The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-01
SPENCER TRASK IS
KILLED IN WRECK
Leading FinaDeier of New
York and Head of Big Bank
Ing House Is Victim.
FREIGHT CRASHES INTO
REAR OF FAST TRAIN
Passenger Train Stopped by
Block Signal: Why Freight
Came on Is Mystery.

NEW YORK, Dee 31.-Spcncer
TraSk, head of firm of bankers which
for many years acted as fiscal agents
of the late Queen Victoria. was crushed
10 death IN his private compartment to-
day when returning TO New York from
eddo, hIs country place at Saratoga.
Mr.. Trask 3 compartment was at the
rear OF the last car. a sleeper. Tho
train, known as the Montreal express
on the New York Central railroad,
halted near Creton, y. Y, and was
supposedly protected from the rear by
the block signals system. but it had
hardly come To a rest when a heavy
freight train struck it from behind.
The rear of Mr.. Trnsk s car was bat
tered in, and the front Of it tclcscoped
with the sleeping car ahead.
Vice President DAILY Of the New York
Central said:
Cause Remains Mystery.
"Oifcials of the railroad arc unable
completely signalcd, aud the track TO
Creton was practically straight. The
air was clear. -
Spencer Trask was born in Brooklyn
in 1914 and was descended from diStin-
guishcd Puritan ancestors He was ed
ucsted IN Brooklyn by private tutors.
and at the Polytechnic institute, from
which he subsequently entered Prince
ton college. whence he graduated with
degree of master of arts.
After leaving college he entered the
banking business with Henry G. Mar
quand, his maternal grandfather. In
1870 he succeeded 10 The business, and
IN the same year became Il member in
the New York stock exchange. In
1881 the firm assumed It's present name
and had become widely known as
reliable and conservative house of far
reaching connections and great
strength.
Worth Many Millions.
There is no we'll founded estimate
available, Of Mr.. Trask' IS fortune, One
as $50 1000, 900. but better Informed
opinion held that, although Mr.. Trask
died undoubtedly millionaire,
his total estate would not reach half
the first gossip. in recent years he
has not been active IN business and his
name appears on only few directoratcs.
Mr.. Trask leaves widow well known
as an author of fiction and plays, The
Little Town of Bethlehem and King
Alfred 5 Jewel -
Their four children died twenty wears
ago in an epidemic Of scarlet fever.
Last September Mr.. Trask was scrl-
oUsly injured III An automobile at Cam
bridge. Mass. He recovered but lost
the sight of ono eye.
Mir Trask. who was coming into the
city from his home al Saratoga, was
dressing in his compartment when the
train plowed into the heavy passenger
train, which is known as the Montrca!
Express. When his torn body was re-
moved from the wreckaee it was found
that he had but partly dressed himself
The express had been stopped by a
block signal aud why the freight be-
hind IT was not stopped has not been eN-
planned. The freight struck with such
force that il demolished the rear end OF
the sleeper and tclescoped the front cno
Of il with tho sleeper ahead.
Many of The occupants Of the five sleep
crs had not fully dressed and they were
thrown half clad into snow banks.
Wreckjng and relief trains were dis
PATCHED from the Harlem yards OF me
New York Central and officials OF the
company hurried 10 the scene.
The last two siccpcrs had been hurled
across the tracks with the freight engine
i'm such manner that traffic was delayed
for more than two hours.
Passengers on the Montreal express sa Y
that when the train stopped tho rear
brakeman did not 90 back to display
danger signal The weather WAS clear
ana the block signals were working ac-
cuvately, the company reports.