Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-12-12
Southwest Railroad Notes

The Roswell Record gives the fol-
lowing details of the shocking death
of two well known Santa Fe men by
the explosion of an engine:
Engineer George Ellis and his fire
man, j. j. Sanders, better known as
Sissy" Sanders. were torn to pieces
and instantly killed by the explosion Of
the boiler of their engine, No. 1896,
on the Santa Fe four miles this side
of Woodward, Okla. at 4 o'clock Sun
day morning. Their train was a west
bound freight. The two men are well
known in Roswell. especially in rail-
road circles, n their tragic death is
deplored especially among the rail-
road people, where their acquaintance
vas greatest. The wreck of the en-
! CINE caused a blockade of the line
that held the regular Sunday after
moor train until it was eleven hours
late into Roswell, reaching here at 5
o'clock this morning.
The cause of the explosion is not
known. In such cases the cause
never is settled to the satisfaction of
all parties. Several theories are adj
vanced, such as mo water" "rotten
crown sheet" etc, but since both
men are dead the real cause may
never be known. The head brake
man, usually OF or near the engine,
had left the cab only "A few minutes
before and was four cars back on the
train looking to see if a brake was
sticking. This trip saved his life, as
neither he nor any others were hurt
In the least.
Tho farce nf tho nZr1.Cfnta xrrng tny-
rifle. The boiler was picked up off
the gear OF the engine and dropped
sixty feet ahead of where the engine
stopped, and the train must have run
some distance after explosion oe-
CURED. The rest of the engine was
torn up considerably, but the train
not wrecked.
The body of Engineer Ellis was
blown six hundred feet to the right
of the rack. one report came that
his body was blown to bits, but this
report is denied by later news to the
effect that it was entire, though badly |
torn. Fireman Sanders was found UNI |
der the trucks of the second car back, |
badly mangled. Both bodies were |
lifeless when the trainmen found
them.
Engineer Ellis had been on this Sec
ton Of the Santa Fe several years. |
He had been in Roswell many times. |
He leaves a family. who reside i'm Col
Fireman Sanders learned rail-
roading in the Roswell round house
and was promoted from that house to
place of fireman. He has lived
here several years. and was last here
one month & Both have been late
running out of Amarillo.
The demolished engine was one of
big type and not one of the little
Did ones used on the Pecos valley
lines. 1t was Il compound "ten-wheel-
r."
An additional safeguard in railway
-ravei has been provided in the all
steel passenger car. After many years
IF planning and building, cars are
low being mad that will reduce to a
minimum the chance Of passenger
coaches being telescoped or destroyed
Iy fire. The first delivery ON an or
Ter for all steel passenger coaches
placed by the Rock Island lines has
ust been received and many through
ans HdNt pttH Inc thIt
a seating capacity of eighty. the !
eats are handsomely upholstered in !
plush having high backs. and
he arm rests are Of Mexican mahog-
as are also the window trim s
nings. Double windows are provided
nd just above. a pane of prlsinatic !
lass. Lavatory facilities are ample. q
being of white porcelain, and ]
he walls enameled I'm white. Cars J
re vestibuled and brilliantly lighted
y means Of thirty-three s~ixteen-can- '
L. power incandescent lamps. so ar O
anged as to throw an even light over ?
II. Garland Ventilators insure a COM n
change Of air every few min C
ties. No expense has been spared to Il
the cars as comfortable as pos v
bic. AS rapidly as the cars are re- v
aived by the Rock Island lines from Il
manufacturers they will be placed o
service. II
The steel gang on the santa F. at o
as Vegas has been put to work under
he charge of Section Foreman Miles v
.cNey. The gang is working nj pres II
IT Just north of that city hut II Is q
le Intention of the santa Fe com N
any to lay new steel from Las Vegas ri
Watrons. liz,
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