Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-11-30
SILVERTON
PASSENGER
WRECKED
From Fridays Daily:


One of the most fortunate railroad
accidents took place this morning OF
the Silyerton branch it has been oul
good fortune to record-fortunat,
that train crew and passengers wers
not killed.
The regular passenger train left
Silverton at the usual time. quarter
to Z. About three-fourths of a mile
this side of Needleton a big boulder
had come down the mountain side tax
ing out about four feet of rail Being
at a dangerous point of the road En-
gineer McCabe was running slow. dis
covering the break in the track in
rounding a curve. Although revers
ing the lever 1t was not in time to stop
before striking the broken rail which
caused the locomotive to leave the
rails ploughing a short distance along
the track, then careening to the right
and bank side of track. the force ol
the train pushing it along the length
of the engine on its side. grinding the
cab to pieces and wrecking the loco
motive.
The track this side OF Needleton is
on the right side of the river coming
down and Engineer McCahe was on
the side of the cab that ploughed
along the bank How he escaped
death is certainly a miracle. He was
scratched about the face some and had
the lower right rib broken
Fireman Tony Katschthaler was
thrown over on McCabe and had it moi
been for escaping steam would have
escaped with only scratch or two
about the face. As it was both legs
below the knee were quite badly
scalded and viii cause him some pain
and short layon.
The front part of the mail and bag
gage car left the track, but outside
this none of the cars left the rails
Postal Clerk Harris was thrown
against the side OF the car and his
back is spralned but not seriously
The baggage was thrown across the
car but escaped injury.
There were sixteen passengers in
the coaches in addition to the train
crew. the greater number being Elks
who were in hurry to get home. the
special not leaving until 8 O'Clock
Conductor Lockiin, in charge OF the
train, with a number of Elks. started
for lockwood, and securing a hand.
car made the IA miles about 9:30 when
the ID. & X. G. officials at this place
were notified. A wrecking train ana
crew was soon made up ana with DIR
Turrill pulled out for the scene OF the
accident. In the meantime the loco
motive OF the freight train which hau
arrived at lockwood from Silverton
was uncoupled and with coach and
gondolla run to the wreck where the
special from Silverton with the Elks
and their ladies had arrived. The pas
sengers were transferred, along with
The mail and small baggage, and the
stub backed to lockwood, turning Oh
~ and arriving in Durango about
quarter OF two this afternoon. train
was made up as soon as possible ano
pulled out for the east about O'Clock
five and a halt hours late
Messrs. McCabe and Katchethaler
were brought to town on the freight
stub and are resting comfortably, and
are wondering how they managed to
escape death.
The passengers on the wrecked
train are also wondering how 1t hap
pened they escaped so fortunately
Had the locomotive turned on the op
posite side there is no question but
that it would have dragged the bal.
ance of the train into the Animas riv-
er which runs close to the track.
Up to the hour OF going TO press no
word had been received from the
wrecking train regarding progress be
ing made. 1t will probably be some
time during the night before the track
is cleared.
The passengers waiting for the Sill.
verton train this morning stood
around the depot till nearly 10 O'Clock
before they knew of the accident
Their first intimation of what was
wrong was the long blowing of whis-
ties. calling the trainmen and labor
ers, and the rushing here and there
of the trainmaster giving orders and
the hurried making up of the relief
train. Trainmen would answer nc
questions as to what the trouble was
and when it was seen that \ wrecking
train was being made up, the news
quickly spread that there was wreck
on the Silverton road. and many who
had friends and relatives on the ex
cursion train became alarmed. Theii
alarm was Increased when it was
learned that DR.. Turrill, the railroad
physician had been called. Then the
news began to spread that only the en-
gine had tipped over and the engineer
was the only one injured. This allay
ed the fears of many. but some hur
ried TO the depot and boarded the
train when II was ready to start. but
one and all were compelled to get off
There was general feeling of relief
when 1t was ascertained no one was
seriously hurt.