El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-17
]. w. ECKMAN'S
GOOD LUCK
Saved From Death BY Mirac.
uIous Presence Of Mind
AND Fifteen THOUSAND

Dollars Are Now Awarded Him BY
the Courts and He Will Be Com
Portable For Life.
The anal decision handed down by
the New o. leans court affirming the
claim OF j. W. Eckmah for fifteen
Thousand dollars, recalls circumstance
OF a miraculous and thrilling escape
from lingering, tortur1ng and agon-
izlng death, with few equals In the an
mails OF railway accidents. The story
was partly told at the time of the dra-
matte occurrence, but the full details
are pow produced on account OF the re-
msrkable and sensational manner In
which Eckman's life was spared. Eek
mao migrated to Mexico ia the sum-
mer of 90 in search of employment, in
his chosen field. that of an all around
railroad man. He could ill a telegraph
position, being an expert operator,
and was q train dispatcher OF excellent
qualifications. Eckmsn also under
stood thoroughly all the rudiments OF
rAilrc aiding In the train service de-
partment from head end man to con-
dactor. 10 short he was good al
around 'com binstion" man that any
railroad would give preference to. He
was offered his choice of occupation
and announced to his superiors that
running q train would be to his liking
and his wish WAS gratihed.
In The latter part of August, he was
assigned TO q run on the San Luis and
tral railway. Some few months later,
while In charge of q work train, NOV
ing up the "Rascon" or "Bloody
Noun Jain," Eckman was sitting on the
cupola of his caboose, just a. his train
was entering q partly lighted tunnel.
1t was the proper place for the con-
ductor, as the engine was In the rear
pushing the cars forward and Eek
mans duties required that he "look
eut' ahead. AS the train had trsv-
ersed mid way in the tunnel prof. =ct-
ing rock struck the startled train mai
fairly ON the forehead, hurting him
backward, and the unfortunate man
another, and landed on the road bed
below inside the rails. On striking
the ground the man unfortunately fell
In such q position that his left arm and
leg lay partly across the track while
with the presence of mind and
the practical experience OF q
thorough railroader Eckman lay upon
his back as If a corpse, HE head rest
ing in a level position with his body, |
and while in this awful poise, saw and
heard the crunching and grinding !
wheels of three cars and an engine |
pass over his helpless arm and leg F,
During she t0rturing process, Eckman
was conscious and as the en-
pine wheels concluded their awful |
work, the tortured railrOader was left
to his fate a mangled mass of human
ity. The train proceeded distance
of kilometers before the conductors
disappearance WAS noticed, and In hall
an hours time they returned only to ind
the injured man apparently battling
between life and death alone and
suffering intense agony. The sufferer |
was hurriedly but gently placed In the
caboose and the train rushed to the |
nearest divisional point. 1t vas race
sur life and the engineer threw open
wide the throttle as he never had done
before.
From the division head quarters b;
special train was quickly pl sced at the |
disposal of the MANNED cond uctor, and |
the engineer was instructed 70 make |
the best time possible to reach Aguas |!
CaIientes, where the company's hos
pital is located. Again the cinders dew
aud the iron monster danced across the
desert like some will-o'-the- wisp court
ing with the air. The special reached
Aguas,a distance of 300 miles,fn eigh-
teen hours, remarkably good time.
traversed. On reaching the hospital
Dr.. Squires, an eminent railroad sur
geon, put in all his genius and skill in
this particular case and with success
full and skillful tact amputsted the
mangled arm and leg. So we'll was the
delicate operation performed, Eokman
WAS able to go about the hospital
grounds with the aid OF crutch three
weeks after the ampu, alton was done |
After remaining in the hospital for
seven weeks, the crippled railroader
was strong enough to repair to the
United States, coming direct to this
city While here Mr.. Eckmsn seeingi
a favorable opportunity, for q
law suit, engaged the services OF Pat
te-son and Buckler to press his claim
of thirty thousand dollars against the
railroad company. AS is we'll known
the matter was finally brought up be-
fore jury and after all the evidence
was In the claim ant wasAawarded IF |
tser thonsard dollars, the jury con tend
fng that the negligence on the compsnysI {
p,rs Was apparent from the fact that
sac tunnel was uneven in construc-
hon in scme parts. noticeably the CEN
three feet, while at the entrance =
the dimensions differed. The corpO- 9
ration did not, however, let the matter 1
drop there but appealed the case, and
after patient waiting for several Z
Mr.. Eckmsn through his at C
was informed that the former 4
decision, a verdict of fifteen thousand o
dollars, was affirmed. The injured
has been conducting a fruit
,sore ON San Antonio street, since
coming here, having received q three 8,
.hous and dollar insurance policy from
he order of railway conductors. Mr..
Eek man at this time is unsettled as to 9
his future plans, but proposes to make
ais home In this city. |.