Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-09-10
ERNEST G. OLSON, DONKEY EN-
GINEER, INSTANTLY KILLED
AND FIREMAN McVEIGH
INJURED.
BODY is HURLED rs FEET
Portions of Boiler and Engine Scat
tered Over Wide Territory: Coro-
ncr Chapman Holds Inquest, Jury
EXoncrates Company and En-
ployes.

Ernest G. Olson, 2S years of age,
an engineer. was instantly killed and
McVeigh, fireman, was seriously in
jured when the boiler of a donkey
engine exploded shortly after one
o'clock Friday afternoon at the camp
of the Spaulding Logging company,
a few miles above Black Rock.
Coroner Chapman was notified by
wire and Immediately went to the
scene of the accident where he inVes-
tigated the matter and later empan-
eled a jury on the scene which, af
ter eXamaining witnesses, returned
a verdict to the effect that Olson had
come to his death as the direct re-
suit of the explosion of a boiler, at
the same time eXonerating the COM
pany and its employees from all blame
in the accident
Death Came Instantly.
When Mr.. Chapman reached the
scene after a hard trip from Dallas
to Black Rock by team, and thence
to the camp by locomotive which the
company sent out, he found the scene
of the explosion strewn with wreck
age and the body of Olson about rs
feet from the engine. The remains
were in a terribly mangled condition,
Practically every stitch of clothing
had been blown from the body, one
leg hung by a shred of flesh, the
other leg was broken in several plac-
es, the arms were broken, one hand
blown off and the body covered with
a mass of bruises. Escaping steam
had also scalded the body, but it is
probable that death came so quickly
that the dead man never knew what
happened.
Witness Tells of Accident.
The accident happened at 1:10 in
the afternoon shortly after work had
been resumed by the crew and many
of the employees had just left the vi
cinity of the engine where they had
eaten their lunch. According to the
testimony of eye witnesses Olson was
standing on the right hand side of
the boiler, near the engine, when the
explosion came. McVeigh the fire.
man, was about 80 feet away and
partially screened by a large stump
and to this fact he probably owes
his life AS it was he was scalded
somewhat, and is suffering from sew
eral bruises. He was rushed to the
Dallas hospital where it is said he is
improving and no permanent i'll eff
fects are expected.
None of the employees can explain
the causeS of the accident The dead
engineer had been with the company
only about two months but it is de-
cared that he had shown himself to
be a competent engineer and gener-
ally exhibited great care in the hand
ling of the machine.
Freaks of the Accident.
The engine was a complete wreck.
1t was literally blown to pieces.
Pieces of the boiler were found on a
hill across a ravine at least 600 feet
from the scene. Olson's body lay face
and a portion of the up
per part of the boiler was resting on
his back. A portion of his watch
chain was picked up between the en-
gine and the body, but no trace of
his watch could be found. Across
a ravine, a ehamois watch bag, such
as is often used by workmen in car
rying their watches, was picked up
with a small amount of broken glass,
that had evidently been the watch
crystal.
The remains of Olson were carried
from the woods on a stretcher to the
railway tracks and brought to this
city where it was prepared for burial
by Undertaken Chapman and the dead
mans relatives at Yamhill notified. |
An uncle and sister arrived Saturday
and Sunday morning the remains
were shipped to Yamhill for inter F.
ment
Fatality Follows Family.
a sad fatality appears to follow !
the Olson family. this being the third .
violent death in the family within
six months. Last March the father
was killed by falling tree near his I
home at Yamhill. and only two weeks I
ago an uncle was killed in a logging
camp on the Columbia river.
The jury empanelled by Coroner
Chapman was composed Of Henry
Otte. Sam Farmer, T. NJ. Thrasher. .
l. s. Shepperd. Hamp Brown and G.
W. Scott. The inquest was held in
the Office Of the company az Black
Rock.
The engine which was destroyed .
was used as a road engine by the 7
crew and was located on a high hill
near the track about a mile above .
The camp. but many feet above the .
track. II was at the summit Of
-ollway where the logs are delivered i
for loading on the cars. II was said .
10 be in good condition and In first /
class working order 50 FAR as known. .
an sorts of theories are advanced .
.o account for the explosion but the .
.rue cause will urohab1v never be .