The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1915-10-22
TWO MEN KILLED ON
WEN. VALLEY NORTHERN
Joe MaSSie and John Morgan Victims
When Crown Sheet Blew Out
of locomotive

Following close on the other fatali-
ties, Sunday afternoon and Monday
morning, in each Of which man was
killed-elsewhere recorded in this pa
per-came the frightful accident on the
Wenatchee Valley railroad Tuesday
morning, in which two men lost their
lives and others had a narrow escape.
Joe Massie, the first to succumb to his
injuries, dying Tuesday night at II
o'clock, was an old and highly respect
ed citizen. Morgan died at 10 o'clock
Wednesday morning.
The explosion occurred between FIVE
and six miles from town near what is
known as the old Castleberry ranch. in
the Chumstick valley. The train left
here about nine o'clock Tuesday morn
ing, with Joe Mitchell as engineer and
Joe Massie as fireman, on engine No.
101, geared logging engine, with six
G. N. empty freight cars, and fiat in
front OF the locomotive loaded with
bridge repair timbers. The train stopt
at the switch near the Castleberry ranch
for some purpose and Engineer Nit
chell got off the engine to make some
examination and oil the machinery.
While he was under the engine the ex
plesion took place, just after ! o'clock.
Mr. Massie, who was making his first
trip, and John Morgan, laborer who
was on his way to the front to work
with the repair gang on the bridges,
were in rhe engine cab, the former
right in front of the firebox, when the
explosion came. The crown sheet,
which is the part Of the boiler just over
the frebox, blew off, letting the water
down on the fire. The rush of steam
and water rushed thru the firebox door
striking Massie full on the face and
body, throwing him clear of the engine.
Morgan was also thrown out, but on
the opposite side. Both men were
frightfully burned The engineer es-
capped injury. The caboose was cur
loose and the two men put aboard.
From the Castlebery place there is
down grade all the way to town and
the trip was made by gravity in eight
minutes. After being brought to the
Leavenworth hospital they were attend
ed by Doctors Judah and Hoxsey, who
with the assistance of the nurses did
everything possible to alleviate their in
tense suffering.
Mr.. Massie is survived by wife and
one child. He came here from Michi-
gan nearly twenty ago. He had served
on the city council, was a prominent
merchant up to year ago, and was
always interested in mining, owning
some valuable property on which he
had done much development work the
past summer. He was one of those
men who could not endure idleness,
and when nothing else turned up he
accepted a position with the railroad
company as fireman and was on his first
trip. His sudden taking of is univer-
sally regretted. The funeral will take
place Saturday, and burial in the Leav-
enworth cemetery, the Masonic frater-
nifty, of which he was member, having
charge.
John Morgan came here from the
harvest fields about two months ago
and had been employed in the repair
gang on the Wenatchee Valley North
ern and was on his way to work when
the fatal accident occurred. He leaves
a family at Duluth, MINI. He also
has a brother who is an engineer on the
Great Northern, running out of Hill
ward. He was about 81 years old.
Morgan, whose true name appears to
have been Hotchkiss, was buried yes
terday in the local cemetery. 1t ap-
pears that Thomas Nolan knew him as
Hotchkis, and an effort was made to
get him to reveal his true name before
he became unconscious but he refused
N do so or tell where his family resid-
ed. A message to Michigan where
Mrs Hoichkiss resided disclosed that
C.F.eh 0oLrnfah