The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-10
R. S. Johnson Boards Runaway
Car and Prevents Bad
Collision.
SAN PEDRO PASSENGERS
UNAWARE OF THE DANGER
Two Minutes More and Many
People Would Probably Have
Been Killed.

Heroism on the part of z. S. John
ston, railway conductor of the Oregon
Short Line, Sunday, probably prevented
a bad wreck between heavy ore car
and passenger train, ou the San Pc
dro line between Murray and Palace.
The 'high-sides ear was laden with
100000 pounds of orc, and broke loose
from switch engine on the grade Of
the hole, near Murray. The car
dashed down the track, and but for the
work of Johston would have crashed
probably with dire results.
Mr.. Johnston was working with
switch engine on siding at the out
skirts OF Murray, and AT the top of
the "hoIe. - Tie engine backed up
TO the orc car, and when il bumpet
into 1T the coupler failed to work The
car was at the top OF the hill and the
mump starte dit to rolling down the
side track toward the main line. The
switch was closed, making it possible
for the car 10 make the main line ana
shoot down the grade for n distance
OF over mile, It was time for the
San Pedro passenger.
Boards Flying Car.
Mr. Johnston. seeing the danger,
made dash and swung onto the rap
IDLY moving car, intending to apply
the brakes. He discovered, howeve:
that the would not work. The
car took the main track, gaming speed
sll the time. Johnston climbed down
the car, and as the switch into she
old Germ8nla smelter was nearcd at
tempted 10 jump and throw this switch.
but the car was too fast, and it was
only by taking big chance at his
life that he succeeded in grabbing the
other end of the car and swinging back
on.
The ear thuudered down the track.
gaining speed at every yard. Johnston
kept his head, and seeing switchman
down the track about a quarter of a
mile, slgnaled him 70 open the ''de-
rail SWITCH The switchman suc.
ceeded in getti tgnhis open Just as the
car came crashing down at the rate of
fully forty miles an hour. Johnston
seeing that If he stayed with the train
he would be hurled TO death. closed
his eyes and jumped for pile of coarse
Stag. He Int on this just as the car
struck the open switch, and with
terrific bound landed in pool of stag
nants water, about fifty feet from the
switch.
The body OF the car left the trucks,
breaking the heavy steel pinions as
though they were straws. The car was
completely demolished, and sunk near
ly out of sight in the mud The trucks
stayed with the rails for a short dis.
tance and then jumped onto the ties,
cutting the ends of these off as though
they were toothpicks,
Saved by Two Minutes.
II was not more than minute and
half after the car hit the switch that
the passenger came laundering by. The
engineer OF this was not cognizant of
any danger, and pulled through with
out even slowing down. The switch
engine with which Johnston had been
working came down the track a few
moments later and picked him from the
bottom of the Stag pile about fifteen
feet from here he lit. He was hurried
10 his home at 364 North Fifth West,
In this city, and physician was sum-
moned. He was found 10 be suffering
back, aud half dozen bad gashes
about his body.
The place on the Short Line where
the accident occurred is known as the
''hole,' and has always been consid-
cred dangerous place. 1t is not pos
sible to see down the tracks in several
places for moro than a few hundred
yards at the farthest- Had the car of
ore continued on down the track for a
few hundred yards IT and the passen-
ger would probably have crashed INTO
each other with terrible force. The /
result Of THIS can only be guessed at. |
Mr., Johnston was reported last even /
ing TO be resting easily at his home, |
and the attending doctor expects MIN
TO be all right in the course Of few
days. He suffered more from the
shock than from other injuries.