The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-07-27
Big RAILROAD WRECK
GREAT NORTHERN TRAIN COTS
OVER EMSANKsENT.
Seven Bodies Lye at Bottom of Lake.
Nine Killed ard Many Injured
Wreck Caused by Rotten State OF
Roadbed.


Nine persons killed and seven of
these lying at the bottom of Diamond
lake among the wreckage of Great
Northern passenger train, and q num-
Der more seriously injured, is the latest
eport from Camden, where the train,
bound for Spokane at 4:18 Monday
night, apparently running wild through
the tunnel, bounded from the track and
plunged into the lake.
The passengers seemed to have pre-
of impending disaster, but it
was probably simply uneasiness at the
great speed of the train as it neared
the fatal bend. The men were speak
ing of the danger of such fast travel
and just before the engine cleared the
tunnel it may have come to the minds
of many that they were riding down
hill behind runaway engine.
Then the crash came. The engine
tore through the rails at the curve and
made straight for the lake. As the
huge locomotive plunged under the
water, it drew down the mail coach,
the baggage car, the smoker and the
day cars.
There was no time to avert disaster.
AS the coaches struck the water there
was binding flash from the explosion
of the acetyline gas tanks and in q
minute there was fire in the lake
which added to the horror of the situa-
ton. Some of the passengers broke the
windows and fought their way out, be-
fore the smoking car was filled with
water and the fire extinguished.
Some of the luckier ones were fright
fully burned and scorched by the flame
and heat. Others were caught in the
car, smothered by the waters, or blind
ed by the flames. Seven or perhaps
more are believed to remain, waiting
for divers to come clear across the
state to bring up their bodies from the
wreckage at the bottom of the lake.
Two bodies are recovered, those of
George FL. Curtice and T. j. Dolbow.
The rest OF the bodies will probably
not be recovered until diver arrives
from Seattle.
The train was travelling at high
rate of speed and it is believed by
many that the engineer, N. E. Munson
of Hillyard, had lost control of his en-
CINE OF else had lost his head, for the
train was going swifter than was safe
around the many curves along that
part of the road.
Both Engineer Munson and his fire.
man, George Bell of Hillyard, are bur-
led with the engine. Besides these two
it is known that Charles Danner, the
mail clerk, of this city, and the bag
gageman, George R. Strickland, Of
Kalispell, Mont, are still beneath thu
water. Ed Newcomb of Spokane ant
two other bodies are also reported to bt
pinioned in the wrecked cars below thu
| water.
Those Injured.
OF the injured there are reported:
Pete Nelson of the Nage1 hotel, Spo
kane, head cut and badly bruised.
| NJ. e Cash. road overseer, Sand
point, right arm bruised.
Thomas Holland, Usk, WASH. arm
cut.
FL. Killeen, checker, Great Northern
st. Paul, Mimi, back slightly injured
Juan Gnoto, Albion block, Spokane
hand smashed.
E. E. Hall, Newport, Wash, RICH
hand and face burned and cut.
j. E. yorum, Minot, N. D., burne'
and crushed internally.
Louie Milinks (Austrian), Spokane
hand cut by glass.
G. G. Malhills, timber cruiser, Spo
kane, hands and head badly burned.
E. B. Newcomb, travelling salesman
for Grinsfelder & Co., Spokane, bruise
hand.
| Over Fifty Foot Bank.
A half score others were badl
shaken up and received minor injuries
which were forgotten in the endeavo
to aid others who were suffering.
The train left the rails at the ives
exit of the tunnel, one and one-hal
miles east of Camden, and plunge
downward over the 80 foot bank int
the deep waters of Diamond lake. Th
engine. tender. mail and baggage Cal
are completely submerged, while tn
three passenger coaches coupled direct
ly behind were thrown on their side
amid the boulders and sharp rocks a
most at the waters edge. The dinin
car and palace car "Chelan" alone RI
main on the rails.