the wreck.
Physicians from Colfax were soon at
the. scene of the wreck and everything
possible was done to relieve the suffer-
ings of the injured.
A special train from this city, having
on board Division superintendent j. B.
Wright, Assistant Superintendent T. r.
Jones, Resident Engineer Robinson and
DIR. Huntington, chief surgeon Of the
railroad hospital in this city, and his
assistant, DR.. Nourse, was Immediately
started for the scene of the accident, and
the wrecking train with a full compile
merlt Of men was also hurried forward
and work at clearing the track pushed as
rapidly as possible.
The cause of the accident is not
known, though it is thought by some
that the rails may have spread.
The railroad officials expect to have
the track cleared early tomorrow fore
noon.