The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-09-06
TOLL OF TWO
IN AUTO WRECK
CAR GOES OVER RUTHTON yIADUCT
Vancouver Veteran and Portland Man Are
Victims Mangled Bodies Found
Beneath the Wreckage

1hC "iCth Va oil ddtoiIoDitNp bottoih
side up in the center of the railway
track and with the feet of victim
protruding was the gruesome find Sat
urday morning of E. Campbell, signal
maintainer of the O.-W. r. & N. Co.
When the debris was further investi-
gated later the warm bodies of two
aged men, e. E. Huston, of Vancouver,
WASH, and A. J. johnson, of Portland,
were found.
The bodies of the victims, whose car
had plunged through the railing of the
viaduct crossing the Ruthton railway
cut % feet above the track, were fear
fully mangled. The head of Mr.. john
son had been caught between the steel
rail and the rim of one of the car seats
and was found literally crushed to
pieces. The face and head of the other
aged man were badly crushed, his right
arm was mangled. and deep bruises
were found over his body. Death to
both was instantaneou.
The accident must have occurred
shortly after 7 O'Clock following the
passing of westbound passenger train
due at Ruthton at 6.42. The signal
man found the bodies at 7.15. The
wreckage obscured by a cliff around
which the railway track makes a curve,
Campbell was within few feet of the
mass before he observed it. He called
for help from members of Pacific
States Telephone Co. crew just arriv-
ing to repair lines damaged by the re-
cent fire that destroyed the town of
Ruthton. En- route to Portland, j. X.
Carson and Max Moore stopped and
telephoned news of the accident to this
city. The message stated that sim
gle man had been found dead under the
car. The second body was discovered
when the wreckage was lifted off the
tracks for westboud freight train,
which passed the scene at little after
8 O'Clock. If the wreck had not been
discovered, because of the sharp curve
at the point, the bodies of the victims
would probably have been further
mangled by the wheels of a locomo-
tive.
Responding to the call from Ruth
ton, Coroner Bartmess left here pre-
pared to have but single body trans
ported to the city. The remains of
Mr.. Huston were first removed here,
other unfortunate man.
Those who viewed the scene of the
accident think that the engine of the
automobile died" on the steep, curved
approach to the bridge. Tracks in the
sand indicate that the driver then
backed off to take the grade in squirt.
Striking the brige planking, several
inches higher than the earth road, on
bias, the front axle of the car was
badly bent, thus putting the steering
gear out of commission. Marks show
that the Automobile dragged for dis
tance on the railing, breaking through
at the very center in the highest place.
The ttonneau of the machine had been
filled with camping equipment and
baggage, which was strewn in a ssdis.
orderly heap around the blood-spat-
tered debris.
The men were identified by cards
and letters found on their persons.
With his wife, Mr.. johnson, Port
land man, had journeyed with Mr..
Huston to Walla Walla Ito visit the
formers daughter, Mrs. j. W. Boslee.
On the return trip Mrs. johnson stop
ped off at Freewater for visit with
relatives.
A Walla Walla Union of date of
August 20, found in the baggage of
one of the dead men, told of a reunion
of Mr.. Huston at Walla Walla with his
comrade, R. P. Reynolds. The two
men had not seen each other since
they had been mustered out of service
So years before. They were both stu
dents at normal school at Blooming
ton, ILL.,, at Ithe outbreak of the Civil
War. Both had narrowly escaped
death during the Civil War when they
were victims of a wreck in Missis.
sippi swamp where a freight train,
running over an army mule, was de.
rallied, killing eight comrades.
Papers found on the body of Mr..
Johnson show that he was member
of the Odd Fellows lodge at Prescott,
Wash, having at one time been Noble
Grand of the lodge.
The body of Mr.. johnson, was ship
ped to Portland Sunday afternoon. The
body of Mr.. Huston was shipped Sat-
urday to Vancouver, where he resided
with daughter.
| Mr.. Huston was a prominent citizen
of Vancouver, having been Commander
of the Grand Army Post at that place.
He was a native of Pennsylvania. but
had moved with his family in early
days to Illinois.