Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-08-06
AWFUL DISASTERS
OF SATURDAY
Railroad Trains Wrecked and Four
teen Killed. Woman and Two
Sons Drowned

Last Saturday was an awful day
for disasters Two fast trains on
the Spokane & Inland Empire elec-
trio road between Spokane and
Occur d alene collided when going
at terrific speed and ~ were killed
outright and three more have died
since and several others are not ex-
pected to live. Several Pullman peo-
pie narrowly escaped the disaster. as
a number from this town were on
the trains just before and just after
the two that were wrecked. OF the
killed and seriously injured none
were from Pullman or vicinity, but
many Spokane people were killed or
injured while a number of those kill
ed and several of the seriously hurt
were from the east. The disaster
was the worst that has ever happen
ed in the north west and the blow will
be a heavy loss to the Inland Rail
road Company which is trying to set
tie all claims without lawsuits, but
even at this rate it Will take an
enormous sum.
A cloud of gloom was cast over
the entire country by the fearfA |
fatan,les of last Saturday, The sad
dest of the day was the drowning Of
Mrs. Frank Spaulding and two sons
at Athol, Idaho, in Lake Kelso. The
following dispatch from Athol tells
of the disaster:
ATHOL, Idaho, July 31.-While
struggling frantically in the waters
of Lake Kelso, striving to save her
two sons from drowning, Mrs. Frank
H. Spaulding, wife Of Rev. Mr.
Spaulding, Sunday school missionary
of the Columbia river conference Of
the Methodist Episcopal church, to-
day drowned with her loved ones.
THE Spaulding family has been
camping for the summer on the
shores of Lake Kelso, one and one
half miles from Granite and the
two boys, aged 9 and I 4 years, VEN
tured into the water and got beyond
their depth. The older boy, Ralph,
became taken with cramps and cried
to his mother for aid. The mother
plunged into the cold waters to res
cue him and when the cries of the
drowning boy reached the little fell
low, Angus, he sank beneath the
surface. The bodies have been re-
covered.
"The Rev. U. F. Hawk will CON
duct the funeral services at 2 o'clock
Monday afternoon, and Spokane min
listers, all friends of the husband,
will attend the funeral in a body.
Mrs. Spaulding was a sister of Judge
e. H. Sullivan Of the Spokane super
ior court. An older son, Olin was
at the scene of the drowning but
could do nothing to save his mother
and brothers"
Mrs. Spaulding was we'll known
in Whitman county where her hus-
band had held pastorates in a num-
Der OF towns. He is a Methodist
minister and one of the most popular
in this section. He lived N Whit
man county many years. His faith
er was one of the pioneer Methodist
missionaries in the Inland Empire.
Mr.. Spaulding was located at COlfaX
and at Oakesdale, as pastor of the
Methodist churches there for a num-
ber of years. The dispatch errs in
stating that Mrs. Spaulding was a
sister of Judge Sullivan MIR Spauld-
ing is a brother of Mrs. Sullivan.
Rev. u. f. Hawk, superintendent
of the Spokane district conference,
had come to Pullman to preach Sun
day and got the telegram announc-
ing the drowning and asking him to
go at once and preach the funeral
sermon. He left at / o'clock Sun
day morning. Mr.. Spaulding has a
host of friends in the ralouse coun-
try who extend to him heartfelt SYM
pathy in his terrible loss. He is left
with eight small children to care
for.