Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-12-12
FR|CHTFUL
ACCIDENT IN
LOCAL YARDS.
Switch Engine Smashes Into
Hand Car Last
Night.
Men on oot-Bosrd Badly Hurt.
George ". Blenen Dying
From HIS Injuries.

A serious accident occurred In the
Santa te yards In this city last even
Ing in which Switcnman George w
Blenen was fatally injured and Switch
man w. s. Acker suffered serious
injuries. This was the first bad ac
cident to occur In the local yards in
nine months, or since Theodore Kid
der, Q brakeman, was cut to pieces
at the crossing near the yard 0f
fee. In March,.
Switch engine 24O3 had backed
some cars down to the plckler, or tie
preserving works, and came back on
the main track at about fifteen min
utes to seven last evening. Switch
man George Blenen and w. 3. Ack-
er were standing on the front foot
board OF the engine and Sam Suttor
threw the switch. The engine went
north on the main track and Switch
man Suttor hung on the rear foot.
board Of the locomotive. When near
the round house the engine struck
q handcar coming from the opposite
direction and both men on the front
Of 2403 we're thrown from the pilot
was found that Blenen had suffered
fracture of both bones of his leg
below the knee, and serious inter-
nal injuries and that Acker had
fractured knee cap and other inju-
ries which could not then be de.
termined.
The hand car was In charge Of Ave
.Mexicans. employed pn the bridge
repair gang and they-were al thsoWns
from the car and considerable bruis-
ed and Jared, though none Of them
were seriously injured. The engine
was only running at about seven or
eight miles an hour, which was all
that saved them from serious hurt.
The Mexicans declare that there
with no headlight on the engine and
the switching crew declares that
there was. The head light was burn
ing plainly few moments after the
accident. so the bridge gang were un.
doubtedly mistaken. The hand car
carried no lantern or signal Of any
kind.
It was dark. at the time. a strong
wind was blowing, and the air was
filled with snow. The switchmen on
the pilot had their heAaa down to |
keep the driving snow from their
faces, and never saw the approaching
car.
The end Of the hand car came high
enough up on the pilot to strike both
evitchman on the legs. Blenen was
little ahead Of Acker and received the
ful force Of the blow. When the
former was struck, he was thrown
forward onto the hand car and was
hurt internally. while Acker was
thrown to one side Of the track. Mel
ther Of the men lost Consciousness.
and suffered greatly until they had
been taken to the A. T. & s. F. hos
pita' by the engine.
After the injured men had been re- |
r,oved to the hospital 1t was found
that Switchman Blunen was suffer-
Ing from q tiislocated ankle, that both
bones Of one leg were broken and that
he had been struck severe blow
across the abdomen causing probably |
fatal injuries. At o'clock this after
noon he was yet alive and conscious
with small chances of recovery. The
unfortunate man resides In this city,
where he has wife and child.
He had been working on the Santa
Fe about six weeks.
Switchman Aker is badly bruised
and has a deep cash across his knee,
which was filled with dirt and badly
torn. He is getting along nicely. One
of the Mexicans was quite severely
hurt but did not go to the hospital.
His injuries consisted only OF bruises.