The San Francisco call., 1910-07-13
Fireman and Engineer Instantly
Killed in Wreck of Over
turned Locomotive
EXCESSIVE SPEED GIVEN
AS CAUSE OF DISASTER
Special Carrying Convention
Delegates to This City Jumps
From Rails at Curve
SIX COACHES WHIRL
OVER ON THEIR SIDES

II XCESSIVE speed in restricted
speed district was responsible for
- the wreck of special train bear
ing 10 delegates from eastern points
to the American chemical society con-
ventiOn in this city, at a point near
Metz station on the Southern Pacific
coast line, at 5:45 o'clock yesterday
morning Two persons, the engineer.
l.. H. Dixon of this city. and fireman,
E. Ernst of San Jose, were killed in
stantly, and 10 others were more or
less badly injured. The train left
the track while travelling at a speed
estimated TO have been at least 40
miles an hour Many of the passengers
had left their berths and they were
thrown to opposite ends of the cars
when the crash came.
The special train was being run as
a second section of the Los Angeles
San Francisco fast passenger, known
as The Lark" Many women were
in the train. Special trains were
rushed to the scene of the accident
from Salinas and from this city. and
the injured passengers, together with
the other members of the chemist spe-
cial, reached here about s o'clock last
night The injured members of the
train crew were cared for temporarily
at Salinas and San Jose.
Doctors on Train
Nearly a score of physicians and
nurses we're rushed to the wreck, but
physicians on the train had adminis-
tered to those badly in need of treat
ment before the doctors from Salinas
arrived.
Metz station, where the accident oc-
Cured, is eight miles south of Soledad
and takes it's name from the Metz
ranch. The track turns sharply in.
several places at this point and is
considered one of the most dangerous
places on the coast line of the South
ern Pacific. There is a warning to
go % miles an hour, which was not
needed, according to several of the
passengers. The derailment occurred
on the reverse curve near milepost 1856
The engine and six cars left the track
and went over on their sides. The
engine was badly broken up. The
combination buffet and baggage car,
diner, tourist sleeper and three
standard sleepers crushed into the
overturned engine, three sIeepers re-
naming on the track.
$4,000 Damage
The buffet car and tourist turned
over and were badly damaged. Pas
senger trains in both directions were
held until late in the evening before
the wreckage was cleared sufficiently
for them TO proceed. The total dam
age is estimated at between $4,000
and $4,000
A wrecking crew worked all day in
clearing the wreck and repairing the
torn up track. Division Superintend-
ent t. Ahern reached the scene of the
wreck as soon as a Speclal train COutO
take him from San Jose TO Soledad
and he Immediately began an investi-
CATION into the cause of the disaster
Although it was the opinion of promi-
nent railroad officials yesterday that
the wreck was due to excessive speed.
no official statement to that effect
could be procured.
E. z. Calvin, vice president and gem
eraI manager of the Southern Pacific
said that the matter was being thor
oughly investigated and that a report
would be made to him in a day or two
The Call was on the scene of the
wreck a few minutes after o'clock in
the morning. A member of The Call
staff was sent out from Salinas in 40
horsepower Buick and the run was
made in less than three hours. Frank
Murray, the noted racing driver, was
at the wheel of the machine and As
miles an hour was made on the return
trip to Salinas, where photographs
were placed on . train and brought