Arizona republican., 1915-09-02
ACCOUNT OF THE
 WRECK INQUEST
Inquiry Instituted by Yava- pal Officials Brings Out Little But What Has Been Published Heretofore - Injured Recovering

ol iout u4t4l hiitp III tiiN N~N at Date Creek, is taken from the Prescott Journal Miner:
 After hearing the testimony Of F witnesses, the coroner's jury at the inquest held before Coroner McLane yesterday to determine the cause of the death of the four mn in the railroad accident near Date Creek last Thursday night, decided that death in two cases was caused by drowning, in one by injuries and drowning and the other by injuries, and that the wreck was due to either cloudburst or high water.
 In the four separate cases the diff ferent causes given are as follows: C. O. Durfee's death resulted from broken neck; Jim Ducks death was caused by drowning : Charles Dollack died as a result of sudden blow which caused him to drown, and Grady Beck was killed by a fracture of the skull.
 The inquest was held in the Su- perior court room and the entire train crew, with the exception of the brakeman, was examined by County Attorney O'Sullivan; also some of the passengers who rode on the ill fated train and a number of railway employees The verdict of the jury was rendered after a discussion last ing less than five minutes.
 Probably the most detailed and in teresting story of the accident at the inquest yesterday was that of the engineer, A W. Pentland.
 He attributed the accident to the nf iah - flowing in the creek at that time. He also said that Cottonwood creek, short distance farther north, he noticed while walking towards Hill side. did not carry as much water as the one at which the accident occurred He also said that Cotton wood creek was twice as large as Date Creek
 O. II. McNelly's, the fireman. story tallied with that of the engineer in almost every detail. with the eX- ception of his escape from the cab, which naturally was different than Pentiand's. He said that they were 50 feet on the bridge before the tim hers started to crack and the engine to go down. He jumped out of the cab window and onto the big driver. which threw him into the water. He was washed down stream and after returning and receiving instructions from the engineer started out to Date Creek for assistance. He had not gone far before he met the-- Section foreman coming south with q gang of men. They had heard the whistle blowing and thought something was wrong They then returned to the trestle and assisted in rescuing the | injured. McNelly said that the parts of the bridge near the banks were built on mud sills. He also said that the accident was caused by clOudburst or an unusual amount of rain.
 The experience of the conductor. , H. H. Shaw, was to be hurled over | four seats in the chair car when the accident occurred It was but a few seconds before the lights were ex- | tinguished He told of how the wo- men were taken from the chair car 1 into the sleeper. He assisted in res cuing one of the women from the dressing room. in which she had been caught He said that it was two
 hours before the water started to re- cede and then they started taking the men from the tngine side of the l stream to tne SlttDtT, WItlt lllNy
 were sheltered He also assisted in digging two of the dead men from the wreckage of the smoker l.. A. Mckinley, connected with the
 water service department of the san ta Fe system. told of the digging our of the four men from the wreck, ana
 how they were found. Beck" he said was caught under tine baggage l ha tween two seats" Mckinley also de- | clared that high water caused the ac- cident.
 Charles Green. the Santa Fe's trav cling bridge inspector. explained the different parts of the bridge and how
 it was built. He said that he had l made an inspection of the bridge and | found it satisfactory at 6:30 o'clock | Thursday evening. His investigation after the accident showed that seven | bents remained standing on the north | end and five on the south. and that nine bents were gone from the cen l ter. He did not know how many 1 had been washed out. The biggest part of the bridge was piles driven ! into the ground, while the portions near the banks were placed on mud | sills.
 His last thorough inspection was made on August 4.
 George F. Anderson. bridge snner | intendent. said that when he arrived at the wreck Friday afternoon he | found that the deck of the bridge had
 been m,shed north for over 15 feet | The timbers he examined were all | in good condition. He did not see
 all the bents. which were washed out | but found two of them and two stringers down the stream and they
 were intact. The bridge was repaired every eight or nine months, accord ing to Anderson. He has worked for the Santa Fe for three years
 and ke said the piles in bridge 197
 were there before he started work. | He said. because of finding the bents
 town stream. they may possibly have
 been washed out before the train
 arrived.
 Injured Improving
 At Mercy hospital it is reported