Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-09-21
FATAL ACCIDENT

fast mail hit an auto driven by Fred
Gehrig and carrying his father Gott-
lieb Gehrig as a passenger. Gottleib
Gehrig was instantly killed. Fred was
shaken up pretty much but suffered no
serious injury. The accident occurred
at the second crossing east Of the
depot, near the Golden Rule store. The
Gehrig car was driven down the south
side of Rail street headed east and at
the street crossing turned north across
the tracks. The second track from the
south side being the main line. At the
time of the accident the side track was
filled with freight train which had
stopped in such a way as to leave the
last car obstructing the street about
35 feet which made it necessary for
the Gehrig car to turn out somewhat
TO the left in order to pass the obstruc-
ton. About the time the Gehrig car
made the turn at the corner to go north
across the tracks Manuel Silva drove
up from the south and fell in just be-
hind the Gehrig car. Mr.. Silva noticed
by the smoke above the freight train
that another train was coming on the
main line and also that it was coming
with considerable speed. He also OBJ
served that the driver Of the Gehrig
car had evidently not noticed the ap-
preaching train so Mr. Silva called to
Gehrig, There is a train coming Both
occupants of the Gehrig car heard the
voice of alarm and turned their heads
SO as to look backwards as if to en-
quire of Mr.. Silva the cause of his a.
lar,n and while still in this position
their car was struck by the oncoming
train. The train struck the car just
back of the front wheel. turned the car
sidewise and dragged it for some dis !
tance. The elder Gehrig was sitting in
the front seat next to the train. The
body of the car was hit hard just at
that point and caved into the seat some
distance, this same blow knocked Mr.. /
Gehrig out of the car and threw his
body some 80 or 40 feet and across the /
track When it was picked up a few
moments later life was so nearly ex-
tinct that he expired within few min /
utes afterwards. Tuesday of this week I
a coroners jury consisting of Frank /
Millsaps. H Horne, w. H. Copp, S. Y.
Robertson, G. Massey and c. Hansen |
was called to sit on the case and its I
findings recite the facts substantially /
as above stated. 1t made no recon- |
mendations as to placing the blame for /
the accident The train which met |
with the accident was in charge of en-
gineer Oliver one of the most reliable /
and efficient engineers of the Short 4
Line. Mr.. Oliver was at his post of
bringing his train into the station. He
was seated on the opposite side from
that on which the motor car approach
ed and his engine obstructed his vision
so that he did not see the car before
the accident. The fireman saw the
accident and called to the engineer
who Immediately stopped the train.
man saw the accident and called to the
engineer who Immediately stopped the
train.
Opinion is pretty much devided as to
who should be held responsible for the
accident Until the matter has been ad-
justed by legal authorities newspaper
opinions should be held in check in or
der that the ends of justice may not
be handicapped. But it is not out Of
order to emphasize the necessity of
making better arrangements for the
safety OF both the public and the rail-
road company at the two crossings here
in the midst of our city. Acts border
ing on criminal carelessness are of /
daily occurrence with both citizens and
railway trainmen. Hair bredth escap-
es on these two crossing are so fire.
quent as to not even excite comment
unless some fatality actually occurs. 1t
is a trying and exasperating condition
for both the public aud the trainmen.
Citizens are frequently held at these
crossing for FIVE ten and fifteen MIN
utes and occasionally as much as thir-
ty minutes The train does not stand
still all of this time. 1t will OCCASION
ally move forward or backwards a car
EenSth or two and then move in the
opposite direction the same distance.
but ,all the time the crossing is OBJ
strueted by people eager to cross and
impatient of the delay. On the other
hand the trainmen are required to keep
some where close to scheduled time
In operating their trains and to stop
and cut train at these crossings as
often as would be necessary to Keep