White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-01-16
C. G. ROOT KILLED BY
train AT WALLA WALLA

c. G. Root, formerly of Hanford
was instantly killed Saturday after.
noon when a Ford truck he was
driving was struck by Northern
Pacific freight train switching in the
yards at WaHa Walla. The accident
occurred at the Ninth street crossing
Sara Lanphere, also OF Hanford, who
was in the truck with Mr.. Root, es-
capped with severe bruises.
Mr.. Root was driving the truck
out of Walla Walla and the train OF
six cars was being pushed toward
the depot by locomotive. Testimony
at the inquest Saturday night, ac-
cording to the Walla Walla Union,
indicated that the train was travel
ing between FIVE and six miles an
hour and the truck between rs and
80.
The rear end of the truck was de-
molished and Mr.. Root was apparent
ly crushed by the impact. The for
ward trucks of the leading box car
! jumped the track and the auto ap-
parently went under the body of the
box car.
Mr.. Root suffered severe frac-
ture of the skull, lacerations and body
injuries. Practically the whole of his
head was crushed. He was thrown
out of the truck. Witnesses at the
inquest said Mrs. Lanphere seemed
to have been thrown just beside the
car and she was able to get to her
feet.
Mrs. Lanphere was returning to one
of the road camps where she was
cooking for Mr.. Root, who had a
sub-contract for crushing gravel for
H. L. Wilson, road contractor on
state highway No. 20, near Sudbury.
The corners jury, found the "ac-
cident unavoidable according to the
testimony given and that the North
ern Pacific crew in charge at the
time of said accident, is absolved
from all blame"
The attention of Mr.. Root seemed
to have been directed toward a pair
of bloodhounds that were in charge
OF prison guard near the point of
the accident, according to the testi-
mony of E. ]. Sullivan, brakeman.
The witness said he believed the
driver did not see the train until al
most down to the crossing when, ac-
cording to the testimony, he seemed
to slow down and bear to the right
Of the pavement
Mr.. Root was AZ years old, being
born June s, 1877, in South Dakota.
During the World War he was a
member of the 4o6th pontoon, Brit
ish brigade, and served in France
from August 81, 1917, to March, 1919.
He is survived by two daughters,
Mrs. Harold Ufford, Seattle; Barba-
ra Root, one and one-half years old ;
two sons, Melvin Root of Walla Wal
La and James Root, three years old,
two brothers, w. E. Root, Walla
Walla, and B. C.}Roqt, Othello, He
was also the uncle Of Howard Root,
city and sanitary inspector of Walla
Walla and captain George Root of
Fort George Wright.
Mr.. Root left four life insurance
policies, one for each child, that pro-
vided for double payment in case of
death by accident.
The funeral was held Tuesday af-
ternoon in Walla Walla and was at
tended by large number of friends
and relatives. The body was inferred
in the Masonic cemetery at Walla
Walla.
Mrs. Lanphere WIS taken to the
Walla Walla hospital. She was suf-
fering SO from shock that she was
unable to give her version of the
accident at the inquest. Beyond a
few minor bruises, however, she was
unhurt and was able to leave the
hospital in "a few days.