Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-03-30

Three respected citizens of Bonners
Ferry, William F. Clark, Dorville
Oscar Walters and Arthur j. States,
were killed Monday afternoon when
they were crushed under many tons of
granite in a rockslide on the Koo-
tenai Valley railway, about mile
west of town.
The slide in which the three men
lost their lives occurred about two
o'clock. They, with about II other
local men, had started work that
morning as members of section crew
for the Great Northern Railway Co.,
to do the usual spring work OF re-
pairing right-of-ways, under the SUI
pervision of Secrion Foreman A. Stem
meme. The first work attempted was
testing for loose rock in the cut where
the accident happened. About 25 min
utes before the slide happened an at
tempt had been made to bring down
the loose material by dynamiting
The charge was exploded but appar-
emily without any result and the men
started to prepare for another blast.
States was on top of the north wall of
the cut, preparing to place the dyna-
mite. His fellow workmen were
working in the cut below him.
There was nothing to indicate the
danger of slide or that the dyna-
mite explosion had loosened the rocks.
Without the warning of a single
rolling boulder and in an instant's
time, about $50 tons of huge granite
slabs and bouiders, slipped off the
side Of the cut-onto the track. Clark
was crushed by one of the first huge
Anlr ~ raI
struck, knocked down and was pinned
under slab of rock that must have
weighed 30 tons The largest piece
of rock in the slide had rested at the
top of the cut and States was stand
ing on it when the accident happened.
This great boulder pitched into the
cut, bounded against the rock wall on
the far side and was thrown back
again, carrying down with it Mr.
States. This great slab of rock COM
pletely covered States and it was only
possible to see his foot under one cor
ner Of it. All three men were killed
instantly.
1t was a miracle that other mem
bers of the crew were not killed or
seriously hurt Mr.. Spain lodged into
slight crevice by the side of the
track when he saw the slide coming
and narrowly escaped being struck by
the rock that hit Clark. John Maloney,
a brother-in-law of Walters, was struck
on his hip by a rock but in such a
manner as to knock him out of the
way Of the remainder of the slide.
Foreman Stemmene also narrowly es-
capped being caught under the bould-
ers.
News of the disaster was brought to
town within q few minutes The
workmen at once began to try to take
the bodies from under the rocks. The
X. V. train, coming from Whites
camp, arrived at the slide within a
few minutes after it had occurred and
with the aid of large jacks the train
crew and the section crew were able
to raise the rocks under which Clark
and Walters We're pinned. A cable
was fastened about the rock which
covered States and several trials were
made to raise Il with the power of
the K " engine. This not being pos
sible the rock was broken into several
pieces by dynamiting, the men working
until late in the evening before they
were successful in rescuing States
body.
Coroner E. e. Saunders was notified
of the accident, and was one of the
first from town to reach the scene of
the slide. He remained during the af-
ternoon, assisting in the rescuing of
the bodies.
The victims of Mondays accident
were all men with families and had
resided here for two or three years.
They were men who commanded the
respect and esteem of their neighbors
and acquaiHtauces. Their untimely
and sudden death has cast a shroud
of sorrow over the community and
words can but barely express the
depth of the sympathy felt by all for
the mourning relatives.
The funeral of Dorville Oscar Ed
wards was held yesterday afternoon
at the Methodist church, the services
being conducted by Rev. A. H. Morton.
The funeral was attended by large
company of the friends of the de-
ceased and his family and many beau
tiful flowers were brought to express
the esteem ana respect in which he
was held.
The body of Mr., States was shipped
today to Crosby, N. Oak, where his
parents reside. Mrs. States and her
four children and her sister, Mrs. J..
F. Jones, accompanied the corpse.
The funeral of Mr.. Clark will be
held this afternoon at two o'clock at
the Methodist church.
William T. Clark was born March
10, 1857, at Springfield, Ohio. where
he lived for some 35 years and where
for 25 years he was employed by the
International Harvester Co. He was
married in August, 1877, to Miss Julia
Ann Cramer. With his wife he came
to Bonners Ferry to locate about two
years ago, after having lived for some
time at Redstone, Mont. He was a
member of the Methodist church.
The deceased is survived by his
wife. his mother and five children.