The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1899-06-17
FATAL RAILWAY COLLISION.

About 6 p. M. Thursday a collision oc-
Cured on the Central Pacific about
one-hali mile west OF Iron Point
which resulted in the death OF Fireman
+. NJ. Merrill.
Engineer Gamble, Fireman Merrill
and Conductor Goodnight were on west
bound train No. 2o6 with orders 10 meet
No. 203 Engineer Walthenspiel and
| Conductor Trousdale at Iron Point.
When No. 206 reached Iron Point she
found a train on siding which the train
men supposed to be No. 203 but which
was End section of No. POT. On this sup
position and without inquiring as they
should have done, No. 206 pushed on
through and collided head on with No.
203, with the result that Fireman
Merrill lost his life.
All cabooses are not yet equipped
with the device patented by Fl. J.
Small. Gen. Supt. NJ. P. 4 NJ which
shows from the rear window of the
caboose cupola the number of the train.
Had the caboose of train md No. 207
been thus equipped this accident might
have been averted. 1t is but a short
time ago that Mr.. Small received a pat
ent for his invention.
AS train No. 206 passed the train on
the siding Merrill said that must be
her, meaning No. 203, and lie and
Gamble waved their hands at the crew
and held up three fingere. Gamble
was first to see No. 203 coming toward
them and hollered: Jump Frank,
we're in for it," They both jumped
and reached the ground all right.
Gamble says when the engines struck
Merrill WAS twelve feet away from the
track but the collision caused the head
box car on No. 203 to telescope with
the engine tender and the roof OF the
car was torn off and thrown where
Merrill was running striking him and
breaking his back. He was conscious
to the last aud told Gamble he was
going to die. He informed Gamble
about his affairs, what he would
like to have done with his insurance,
bid the boys around hin. good bye, and
with his last breath sent a farewell
message Il, his wife, her name was the
last word on his lips.
The deceased lea YES a wife and three
young children, IA hoy and two girls.
He was a member OF Truckee Lodge
No 10, Il. OF l.. +. at Wadsworth, in
which he was insured for $500, and q
member OF Summit Lodge, knights Of
Pythias, at Truckee aud was insured
In the Endowment Rank OF that order
for $4,000. just before he left Wads-
worth on the trip destined to be his last
he seemed to huve had "a premonition
that he WAS soon to die. He had a long
talk with q. W. Kinney about his AT
fairs generally, his family and what he
would like to have done in ease he vas
killed on the road.
n tip bliD DcthF6 LIE ItWb VI Inc
accident reached here and AS Merrill
was rushing to his doom Mrs. Merrill
became very and restless, could
not explain why, hut believed some
thing terrible was about to happen.
She was soon to hear the dreadful
news. She is prostrate,l with grief and
hardly able to bear the affection.
The remains OF the decreased were
brought here yesterday forenoon on a
special aud taken to the +. X. M.
Library rooms where the body rested
until the arrival of No. 2, by which train
they were taken to Lincoln, California,
for interment.
MIR. and Mrs. l.. L. Sanford accom-
MED the body &c Lincoln.
The deceased was not long a resident
here but was well liked by those who
knew him.
The other train men escaped injury.