The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-01-17
IN UNDERMINED CULV[RI
1t Results in Costly Wreck on the
N. L. Near This City.
NOT A SINGLE LIFE Is LOST
Marvellous Escape Of About Three Hundred Pas
senqers-Debris Cleared Away and Trains
Were Soon Running on Schedule Time.
NOT A SINGLE LIFE Is LOST

One of the most miraculous accidents
i'll the history of railroading occurred
on Selah creek, on the Northern Pacific,
seven miles north Of this city, early sun
day morning. 1t is a modern wonder
| that a heavily packed passenger train
can become almost complete wreck
without the loss of life and with no
injuries OF serious nature inflicted.
Several hundred citizens of North Yak
ina viewed the wreck, and it will prob
ably be a subject for their recitals on
many occasions throughout their exist
ence.
The west-bound passenger reached
North Yakima an hour or more late. 1t
consisted of full complement Of cars,
nine in number, and Charley With, OF
Ellensburg, was at the throttle. When
it pulled out of this station speed Of
40 miles an hour was attained mile
east of Selah station there is a culvert
at what is known as Selah or Squaw
creek. The gulch is dry at most sea-
sons of the year, but rains, SHOWS and
chinooks had provided sufficient water
to undermine the culvert, and when
Engineer Wirth reached it he realized
there was trouble in store. The engine
passed over in safety, but as the tender
began sinking Mr.. Wirth appreciated
the desperate situation and threw wide
open the. throttle. This was done to
prevent the piling up of cars, and prob
ably resulted in saving many lives.
When the mail car reached the culvert
the weakened concrete pillars gave way
and were followed by the superstructure,
piling up in the creek below. The
trucks OF the various cars dropped down
in turn, but the engine was still being
driven ahead and was pulling the bodies
of the cars over the chasm, till the rear
end Of the diner settled down and the,
Pullman, denuded of its front trucks,
finished the spanning of the gap. The
rear sleeper was the only car remaining
on the track.
But these facts have been published in
the dailes and it is unnecessary to go
into all the details. A rail passed through
the body of the day coach and stuck out
through the roof. There were many
close calls for life, but only five persons
were injured, the most serious being a
colored porter, whose knee cap was
smashed. Two tourists were on the
brake beams, but passed through the or
deal all right, further than being sadly
begrimed, which is rather their natural
condition.
The injured are: Hugh P. Hall, knee
bruised and leg sprained; f. d. Burge,
San Francisco, leg bruised; Drabilla
Endrine, Budapest, arm bruised; P.
McElwell, mail clerk, elbow dislocated
G. w. Turner, Seattle, colored porter,
kneecap smashed.
Steel was on the ground at the time
of the accident for a new and more
substantial bridge and it is now in
course OF construction. Temporary ar
rangements were made for crossing and
the road was opened up on Monday.
The wreckage is fast being cleared away
for Roadmaster Scow has force of As
men on the scene and he expects to
finish the work Friday or Saturday.
What the loss is to the company is diff
ficult to estimate but will probably
reach thirty or thirty-five thousand
dollars although the figures have been
placed as high as $4,000.