Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1903-06-24
FATAL WRECK At SPOKANE
RUNAWAY FREIGHT TRAIN RAN
INTO CITY go MILES AN HOUR.
Four Persons Killed and Several In.
jured-Many Buildings Wrecked
one.Half MiIe-Happened at 4
O'Clock in the Morning.

O'Clock in the Morning.
Spokane, June 23.-Like a mighty
a runaway train of sixty
heavily loaded cars swept down the
old Spokane Falls & Northern grade
and tore through Spokane about day
light Monday morning. Gaining mo-
as it swept down the long
slope from Hillyard. it struck the end
of the track at Division street with
a speed estimated at from so to 80
miles per hour Leaping free from the
tracks, crossing Division street like
a fash, tearing its way over the rough
ground and through the rocks, it struck
the residence of James Slee with tre-
medous force. crushing it to fragments.
killing two of the sleeping inmates and
injuring three more. The crystal laun-
dry, 200 feet farther west ON River ave-
nue., finally checked the rushing cars,
but was carried from it's foundations.
At least four are dead. At least three
are injured. From 60 to 80 cars.
wrecked and battered, are scattered
along the path of the runaway for
nearly a quarter Of mile.
The house of James Slee, in Harri-
son avenue, is completely wrecked
to kindling wood.
The Crystal laundry building was
moved from its foundations-shoved
bodily three or four feet to the west
by the force Of the blow.
From the laundry building for nearly
a quarter Of a mile to the east the
wrecked cars are strewn. Around Di-
vision street nearly 80 cars we're piled
up in great heaps. Such was the force
of the rushing train that wheels and
parts of cars are found nearly 100
feet from the track.
West of Division street, where the
track ends, a furrow nearly 600 feet
long has been plowed in the earth by
the rushing cars.
The Dead.
The list of dead, SO far as known
now, is as follow.
Elmer slee, e&-e2rs old, son OF
James Slee, who was asleep in the
wrecked house.
Bill Thomas. tramp, who. 1t is
supposed was asleep in a boxcar
standing on the line east Of Division
street.
A tramp, whose name could not be
learned, but who is supposed to have
been asleep with Thomas in the box
car.
One other body was sighted in the
wreck, but not taken out at this re-
port.
Coroner Smith, with his assistants,
had arrived on the scene, and began
away the debris in an attempt
to rescue the body. The unfortunate
man is undoubtedly dead.
The Injured.
The injured are:
Two children of the Slice family.
Jim Slee, the Oldest son. and Viola
Slee, the baby. Both were removed
to the Sacred Heart hospital.
Also Irene Meyers. daughter Of Mrs.
Meyers. who occupies portion Of the
house in company with the Slee family
How It Happened.
AS near as can be learned from 60
to 80 cars were in the runaway train.
These cars, it is supposed, were stand.
ing on the old Spokane Falls G North.
ern tracks at Hillyard, which are now
used by the Great Northern for stor-
age purposes.
The track from Hillyard into Spo-
kane has a heavy down grade all of
the way. The cars started of their
own accord on their journey. 1t is
estimated by railroad officials that the
train was composed of from go to 80
cars, there being no engine attached.
The cars were loaded with soft coal,
the majority of them being boxcars.
A few flats appeared at intervals, and
those cars were loaded with stove
wood and lumber, two tanks Of oil be.
ing near the front Of the train.
The majority, If not all the cars in
the string, were loaded, and represent.
ed thousands Of tons &C be added to
the weight of the cars.
AS the long train gathered headway
on its four mile coast into the city the
weight of a terrible momentum was
attained and the velocity of the train
in its mad rush Is estimated by train
men to have been In the neighborhood
Of 80 or 80 miles an hour.
The roar of the flying cars struck
terror to the hearts Of the residents
of the north side of the river in the
vicinity OF the track. At all points
along the track the switches were set
wide open for the main line. not divert
ing the course Of the runaway from the
many side tracks connected at inter-
walls with the main line.
No brakemen were on the cars at
the time and the train rushed on its
way to destruction unchecked in any
way.