The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-05-13
Special Train Bearing One Hundred and
Fifty Merry Members Strikes Defective
Switch Near Honda,
California.

were with him on the train and cs-
capped injury.
Charles NJ. Tyson of Buffalo is ill al
the Potter Hotel here completely un-
nerved by his experience. lie faced
death many times. dragging from the
debris the bodies of friends. lie final
lY collapsed.
1t was some time after the wreck
had occurred before word of it reached
the outside world.
As soon as one of the uninjurcd
trainmen could make his way to the
station, word of the wreck was flashed
to railroad headquarters here and at
San Luis Obispo. Immediately special
trains weer arranged for and Il corps
of physicians and nurses gathered hur-
riedly together were quickly on their
way to the wreck.
At / o'clock the relief special leIi
this city. 1t made the run to Honda
station 81 miles, in an hour and a
half. simultaneously another special
left San Luis Obspo. also equipped
with nurses and doctors 1t arrived
after a run of about the same distance
as the Santa Barbara train, shortly be-
fore the one that left this city. Al
ready the work of rescue had been
nearly completed by those who had es-
capped the disaster unhurt Twenty y-fiVe
bodies lay in rows on the sand beside
the track. The injured. many of them
unconscious and dying. were scattered
about the vicinity on piles of bedding
and plush seats brought from the
Pullmans The more fortunate ones
were attempting to give succor to the
sufferers. 1t was determined at once
to remove the injured to San Luis
Obispo and bring the dead to this city.
The work of placing them upon the
two relief trains was quickly accom-
plished. Before the special bearing
the injured had reached San Luis Obis-
po, FIVE more had succumbed to their
terrible wounds. Physicians and nurses
worked over the survivors incessantly.
Arriving At its destination, the train
was met by score of ambula nces and
automobiles and the injured were
quickly carried to the two local sani
tariums.
The dead were removed in under
takers wagons to a morgue In the
meanwhile the train returning to this
city with its load of dead. was side
tracked AT 4 SWITCH LOT lit- IlSAtBt VI
other trains Far out on the desert
miles from any hahitation or from any
wire communication with the outside
world. the special waited for TWO
hours. while train after train of Shrin-
ers bound from Los Angeles To their
eastern homes. swept by.
In the darkness the occupants of
these trains did not know they were
passing "A funeral train of their breth-
reie The train was reported due To
arrive in this city at o'clock. AT that
hour every dead wagon. together with
many other vehicles were assembled
at the local southern Pacific station /"
transport the bodies To the morEne
The local undertaking parlors were
filled with bodies of the victims.
The work Of Identification had not
vet been completed Many Of the dead
were so badly burned and mutilated as
10 be almost unrccogniZable. The un-
dcrtalters' rooms wcr" besieGcd by
crowds of Shrincrs who were still in
the city BY daylight all of the dead
had been identified.
When the relief train arrived at Sut-
Ter ON the way to the wreck, Miss Ma
ria Fuller 10 years old. of Los Ange-
les. jumped aboard. 1t want Ia s."
with voi to the wreck, she said /" lpr
W. A. Taylor. the southern Pacific III
vision surgeon, who had charge of In"
train ''You can't GO replied the sur"
gcon Ten minutes letter. when tn"
train was clipping miles II the rat"
of fifty an hour. a whiSp of dark brown
hnir blowing above III" fr"nt car plu
form. drew the attention of DR. Taylor