The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-03-04


this morning and while waiting for
train learned of the disaster we so
narrowly escaped"
Spokane, March Al. w. Merritt
!, of 1921 Alta avenue and L. c. Jes-
seph, of Colville, two of the five pas
sengers of the Inflated Spokane local
Great Northern train who succeeded
in breaking their way through the
mountains to Scenic, arrived this
morning over the Great Northern
train on the s. P. and S. from Seat
tie. They show plainly the terrible
effects of their thrilling trip from
Wellington, in which both men risked
their lives at every step of the way.
eff the passengers on that train
were alseep when the crash came, y
said Mr.. Merritt this morning, 81
don't see how any one escaped alive.
The train in which we were stalled
was on the very brink of a precipice
at least 1900 feet deep. If they went
over, nothing in the world could save
them"
Beside our train on the sidetrack
was the fast mail from Spokane, but
there were no passengers on that.
We reached Cascade at o'clock
Thursday morning, where we tied
up for a number Of hours. AS there
was no diner on the train, we were
taken to the Great Northern eating
house, where we were given our
meals. Thursday night they pulled
us through the tunnel to Wellington.
The snow at Cascade was from 16 to
20 feet deep on the level. At Wei
lington the wind was blowing a ter
rifle gale.
Joked to Keep Up Spirits.
"At Wellington we were taken
care of at the hotel, where there was
plenty of food for all for at least a
week. To pass the time away, from
Friday morning to Sunday, when we
left, the crowd played cards and told
stories and amused the six children
who were with us. There were IL
women, and all the men put forth
their best efforts to keep their spir-
it's up. and succeeded fairly we'll.
"There would have been much
suffering, however, had 1t not been
for nurse from the Sacred Heart
hospital, named either Miss Riley OF
Miss Johnson, who administered to
the needs of the women and children
and the men who needed it.
Women Broke Down.
"a Mr.. Johnson, sheep dealer
from Trinidad, was suffering terribly
from a carbuncle, but he was relieved
by this nurse.
"On Saturday the strain became
too great for the women and several
of them broke down and cried. This
was too much for the men in the
crowd, and all left the car for the
tall timbers."
In describing the trip out over the
snow Mr.. Merritt said:
'"That was the most thrilling ex-
perience of my life. I was afraid
would never live to tell the story OF
that journey.
Was Urged to Stay.
1--WE left the train at Wellington
at 8 o'clock Sunday morning, bent
on getting out, if we could. All the
passengers on the train laughed at
us. When they saw we were in ear
nest, they urged us to stay.
az. C. Joseph, G. w. Loveberry,
horseman from Georgetown, and
myself were the first to start out.
After walking a half mile in the
binding snow we met J. Edward Rea
of Spokane and M. l.. Horn, a IT.
year-old schoolboy from Wenatchee.
Just ahead of us was Division Super
intendent J. H. O'Neill of Everett
and two trainmen who had started
out to get to Scenic Hot Springs, II
possible. We were the only passen-
gers that made the trip out.
Peril at Every Step.
eve crossed three immense slides
before we came to the last one that
caused so much trouble. Every one
was at least SO feet deep and en-
tirely covered the telegraph poles
Many times we saw the crossarms
below us. At one place we encoun-
tered a double-header snowplow that
was stranded on account of lack OF
| fuel
cat our last stop before Scenic Hot
/ Springs we met two linemen who
told us we would meet instant death
If we went on. Slides that fell after
we had passed made it as impossible
however, for us to go back as to &C
ahead, and we took our lives in ouI
hands and started on.
Eve finally came to a wrecked
snowshed. and after walking through
that for a half mile we were blocked
| and found it necessary to cut ouI