The daily sentinel., 1908-01-07
THROWN INTO The RIVER
WAS FLETCHER'S ENGINE
Later Details Received Today Indi-
cate That the Engineer Jumped
When He Saw the Danger.
Fireman Tells Of the
Accident.


Sunday morning. was read with sin
cere regret by scores of the old-time
friends of the deceased.
This afternoon at O'Clock the fu-
neral of Engineer Fletcher took place
from his bone in Salt Lake City.
Later details received today by
The Sentinel indicate that the disas-
ter was even more horrifying than
reported yesterday.
The statement made by The SEN
tinel yesterday that Fletcher's train
plunged into a train of coal cars
standing on the main line at Thistle
Junction has been confirmed.
The following graphic story OF the
accident Is taken from yesterdays
Salt Lake Herald:
| A west bound Rio Grande freight
train. going at the rate of 35 miles
an hour, crashed into the rear end
of coal train standing on the track
beyond Thistle at 6 o'clock Sunday
morning. killing the engineer of the
speeding train, and injuring the fire.
man and the brakeman.
The speeding locomotive and fif-
teen cars laden with coal were
thrown into the river by the force
of the impact. The engine and the
cars were practically demolished. The
track for 600 feet was torn up.
| The coal train of 33 cars was
Ictf. In S,,r a
the Thistle yards. preparing to take
the siding, when the accident oc-
CURED. The train crew said that
both the Lights and the flags in the
it was still on the main line. Sud
denly the freight came down the
grade around the bend in the track
and was within a few hundred feet
of the train that was at rest before
the danger was discovered.
Engineer Herbert w. Fletcher of
the incoming train leaped from his
locomotive and was hurled to the
ground with such force that his skull
was fractured and his death was
practically instantaneous.
Ernest Frederickson, the fireman.
of IA Iverson court, and ]. Jenkins.
the brakeman on the front end OF
the train, managed to get OFF the
train without serious injuries. Fred
erickson was painfully cut and
bruised by the fall. he was brought
to Salt Lake and taken to st. Marks
hospital. 1t was thought at first that
he was internally injured. DR.. Bas-
com. however. who is attending him.
could find no evidence of any injury
other than his severe bruises and la
cerations. Jenkins wrenched his
back and his leg. but was able to go
to his home In Salt Lake.
When the locomotive of the in-
coming train struck the way car OF
the coal train. the car telescoped and
then was thrown over the top of the
locomotive. The engine continued to
plow through the coal train until II
had derailed fifteen of the cars. Then
1t went over on Its side and rolled
into the Spanish Fork river. near
the track.
Most OF the cars were thrown into
the river. strewing the coal for hun
dreds of feet in all directions. The
cars of the incoming train were de-
rallied, but none of them went over.
The track was torn up by the engine
Tor coo feet and a great furrow was
plowed in the roadbed.
The cause of the wreck has not
yet been ascertained. The train was
going at much greater speed, 1t is
alleged. than the rules of the road
permit at this point. Coming around
this bend and into the Thistle yards
the engineer is ordered to have his
means that the speed shall not ex-
ceed s miles an hour. The fact that
the train was going into Thistle at
the speed OF 35 miles an hour has
given rise to the theory on the part
of some of the trainmen that the en-
gineer had fallen asleep at the throt-
| tie.
The fireman said that he did not
think that Fletcher was asleep, but
that he must have in some manner
lost control OF his engine. He said
that he did not know the train was
ms near Thistle as It was until he
saw the coal train on the track only
a few feet ahead.
The engineers lips are sealed. His
body was brought to Salt Lake at
noon yesterday and taken to the un-
dertaking rooms of S. d. Evans. He
lived at ssT West Fifth South street.
He was 3s years old and had been in
the employ of the Rio Grande West
ern for several years. The funeral
arrangements have not yet been COM
pleted. but the services will proba-
bly, be held Tuesday afternoon un-
der the auspices of the Elks lodge.
of which Mr.. Fletcher was a men,
ber. He is survived by widow and