The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-04
Engineer George Smiley and
Fireman J. w. Smith of Salt
Lake Are Victims.
EXPLOSION OCCURS AT
POINT NEAR SALT LAKE
Engine Grew Allowed Water TO
Become Too Low in Boiler,
Say officials.

George Smiley. aged 32 years, engineer,
and j. w Smith, fireman. were almost
Instantly killed at $50 O'Clock yesterday
morning when engine 363o on the salt
Lake Route exploded at Lake Point.
about twenty miles out of Salt Lake
City
Tic cause OF the explosion is officially
pronounced to have been low water In
the boiler
Engineer Smiley, who was not mar
ricd. lived a. 2i7 South Second West
street. Fireman Smith lived with his
wife at 81 West Second South street
The bodies OF both victims were taken
to the undertaking establishment OF s.
D. Evans. pending arrangements for
burial.
The engine which was wrecked was
pulling an extra freight bound for Los
Angeles. The train leaving the Salt Lake
yards at i3O o'clock yesterday morning;
Lake Point when the explosion occurred
Only the two men who were killed were
in the engine cab at the time, but Con-
ductor E. o. GcIner Is authority for the
statement that the train was not run
ming more than twelve miles an hour
when the boiler burst, wrecking the
train. The engine and tender were de-
rallied The engine was almost entirely
demolished by the force OF the explosion,
which mangle6 the bodies OF both en-
gincmen.
Bodies Badly Burned,
Both victims were also drenched with
boiling water from the boiler TO such an
extent that their burns alone would
have proved fatal.
Waen the train stopped with jar
that threatened to derail several OF the
cars. Conductor Geiner ran forward from
the caboose and found the bodies OF thu
enginemen lying in the cab Of the
word was tclegraphed 10 Salt Lake and
special train with the wrecking crew
was sent out.
While the explosion did considerable
being made and all being clear BY
f" CLOCK In the afternoon.
superintendent II. Van Housen,
.,i" spent nearly the whole day at the
acencc, OF the wreck. said last night:
Allowing the water TO run too low
plosiup. No other cause can reasonably
be assigned The badly burned crown
sheet indicates this beyond q reasonable
doubt. can conceive OF no reason why
tho water In the boiler was allowed to get
too low, except carelessness on the part
OF me men In charge OF the engine.
from It's tank flooded a large piece OF
ground In the vicinity This proves thar
the lack of water In the boiler came
from neglisenIe, not through necessity:
the time IS nov alive II is Impossible
10 give any details Of the explosion"
Dead Men Were Veterans.
George Smiley. the engineer was an
experienced railroad man. having been
In the employ of the Denver G. Rio !
Grande for a number OF years before he |
accepted position with the Salt Lake |
Route He began with this road as ii
fireman ilve years ago and has been run
Ming an engine this time for a little more |
Than n year He was accounted a care
ful and competent man. fully able prop |
erly to handle the work given him 4 |
brother, Dan Smiley is a brakeman on
the Southern Pacific and runs out OF Og- |
otn Smiley was a member in good |
standing of the Brotherhood OF Locomo-
tive Engineers.
j. w. Smith, the fireman. came To Salt |
Lake CITY with his wife las, September |
from McGill, Nev, He had been engaged |
In railroad work for more than ten years, |
was soon TO have been promoted 10 an |
engine and he bore an excellent reputa-
ION His parents. who reside at Logan !
nave been notified of his death and are |
expected to come hither To make ar |
rangements for the funeral Smith was |
a member OF he knights Of Pythias and |
the ohscquies may be held under the di-
rection OF that order.