East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-08-02
Walter Orr. Danville, III.
F. ]. Taton, Spokane.
C'ot1 L poy-ar Poiea

/ Walter Orr. Danville, III.
F. ] Taton, Spokane.
Carl E. Boyer, Boise.
Edwin Thomas La Grande.
B. P. Pulliam, Adrian, Mich.
Scott Marshall, chief police, Ever
EFT. Wash.
Albert G.. Pascal, Rush Colo.
w. G.. Moore, Baker City, Or.
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Aug. q
Thirteen killed outright and over 40
wounded. several probably fatally, is
the result of a head end collision of
two passenger trains on the Occur
d'Alene & Spokane Electric railway,
close to the town of Lacrosse. a small
station two miles west of Occur
d'Alene. The collision occurred at
4:10 Saturday afternoon. Both trains
were loaded to the guards with pas
sengers, most of whom were going and
coming from registration for Occur
d'Alene Indian lands, which has been
in progress here for the past 16 days.
All the killed and injured were in the
first car of the westbound train
This car was literally shivered into
/ splinters by the force of the contact
Some of the dead were so terribly
mutilated as to be unrecusnizable.
When the news of the accident
reached here, every possible means of
conveyance was hastened to the scene
and the injured were rapidly removed
to the undertaking hooms and the To-
cal hospital. These places were soon
besieged by anxious inquirers who
feared for the fate of relatives. Most
of the dead and injured are strangers
and the process of Identification is
slow They were evidently people who
had come here to register for land
and were returning to their homes
when the accident occurred.
Responsibility Not Placed.
The responsibility for the wreck has
not been placed. It is reported, how
ever, that the train going to Spokane
which consisted of three cars, had in
structions to take the switch at La
Crosse and give the main track to the
train from Spokane, which consisted
of four cars. This is known as the
campers limited, and makes the rur
between here and Spokane in 81
minutes. Apparently, it is stated, the
motor driver of the lighter train mis-
understood his orders or neglected Il
fellow them, and kept the main traci
at full speed.
1t is believed the motOrmans at
tention was diverted by passenger
who had crowded into the vestibule
and that he failed to see the ap
preaching train, which was bearing
down upon him on a track that wa
straight ahead for over half a mile.
MOtorman Dies From Injuries.
As he died from his injuries, hi
story Of the cause will never b.
known. Another report is to the eff
feet that the east bound train No
20, which is a regular and the ives
bound which was an extra running
with orders to pass the regular trail
at La Crosse, and it is stated that tn,
motorman Of the extra was unable t.
hold his train with the brakes ant
that it ran by the switch at the sidinl
and before he could get the train un
der control or back it up, the tw'
came together with a crash.
Both trains were overloaded, as al
trains have been since the opening 0
the land drawing and the railway com
= pany has been running all the extra
Il could handle to care for the bust
ness.
The accident is said to be due I
these conditions.
No restrictions have been placed oi
the number allowed to board tn
trains as long as they could hang or
From six to ten thousand passenger
have been handled each way dali
between here and Spokane since tn
J. land drawing began, with only a linn
tied equipment. This however, is tn
only accident which has occurred an