Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-02-01
Two Extra FreightS Running at
Full Speed Crash Together In
Shoemaker Canyon North Of
Las Vegas,
DEBRIS CHOKES CUT
BLOCKING ALL TRAFFIC
Northbouad Crew Said to Have
Overlooked Orders to Meet
Southbound Drag At WatrOuS
Siding,

1 Ispecial DsDatch 20 the Morning Jonrnall
Las Vegas, y. NJ, Jan. Sl.--Flra-
men George Crabtree Of Ration ana
4 Arthur Krites, Of this city are dead,
4 brakeman Fred Handley of Las We
gas. probably fatally injured and Engi-
neers George Smell of Las Vegas, ana
John Bailey Of Las Vegas, seriously
/ injured, as the result of disastrous
/ head-on collision at 1885 this after
noon in Shoemaker canyon, two miles
north Of Watrous. when two extra
freiehts met in a narrow cat at the
|bottom Of "A steep grade. The force
Of the collision destroyed both loco
Imotives. which We're decapod com
|pounds of the 1900 class ana piled up
|many freight cars, completely choking
the cut and blocking trdnscontinental
traffic many hours on the Santa Fe's
|main line. Passenger train No. /,
westbound, which was following the
|southbound extra, had narrow es-
cape from also being wrecked. The
|engineer managed to stop his train
barely in time to avoid hitting the
wrecked train ahead of him. The
passenger was running at high speed
|down grade and had the airbrakes
|taied to work it would have ploughed
|nto the stalled train.
News of the wreck was received
|here a short time after it happened,
5frrrn 1sH~.t'~i "a and 2isl l's'1 tff
(which was attached the private car OF
|Division superintendent +. l.. Myers
land the wrecker. proceeded to the
Iscene superintendent Myers took
|with him Drs e. y. Shaw and II. W.
[Goehtz. Santa Fe surgeons, and sever
Ial nurses. ON arrival at the wreck,
I.mcreency treatment was given the III
Ijured, while Fireman ktites, who was
ifearfully scalded and crushed, but
Istill alive. was rushed to the company
| hospital here, together with the other
Imjured Krites died soon after the
| hospital was reached. but Engineers
ISneu and Bailey and Brakeman Hand
Iley are alive tonight. The latter, how
ever. is in critical condition. All
I were badly scaldad ana bruised and
/ Engineer Smell injured internally
An investigation into the cause of
|the wreck which was one of the most
disastrous on the New Mexico division
| in several years. VIII be held. 1t is
| reported that the northbound train,
(which was in charge of Conductor
|Embree Of Ration. and drawn by en-
|pine No. 1919, of which the crew was
| |Eugineer Smell and Fireman Crab
Iree had orders to meet the west
IbOuud extra in charge of Conductor
ILoye of Ration. and drawn by engine
Do. 1919, Engineer John Bailey and
Ifireman Kites, at Watrous siding,
/ but the crew misunderstood or over
! loc ked its orders.
At the time the trains met, both
|Nerc running down grade at high speed
pho collision occurring at the bottom /
Iof dip IN tie track in a canyon. The
|mpaot was terrific. Neither engine
prev WAS able TO see the other as there
p curve at this point. Fireman
I rabtree was buried under the wreck
Fige Cf his engine where he was I
fcalded and crushed to death. 1t was (
ome time before his body was found. (
ne other enginemen and the brake
ldn had miraculous escapes from the
ate suffered by Crabtree. Members
the train crews managed to eXtricate
3hem 10y heroic work. The wreck
3ge was with difficulty prevented from
Ratching fire. The dead fireman was /
Rnarried ana is survived by a widow /
nd baby at Ration.
As "a result Of the blocking Of trai-
u by the wreck Santa Fe train No.
Is being held at Ration; No. Z at
hoemaker; No. ] at scene of wreck,
nd No. 10. the northbound train. was
eld here on It's arrival this afternoon.
Will be late tonight before the
Pack is cleared sufficiently for trains
\ pass.