The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1917-08-25
AEAD-ON SMASH
KILLS -FOUR MEN
FREIGHT TRAINS CRASH To
GETHER IN NARROW CAN
YON AT HATED

gineers of the division, of AL Grit
Ed House, a brakeman, in the head
on collision of two freight trains on
the Southern Pacific tracks nea
Hated late Tuesday afternoon, has
cast a shadow of gloom over the
railroad city. 1t is the worst wreck
to occur in many years and rail-
road men say it will mean the dou-
BILE tracking of the railroad from
Sparks through the narrow al
yon to Hazen.
Two heavy freight trains crashed
together just as the local frsiSht
running from Inlay a slowing III
to pull into a switch this side of
Hated, a station 10 miles below
Sparks. Engines Louis Rasmussen
of the westbound local train of 20
cars was caught in the cab of his
engine when the locomotive buckled
following the impact and was crush
ed beyond recognition. His body
was also badly scalded by escaping
steam.
AL Griffin, fireman for Rasmus-
sen, is supposed to have jumped
from the engine when he saw that
the collision was coming. He was
caught by one of the freight cars
that tipped over as he was climb
ing the bank and was beneath the
wreckage of the cars that piled on
top of each other. His body had
not been recovered this morning
from the burning wreckage.
An unidentified tramp was also
caught in the wreckage of the cars.
His body is still buried in the burn
ing mass.
Ed House, brakeman, was crush
ed by a water car as he was climb
ing the steep embankment to safe
ty. The impact of the collision
threw the front end of the water
car into the air, so that it turned
half way around and came down
with the front end pointing up
the bank. House was caught
squarely under it and when hic
body was found his head was pro-
truding just above the end of the
tank. Had he been two feet to
either side his life probably would
have been saved.
Frank Guise, engineer of the
local train, escaped without injury
So forcible was the impact of the
colliding trains that IA cars in the
eastbound freight were telescoped
a,l D;IoI T., o hnua n,acc on tho
track. The top of a box car on the
local freight slid over the tender
and covered the cab and part of
the locomotive of the local.
Trains Nos. "a. 20, 2, 10 and 6,
all eastbound, were held up in
Sparks and the railroad town pre-
scented a lively appearance this
morning with the large number OF
tourists wandering aimlessly about
the streets trying to put in time un-
til the trains pulled out. Westbound
trains Nos. 1, 10, 9, 23 and . are
tied up at Hazen.
Last nights Tonopah & Goldfield
train will be consolidated with to-
nights train. but other trains are
being run the same as usual. A
stub train for No. 5 was sent out
from Reno this morning.
An official investigation and hear
ing will be held at ten o'clock to-
morrow morning. No official state
ment regarding the cause of the
wreck would be made today but ac-
cording to unofficial statements the
responsibility hinges on the obedi-
ence to train orders.
The block signals at the scene OF
in good condition.
Burning oil from the two loco
motives was thrown in all direc-
tons and in a few minutes the pile
of fourteen cars was on fire. The
cars destroyed included three OF
fruit, one of pipe, one of beer, eight
of mixed merchandise Inc one emp
ty tank car. One car of gasoline
was pulled from the scene of the
fire just in time to save it from
exploding. None of the cars on the
westbound freight a burned but
both locomotives were nearly re-
duced to scrap iron.
All traffic on the railroad was
tied up until one o'clock this after
noon when the wreckage had been
cleared and about 200 yards of new
track put in. The accident happen
ed in a narrow canyon where it
was impossible to lay a new track
around the w~reckage.
Louis Rasmussen had resided in
Sparks for eighteen years and was
considered one of the best engin-
GERS on the road. He was a mem
Der of Truckee Lodge No. 158, B.
of l.. E.. of Sparks. His widow and
a daughter. Yutta A. Rasmussen
of Stockton, survive him. He was
a native of Denmark, Sc years old