The San Francisco call., 1908-08-04
Engine Of Santa Cruz Special
Strikes Obstruction and
Almost Goes Over
San FrancisCans Returning
From Beach on Sunday
Night Have Close Call
Southern Pacific Sends Out Big
Force Of Detectives TO Ap=
preE1eHd Miscreant

One thousand persons, passengers
On Santa Cruz excursion train, es-
capped terrible death BY the slight
est margin On Sunday night when
the engine crashed into mass Of ties
and 6sEPlates which had been piled
On the Pzjzro river bridge. The en-
gine, Z massive eight wheel Iocomo-
i've, tore into the obstruction, which
would have thrown 4 lighter vehicle
and the coaches with their load Of
human beings from the high uestle
down INTO the stream and on 70 the
rocks 20 feet below As II was no
ere was injured in the slightest de-
gree. but Il was the closest call that
the annals OF the Southern Pacific
record
The attempt 70 wreck the train was
boldly and deity planned Two ties
had been bound across the track and
fastened with fshplates during the 10
minutes that elapse between the de-
parture OF the second section Of the
excursion train and the arrival OF the
thtrd section The affair created 2 big
Etir IN the upper oGice OF the COM
Pany and detectives were az once dis
patched 10 the scene
Several theories have been advanced
n an eforr 10 explain the crime 1t Is
believed that the motive may have
been robbery or that the act was in
tended as revenge for the failure OF
ere company 70 heed some bIackmaiI-
ing letters The detectives reported
last night that they were On the trail
ard expected 10 spprehend the mis-
creaut today
ENGINEER SEES OBSTRUCTION
The train was il charge OF Conductor
IerEen and Engineer Coburn- As the
approach 70 the bridge IS along & sharp
Curve the train had slzckereG its speed
10 cone extent but was proceeding al
e RAPID rate. Il was ID minutes late
and was under orders 20 keep It's Do
sstior ss accurately as possible En-
zsneer Coburu was unable 70 look
along the bridge until almost upon It
but as he started the engine across the
treztIe he saw the obstruction J few
feet ahead II was too late 70 stou
the train The big engine ploWed into
the Obstruction, sWayed from side to
side and then ripped Il from the rails
lettering ACROSS Ike z man or IN
steady legs
Il was q narrow escape and = ap-
reared that any moment the locomotive
would sc over the bridge. dragging the
crowded coaches with II The train
was halted AZ Chitteaceu station, &
short distance beyond and news Of the
occurrence vas flashed 70 the railroad
cEciais n this city
Although several trains passed ove-
tHa route during the day, 10 attempt
-as made 70 uolest any but the uos-
heavily laden excursion train Tht
railroad records show that 21IT per
sons were carried on the special trains
between san Francisco and Santa Cruz
srr-scted by the low rates which II.
company had offered for the day. Hun.
dreEs more went from stations elons
the way
Loo LIVES IN JEOPARDY
The excursion train was operated a
No 81 ard was r-1l IN four sections
The first tzo SECTIONS passed over tn,
trestIe % minutes apart without IL.
cfseut The third section, Is minute,
late reached the bridge at o'clock
Il carried 1.e0o persons. many OF whom
we're singing and testing as they speS
along. Suddenly they felt the unsteady
r~zvfu- OF the cars ard a few minute.
later the train stopped Those wh,
Tfrnlaved anxiety were told that tn
train Rad stopped 10 give the secons
section q greater lead
The passengers were kept n iguo
rance ot their narrow escape Upol
rhe arrival OF the train IN San Fran
cisco late on Sunday night a detafle,
report was made and extra detective
we're sent at once TO the spot