The Glenwood post. (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) 1897-current, 1920-09-18
Oil Sha|e Slides Near DeBeque One
Of Strangest In History Of
Rio Grande Railroad
SLOW ORDER SAVE MANY LIVES

About ILLS last Sunday morning
Rio Grande west bound passenger train
No. | was wrecked about mile east
of DeBeque and short distance west
of Niger hill, and four human lives
were crushed out instantly. If it had
not been for the fact that the train
was running on slow orders because OF
repairs being made to bridge in that
vicinity, it is believed that many of
the passengers would have been killed.
Those who lost their lives when the
crash came were Engineer George Har-
denbllrg and Fireman Charles Schwcn-
deman, both residents of Grand June
ton, and Floyd and Ralph Brundige,
10 and Fl years of age, respectively,
both residents of this city, sons of Mr..
and Mrs w. j. Brundige of Tenth and
Palmer.
These boys We're bumming' a ride
on the "blind,' from Glenwood to
Palisade where they expected to join
their father, and all were intending to
work in the orchards during the peach
harvest. They were riding between the
engine and the baggage car, and evil
IDENTIFY death was instantaneous.
George Hardenburg was one of the
oldest engineers on the Rio Grande
system, having served the company,
g.. id
to warrant him in retiring on pen
sion, an action which he had for some
time contemplated. He is survived by
his wife and four daughters. Schwen-
deman was married about three years
ago, and has since lived in Grand
Junction.
The wreck, while not so disastrous
as some in the toll of human life or
the destruction of property, is perhaps
one of the most peculiar in the history
of Colorado railroading. The sliding
mountain of oil shale had slipped down
toward the Grand river, but instead of
covering up the track to any serious
track rested, also slipped away, leav-
ing the rails without support, hurting
the engine to its side, the big monster
finally being picked up by the wreck
err 1875 feet from where it started TO
leave the track. After being turned
over ON its side it moved slowly on
the slipping mass of oil shale which
was constantly but slowly moving to-
ward the Grand river.
When the engine left the track and
ploughed it's way over and through the
mass of oil shale the impact, though
not as severe as it would have been
if the train had been running at nor
nal speed, was sufficient to hurl the
coach passengers from their seats and
some of the Pullman passengers from
their berths. There was great commo.
ton, and general panic ensued for n
time. As soon as the passengers real
lied what had happened they lent cv-
cry assistance possible in the effort to
rescue those in danger.
1t was soon dicovered that young
man. who gave his name ms Russell
Harger and his home as Dayton, Ohio,
was pinned fast by one leg, while one
hand was clutched between two pieces
of iron and held by such weight that
it was necessary to amputate the poor
boys arm at the wrist, and this was
done by DeBeque physician, who ar
rived on the scene soon after the ac'
cident had occurred. The boy was
hurried to a Grand Junction hospital
but he was so weak from loss of blood
that his recovery is considered ex
tremely improbable.
Considerable discussion has resulted
from rumor to the effect that anoth
or of the Brundige boys was missing
and that his body was probably buried
beneath the wreck or the mass Of oil
shale that came down the mountain
This report was untrue, MS one OF tn
two remaining boys was in Utah wher