The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-01-17
Engineer and FirGnGn Injured in
a Head on Collision.
BAD ACCIDENT ON RAILWAY
Regular Train and Switching Outfit
Mixed Up-Men In Hospital.
Damage to the Property.

About the worst accident the Oahu
railway has ever had on the line out
of Honolulu occurred yesterday morn
ing a few minutes before o'clock.
There was head on collision between
the incoming early train and a switch
engine with a couple of cars in tow.
Two persons We're seriously injured.
These were respectively the engineer
of the switch engine and his fireman.
Their names are Louis Myers and An
tone Barba. Myers was at the throttle.
The pair were jammed between the
light shifting locomotive and the heavy
private passenger coach Pearl. The
engineer had his left leg fractured in
1t is not believed that amputation will
be necessary. Barba, the fireman, had
his left leg below the knee so badly
broken and crushed that the operation
Both men are at the Queens hospital
and as patients are in good condition.
Myers, the engineer, shows great fOrti-
tude, bearing his severe pains without
complaint. Barba seems to have been
quite demoralized by the shock.
There was not the slightest reticence
on the part of the railway officials con-
cerning the accident. superintendent
Denison was an eyewitness and read
lily gave his story. The uptrain, due
at $50, was about on time and was
entering the yards at the usual speed.
Bert Hughes was engineer and Mr.. Bill
man was in charge as conductor. They
had asked for orders at Moanalua, but
there were no advices for them, and
they came ahead, as is customary. The
train consisted of four cars of sugar,
about fifty tons in all, a canopy top car
(Open) and passenger coach well
filled with people, including many city
residents who had been spending Sun
day down the road. AT what rate of
speed the train entered the yards will
ever be a guess. The engineer and
fireman could have no sight of any
thing else on the main line till we'll
upon it, as there is a pronounced curve
at the lower end of the yard and at
the edge of the swing a house with
trees and shrubbery, further obstruct-
ing the view. The switching crew
happened to be at the lower end of the
yard with a small engine, the car Pearl
and a canopy top. 1t appears that
these workers thought they would
ing and get out of the way before the
train came along on the main line. IL
was a very tight calculation on time,
but probably there would have been no
accident had there been a dry track. AS
the whistle of the incoming train
sounded the switching men made their
best efforts to back out of the way, but
the track was slippery. The engineer
of the regular train threw on the air
brakes. The train slowed up percept-
IDLY, but it was too late to avoid the ac-
cident, the wet track again being an
important contrary factor. Superinten-
dent DenisOn saw the miX-up, shouted
back to the depot for the clerk on duty
TO telephone for doctors and hastened
TO the scene of the wreck.
The speed of the train and the weight
behind the locomotive were many
times a match for the obstruction. The
little switch engine was practically
stripped. All that remains for the in
quest OF the mechanics was the boiler
with engine. The cab was knocked in
TO tOothpicks, all the small parts car
ried away, and the little shifter was a
sight. The switch engine was thrown
into the Pearl with great violence. The
impact knocked a pair of trucks from
under the canopy top behind the Pearl.
4 few hundred dollars will cover the