Evening star., 1939-08-14
Train Wrecked
By Removal
Of "A Spikes
Man With Both Ears
or Hunted; At Leost
20 Killed
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
RENO, New. Aug 1.-THE fiend-
ishly plotted wrecking of a $4,000
900 streamliner train left at least
20 persons dead and more than ia
injured today, while police sought
a man with both ears of" for
questioning about the tragedy.
Southern Pacific officials said evil
dence clearly indicated the wreck
of their crack west-bound City of
San Francisco" in the desert wastes
of Central Nevada Saturday night
was deliberately planned. A coro-
ner's jury, summoned to the scene
yesterday. found the disaster was
caused by "a misplaced rail, mis-
placed by a person or persons un-
known"
The small electric block signal
cable between the rails. which, If
tampered with, would have moved
signals into stop position. was left
in place, Mr.. Foley said. The near
est signal. which would have stopped
the streamliner, is 2,30O feet from
the bridge
Forty-four spikes had been re-
moved from the outside rail of
curve near the approach to a 60
foot bridge over the shallow Hum
boldt River, where all but four of
the II cars in the yellow-tan fiier
hurtled of the tracks. Angle plates
connecting rail lengths had been
removed. An entire 30-foot length
of rail had been moved four inches
inward and the rail tie plates re-
spiked to the ties in the new DO
sition, said T. J. Foley of Ogden.
Utah, assistant Southern Pacific di-
vision superintendent.
The Interstate Commerce Com
mission In Washington, D. c., sent
five investigators to the scene.
S. N. Mills, acting engineer of the
commissions Safety Bureau, said
these men had been dispatched to
make an official inquiry: inspectors
c. H. Madison and A. A. Hynds in
San Francisco. Engineer w. P.
Kershner of Chicago and ED. Rine-
hart and r. N. Dodge, Washington
A Spikes Removed.
Mr.. Rinehart is chief of the acci-
dent investigation section of the
Safety Bureau and Mr.. Dodge is a
car construction engineer.
AS this evidence of what Mr..
Foley termed clearly case of
sabotage with murderous intent"
was uncovered, Nevada State police
asked officers throughout the State
to be on the lookout for a man
whose ears had been cut OF.
Cars Topple From Tracks.
Chief of Police Andy M. Welliver
OF Reno said he was informed this
man had been acting suspiciously"
at Fernley, and had inquired yes
terday morning at Fernley garage
Has anything happened"
The streamliner, speeding west
ward at so to so miles an hour, piled
up at 1898 pm. IN s. t. about
$50 miles east of Reno. as it was
crossing 60-foot bridge over shall
low Humboldt River.
The Diesel-power cars on the crack
limited, which was on its regularly
scheduled 3912 hour run from Chi
cago to San Francisco, carried across
the steel bridge by their own
momentum. but the derailed baggage
car lurched out of control and
dragged most of the other cars in
a wild topple from the tracks.
Some of the cars crashed into the
bridge, causing it to collapse into
the river Is to 20 feet below. Six
Of the cars crashed after it in
deafening roar, followed by the eerie
cries of the dying and injured, which
sent those able to move into a
desperate rescue search.
Out of the ghastly scene arose
tales OF heroism on the part of sew
eral and stout courage and lack of
panic on the part Of all the survivors.
Stewardess Is Heroine.
There was the story of the
stewardess, registered nurse, who,
injured and nearly knocked out, ad-
ministered to the needs of the more
seriously injured until she collapsed
into unconsciousness. Another was
the Pennsylvania professor who was
credited by fellow passengers with
(see WRECK, Page A-4)
.