Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1911-06-09
CALIFORNIA LIMITED IN FATAL
WRECK NEAR DOMINGO, N. M.

at Albuquerque at o'clock this aft
ernoon and the injured passengers
and trainmen were hurried in am
balances and motor cars to the COM
pany hospital.
The wreck occurred on a sharp
curve which prevented the trainmen
seeing each other. When the engi-
neers gazed Mortified at the tons Of
steel hurrying toward them over the
rails they had no time to apply the
emergency brokes. The limited was
running down hill at the rate of fully
fifty miles an hour when the COLI
sion occurred. The work engine, run
ming light, was making a speed esti-
mated at thirty-five miles an hour.
Both engines were completely demol-
iished. The combination baggage car
and buffet, diner and one Pullman
of the passenger train left the rails
and piled up in the ditch. Many OF
the passengers we're pinned beneath
the wreckage and it was necessary for
the train crew and the more fortunate
passengers to chop away a large
amount of debris in order to rescue
them. Fortunately the wreck did not
catch fire Had it done so the loss
of life undoubtedly would have been
large.
1t is reported that the wreck was
caused by misunderstanding of or
ders, For the past six months the
Santa Fe has been handling its trains
by a telephone dispatching system.
Engineer Green is said to have mis-
taken the orders given him by the
dispatcher, thinking he had time to
make siding before the arrival OF
No 3. The limited is the classiest
train run by the Santa Fe and has
the right of way over practically all
he other trains. Engineer Green, by
is misunderstanding of orders got on
No. 3's time and the fearful accident
was the result The work engine
was used by the Santa Fe in moving
or the Santa Barbara Pole and
Tie company.
The first intimation that wreck
had occurred reached here immediate
ly after the accident, A member OF
the train crew, who was riding in
the observation car, wired to the gen
eral offices here that the train had
colided with something and had been
wrecked. The message stated the
sender had not stopped to ascertain
the cause of the wreck but had hur-
ried to Domingo to convey the news
to headquarters.
The limited left Las Vegas TINS
morning ON schedule time and was
running on time when it struck the
work engine. A large umber OF pas
sengers were on the train, as trat1;
to California is exceptionally heavy.
So far as is known no Las Vegas
people were on the train. A report
that William Burks of this city had
been killed in the wreck had not peeH
confirmed late this afternoon. The
steel equipment of the limited is saio
to have been responsible for the say
ing of the lives of several passengers
who were riding in the coaches To-
ward the front Of the train. In spite
Of the reinforcement of steel, how.
ever, the cars were badly damaged
Had they been of the lighter variety
they probably would have been tele-
scoped or demolished with terrible
loss of life. The scene of the wreck
was a nerve-wracking one. frhe badly
injured trainmen and passengers were
laid in row along the right Of way.
Cots were imp. s.ovised from the ped
ding in me Pullman cars. The
groans. II the injured and dying tram
n.sA We're pitiful. While Engineer
[GFeen was pinned under his. ehslne
Itrainmen and passengers worked
heroically to extricate him Many
passengers with handkerchiefs tleu
about bleeding wounds in their heahs
welded hammers and saws IN an
5 effort to remove other persons from
e the debris.
S According to report given out Ds
the general offices of the Santa Fe
N Topeka, two we're killed in the
wreck. These were Engineer Greer
} and Fireman Flowers. No confirma
; ton of the reported death of Flowers
d Las been received here.
Il The limited was pulled by engin'
N No. 1917, one of the fast passenge
= locomotives designed for speed on tn
mountain divisions. The work en-
ie CINE was No. 365.
T Engineer Green is survived by