The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1912-04-23
THREE men ARE
BLOWN TO DEATH

for the families and relatives of the
unfortunate victims Of one of the worst
crimes in the history of the sea, the
citizens of this community were
greatly shocked, when word was re-
ceived yesterday afternoon that three
residents of Winnemucca had been
blown to death in an explosion of
locomotive on the Western Pacific rail
road, one mile west of Antelope
The killed are Engineer James
Casey, Fireman f. A. Reader and
Brakeman J. A. Cosby.
The accident happened at 2:5S p. m.
and the engine which blew up was No.
40, hauling eastbound freight No. SO.
The train was climbing the long
grade to and beyond Antelope. In the
engine were the three unfortunate vic
Tins of the explosion. In the caboose
were Conductor AL Card and Brake
man A. G.. Bulls. When the train was
still something over mile from the
Antelope station Card and Bulls sud
denly saw steam and smoke issuing
from the engine followed by a slight
detonation. Almost Immediately they
saw objects hurtling through the air
in every direction, striking the ground
and bounding repeatedly. In a few
moments the train stopped, the auto
matte brakes setting Immediately.
Card and Bulls rushed toward the en-
gine to ascertain the trouble. They
were almost overcome with the spec
tacle that met their eyes. OF the en-
gine nothing remained but the run
ming gear. OF the occupants of the en-
gine nothing could be seen. Except for
the dripping of water from the water
tank and oil from the oil tank there
was complete silence. Bulls was sent
to flag No. 4, which was due right af-
ter the freight. Card went on to An
telope and from there sent word to
Winnemueca of the accident, advising
the immediate dispatch of the wreeker
with five rails and twenty-five ties.
that being the extent of the damage
to the roadbed He also reported FIVE
freight ears derailed, but not serious
ly damaged.
Shortly after No. arrived the com.
bined crews of the two trains began
a search for the bodies. As the search
ers moved ahead of the wrecked train
gruesome bits of the wearing apparel
of the killed met their gaze. Here a
piece of overalls, there a shoe; yon-
der part of a cap, until one of the
men picked up scalp and back part
of a skull. Card and Bulls then rea-
lized for the first time that the objects
they had seen flying through the air
and bounding and rebounding from
the ground had been the bodies of
Casey, Reader and Cosby. The latter's
body was the first discovered. 1t was
found about 700 feet away from the
wreck on the south side of the track.
1t had been almost entirely stripped of
clothing and was horribly scalded. On
one of the wrists was a piece OF the
shirt. On the breast part of breast
protector, a piece Of cloth around the
waist and his shoes on. About hun
ared feet beyond Casey's remains were
found The head had been entirely
severed from the body, only part of
the skin of one side of the face re-
naming attached TO the neck. piece
If cloth around one of the wrists and
around the waist was all the clothing
that had been left on the body.
Readers body was picked up on the
north side of the track about four
hundred feet away. His remains were
n as bad shape as the others, all the
odes having been fearfully scalded.
In the meantime freight No. 81,
westhound had heen reached by wire
IT Iungo ard had been ordered to pro
coed to Antlope to help clear the track.
They arrived in time to help recover
the bodies and remove them to the
cahocse of their train. This train was
N charge Of Conductor Black, with r.
y. Real and c. Christopher as brake
wen, John Breir, engineer, and Frank
Smith, fireman.
After the removal of the bodies diff
.{fa ..E h. fret atsas <or
discovered. Among other things
fourd were the three watches. That
of Casey had stopped at 3:01, Read
e.'s at 3:05 and Cosby's at 800. Later
the purses of Cosby and Reader were
picked up. Inside of the leather purse
worn by Cosby was found among 9th
or coins a five dollar gold piece bent
alrost double. In Readers purse
severrl silver dollars were also lent.
An additional lea of the terrific force
cf TIE explosion is evidenced by the
net that the crownsheet and frebox
Were discovered o the side of hill al
post quarter of a mile away. Other
rarts of the engine were strewn in all
rections at various distances.
Trainmaster Hamilton arrived on
the scene of the accident as soon as a
soeeial could bring him from Whine
mucea and took charge. He ordered
the bodies taken to Winnemucca and
they arrived here at about IL o'clock
last night. Undertaken Miller was at
the station to meet them and remove
them to the morgue on Fourth street.
Judge Dunn had empannelled jury of
the following men: G. III. Leighton,
J.. +. Harris, J. A. Kirwin, d. J. Big
gins, John Lowry, Peter Woolcock, A.
J. Newman and w. w. Ferguson.
These viewed the bodies. Almost all
the bones had been broken.
The wrecking train, which had been
ordered from Elko, passed through
Winnemucca at 1880 p. m on it's way
to the scene Of the accident. 1t sue
ceeded in clearing the track and re-
pairing il so that No. was enabled