The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1903-10-08
THE WRECK AT
BEOWAWE.

last Thursday night at about 7 o'clock
west of the depot at Beowawe, thirty-one
miles east of Battle Mountain.
The first section OF No. 6 collided with
westbound freight train No. 219.
From what we were able to learn we
gathered the following reports:
The first section Of G passed through
Battle Mountain that evening running
nearly two hours late, her crew includ.
ing Joe Holland, conductor, J. W. Lit
tlejohn, engineer, and F. Stone, fireman,
ran into the westbound freight, Engineer
Fowshe and Jas. Dorsey, conductor.
No. 219 On reaching Beowawe had 10
minutes on No. 6, and the engineer on
No. 2l9 being a new man on this d.
vision thought hs could make the siding
a short distance west Of Beowawe for
No. 6 and started his train after receiv-
ing orders at that station. Conductor
Dorsey on seeing that the engineer be-
gan to pull out and the conductor not
thinking that he would be able to make
the siding 10 time for No. 6, immediate
ly set the air, breaking the train in two
places. The head and hind brakeman
OF No. 219 went back to the caboose to
get knuckles to repair the Drawbacks
while the fireman went out to flag No. 6
which vas about due. Conductor Dor
.o, o,l IL, h.aLa-an l,.arl No q ma
wer the stop signal. 1t is thought that
after the engineer Of the passenger had
answered the signal of the fireman to
stop, the air refused to work and he was
unable to bring his train to n halt which
by that time were almost together and it
was impossible to prevent the clashing
together of the two powerful engines.
1t was quite dark at the time the
trains met, and the engine crew only
saw that the accident was coming in
time to save their lives by jumping, es-
pecially those Of the passenger crew;
the freight engines crew had a better
opportunity as their train was standing
still, and all of them got safely out Of the
way. The men on the passenger engine
were less fortunate, and in jumping
from the cab Engineer Littlejohn broke
his leg, while Fireman Stone was more
seriously injured, suffering a severe con-
cussion of the brain aud an ugly cut
over the left eye.
News of the accident was telegraphed
along the line, and medical assistance
implored. Special trains were sent to
the scene of the accident, carrying Drs.
Samuels and Giroux Of Winnemucca,
Pope Of Battle Mountain and Hood Of
Elko. DIR. Hood was accompanied by
Miss Boiling, a professional nurse and
Joe Taber, the druggist. from Elko, who
did much to assist the doctors in caring
for the suffering victims of the accident.
But before any doctors arrived, two re-
Gently discharged hospital attendants
from the Philippines, with the aid of the
supplies they carried, had given valuable
aid to the injured.
While the wounded we're being cared
for the wreck was being cleared away
aud traffic was delayed but about seven
hours. As soon as the road was open all
the injured were placed in a train and
taken to the Southern Pacific hospital
at Ogden, DIR. Hood accompanying them.
The only exception was Grant Pyle, the
cattle buyer and shipper representing
Henry Levy of San Francisco. He was
taken through to the city on No. 5 Fri
day morning.
1t was stated by some who saw the
wreck that it was a tosgh looking sight.
The two engines were jammed into n
mass of bent and twisted iron and steel.
The second day coach telescoped into
the first day coach for over half a car
length. As both these we e pretty well
filled the most remarkable thing about
the wreck is that more were not killed
and injured than were.
One man was killed outright, Allen
Harper, who was d railroad conductor on
the Northern Pacific. His home was in
Pocatello, at which place he was a mem.
Der in good standing Of the Order Of
II ilway Conductors and of the Knights
Templar as shown by papers found upon
his body. His remains were shipped to
Pocatello.
Mr.. Harper was sitting in the rear end
of the smoker and was pinned in the
wreckage, being horribly mangled.
Death was not instantaneous, but nearly
two hours were consumed in extricating
the body.
There we're about nineteen people on
the train who were more or less serious
ly injured.
--sA