The daily sentinel., 1906-06-06
JU MPED TO
HIS DEATH
Engineer F. B. Brown, OF the Rio
Grande western, Jumped
from His Engine 10 Avoid
Pad Smash Up and
He Was Killed.

Engineer r. b. Brown. running
extra freight No. ll+. on engine No.
l14, was killed last night at the west
end of the switch at Grassy by jump
ing from his engine He struck with
his head on the end OF tie that was
lying beside the track and his skull
was crushed and an arm and leg
broken. He died almost Instantly.
Two extra trains were bound east.
one was a freight, No. 1874 In charge
of Conductor Jennings, the other eX-
ira freight No. ia, in charge of Con
ductor Detweiler. Both trains had
orders to meet passenger No. 3, rum
ming west.
When Conductor Jennings came to
the switch at GRASSY he ran his train
into the siding. The train of Con-
ductor Detweiler soon came bowling
along at a fast rate Engineer
Brown saw the switch open. Feel
thai a smash up was inevitable, if
he ran his train into the switch, he
jumped from his engine, with the re-
suit that he was KILLED.
Just an instant before Engineer
Brown jumped Conductor Jennings
in charge of train No. 1874 standing
on the sdetrack also realized that
I if the oneoming train ran into the
switch there would be smash up,
threw the switch which Engineer
Brown had seen open, but not be-
fore Engineer Brown had 1umped and
the extra freight No. ia which Engi-
neer Brown had been pulling went
on up the main line.
When It was found that Engi-
neer Brown had Jumped. the crew Of
the train standing on the sidetraek
quickly ran to his aid, but found him
beyond human help.
What was in Engineer Brown s
mind in regard to making the switch
or running on to Woodside, five
miles and more further. no one will
ever be able to tell. The only con-
clusion that can be drawn from con-
ditions are that he presumed that
Conductor Jennings had gone on to
Wioodside and that when he saw
the train standing on the sidetrack
he was greatly surprised. The switch
was open and his train running at
regulation speed. He feared the
smash up. but never anticipated that
: the switc could ha thrown in time to
save his train.
The fact that Conductor Jennings
decided that he could not make the
Woodside station, being on the first
extra. shows that Engineer Brown
was not apprised of Jennings deter
limitation to stop at Grassy. Whether
there had been time to close the
switch before 1t was closed. of whe-
ther Il should have been closed al
all under the circumstances. is q
matter for the railroad authorities tt
decide Under the circumstances o.
the switch having been thrown il
the nick of time. it was most unfor
tunate that Engineer Brown ha'
jumped
The body was brought to this cit!
on train No 2 last night and takei
to the undertaking establishment o
e. A. Krohn.
1 The deceased engineer was not gen
orally known in this city. He ha'
been working for the Rio Grande les
/, than year. He had been marrie'
! only four months and two days, ant
= his wife alone survives him.
He came to this state from Carl
p ton. Missouri. He was aged abou
E forty-five years and was considere'
j a very careful engineer. He was mar
: ried at his old home. The family ha
, resided at SCI Colorado. avenue. tn
wife being a sister Of George II. Nit
3 chell a well known brakeman.
The deceased was a member of tn
local lodge Of Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers and was also a Ma
son. In all probability the body will
be buried in this city.