The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1900-11-17
Passenger Trains Come To-
gether Near Bolton.
A FIREMAN IS KILLED.
Switch Was Open When 1t Should Have
Been Closed.-Respons ibility
Not Fixed.

About 1880 o'clock, Thursday night
the second section of train No. 3
crashed into an east bound passen
ger train on the Great Northern neal
Belton. One man was killed
five injured, both engines demolis-.e
and two cars wrecked.
Both trains were heavily loaded
with passengers and order had been
issued for them to pass at Bolton.
The east bound train arrived first
and pulled in on the siding to allow
the west bound train to pass on the
main line. The switch at the east
end of the siding had been opened
by some one and the west bound
train running at the rate of Is miles
an hour, drove into the train on the
siding, with the above result.
AS soon as the engineers and fire.
men on both trains realized that a
wreck was inevitable, they jumped
and with the exception of Fireman
Fred Goodrich succeeded in getting
clear of the wreck. Goodrich was
caught between the cab and tender
and not only badly crushed but so
badly scalded that the flesh simply
hung to him and one man who as.
sisted in taking the poor fellow to the
sleeping car, where he died "a few
moments later, in great agony, said
that "Goodrich's body was so warm
from the effects of the scalding that
our hands were almost burned"
The blame for the wreck seems to
rest with the colored brakeman on
the eastbound train, who was sent on
ahead to see to the switch and sig
nal the west bound train when the
track was clear, and it is said that he
must have become confused and open
ed the switch before giving the sig
nal to come on. One thing is sure
the switch was opened and locked,
but the most mysterious part of the
wreck is the fact that SO few were
injured.
George Schweiger, resident of
this city and who was passenger
on the train west bound, in speak
ing of the wreck, said:'
81 think it was about 1880 o'clock
when the crash came and as soon as
the excitement of the moment was
over Iwent forward to the engines
and from what l could gather the
blame rests wholly with the brake
man, who is said to have opened the
switch and then signalled to No. 3
to come on. Our train was not 60
ing very fast, probably Is miles an
hour.
F.. A. True, brother of Joe True,
who was enroute to this city said:
Most of us were asleep, but awoke
promptlywhen the crash came. Those
who We're standing up were thrown
to the floor, and some were bruised
considerably. A baby which was
asleep on car seat was dashed
against steam pipe and badly in
jured. do not know OF any other
than members of the traincrew who
were injured.
The brakeman who is charged with
having opened the switch claims that
he did nothing of the kind and says,
that the light was out and that he
did nothing of the kind and says,
that the light was out and that he
thought everything was all right. One
thing which SENS to verify his state
ment. is that upon investigation the
light was found extinguished and the
switch not only thrown but the lock
had been put in place and locked, a
thing rarely done upon such occa.
sons.
Passengers on the train who stop.
ped off in Kalispell say that Engi-
neer Bodie, who was with Fireman
Goodrich was slightly injured as well
as Engineer Mamvering and Fireman
Cotton as we'll as the conductor on
the west bound train.