The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1904-04-15
DISASTROUS AND
FATAL WRECK
Ore Mile East of Town--Engineer and
Fireman and Three Tramps
Killed


Last Tuesday night about 1910 or
lO15 p. m. the east-bound passenger
train, which was running under orders
as irSt section of No. went into the
ditch at the east end Of the Chumstick
bridge, not more than two hundred feet
from where dozen freight cars left
the track last fall. The Chumstick
bridge itself is on a curve, but Just east
OF the bridge is a compound curve
where the track is laid on a made en-
bankment which follows the curve of
the river bank about one hundred feet
above the Wenatchee, when the train
reached this point, so Engineer Jack
Croak said before he died, the road-bed
looked all right but when the weight
of the engine got on it he said he could
feel the ground giving away under him.
A section of the road-bed about two
hundred and fifty feet long slid down
into the river, carrying the engine,
mail and baggage cars down. The
great mass of earth on which rested the
engine and cars was about three feet
above the water and was at no time in
danger OF going in. The engine and
tender turned completely over at least
once, il not oftener, before it came 10 a
stand still. The mail and baggage cars
remained in an upright position. The
front end OF The mail car was consider
ably smas ned and rested partly on the
tender. 1t was at this point, under the
mail car and tender, buried under the
wreckage that the mangled forms Of
three unfortunate tramps were found.
They had evidently been riding on the
tender or front end of the mail car, and
when found life was extinct in all OF
them, being crushed into an unrecog-
niZable mass, death came to them so
swiftly that they did not suffer more
than IA few seconds. Not so it'll engi-
neer Croak and fireman Wilson. both
OF whom went over and over with the
engine. The former was thrown out to
one side and Wilson was found pinned
under the wreckage of the engine and
in addition to being severely injured
was also badly scalded. He was re-
leased and tenderly and promptly
brought Ia this place and placed in the
Leavenworth Hospital where every
thing that medical skill could do to al
leviate his suffering was done by Doc
tors Hoxsey and Mccoy, but about 2:30
a. IN some four hours after the wreck
he died. Engineer Croak was ais"
brought TO the hospital and while he
suffered a great deal and complained
of his back, 1T was thought at first there
was some hope of recovery. He went
to sleep about daylight and never
wakened up, passing from sleep into
death.
Both men were well known and liked
by their fellow employees, and respect
ed and trusted by the Company Of
fcials. Croak was one of the Oldest en-
giueers on the road, having been with
the Company more than p years.
Both men had families at Hillyard,
where the bodies were taken on We'd
nesday morning.
The eight year old son of Engineer
Croak had miraculous escape. Ten
minutes before the wreck, when the
train was in Leavenworth, he wanted
to ride on the engine with his father,
but he refused for the reason that it
was dangerous and put him in the mail
car where he was found after the wreck
under II mass of wreckage, unable 10
get out, but when released by the res
cuers lie was unhurt.
ApQther narrow escape was that OF
Milton Williams, of Mission, who was
riding on the step or tender with the
three tpamps who were killed. He was
on the left hand or upper side, and
when the cars began to 60 down he
jumped off and escaped injury. The
baggage and expressman Jesse Corn
ing, was severely, but not dangerously
injured .c -,
One of the tramps was identified by
some papers found in his clothing AS F.
]. Wildman, member OF Tribe No. 10
of the Red Men. and also of the Paint
ers Union, of Butte, Mont. The other
two could- not be identified. None OF
the passengers were injured. With the
exception of the front end of the smok-
err none of the passenger coaches were
damaged, the rear end OF this remain
ing on the track.