The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 21, 1902, Page 17

— ’WM 030% Pages o> t | @ Es VOLUME XCIII—-NO. 21. FAST TRAIN CRASHES INTO CARS L + & 4 ! Pages 030 : * ® ? L] SAN FRANCISCO, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1902—FORTY-FOUR PAGES. PRICE FIVE CENTS. AND TEN PASSENGUERS LOSE LIVES resulted n ten deaths outright and IN APPALLING WRECK NEAR BYRON TERRIBLE DISASTER on the railroad near Byron, Contra Costa County, early last evening the injury of more than a score of passengers. COACHES CONCEAL ORRORS Bodies Are Found Crushed Amid Debris, Women, Children and Men Among the Injured. Many Persons Have Extra- ordinary Escapes From Awful Fate, Bpecial ‘Dispateh to The Call. YRON, Dec. 20.—Ten per- were killed and twenty-seven injured in a collision to-night be- tween the southbound sons Los Angeles “Owl” and | It | the Stockton was a rear-end the engine of the local plowing its way through the last coach on the Owl, which was filled with Fresno people. The passengers who escaped in- stant death were hurled to the far part of crushed in between the maesh of the debris, their sufferings and aa intensified a hundred foldghy the scalding steam which poured them from the shattered boiler fiyer. iston, the coach, cut upon of the St n engine. The Owl left the Oakland mole about 5 ©'clock and on the way toward this point it was 1 that there was a leak in“the flue of gine. This increased to such an ex t that it was deemed ad- visable to stop here to take up a freight engine for a relief The t officials knew that No. &, the Stock local, was following half an hour behind and the flagman was sent back down the track to give warning of the|presence of the Owl, It ig said that the Stockton tr . ip charge of Engineer Maguire and Fir i Joice, got the 1 ie and gave the nse with whistie blasts. Why the oncoming train was not checked, how- ever, has not been thus far explained, the men who could give the facts being num- bered among the badly injured CRASH OF TRAINS. on the train with apparently scarcely any ¢iminution of speed and the Fresno coach was completely telescoped. Bo forcibly did tle local meet the rear of the Owl that the end of the second car, the dining car, was smashed in. It scemed miraculous that the horror of fire was not added to the. dirdful disaster, but the penned-up victims were seemingiy by providential intervention spared from flames, for the oll burners were extin- guished when the crash came. Relief quickly came to the passengers who were penned in the wreckage, axes end saws being brought into ‘play and passengers and train crew lending eager @id. Messengers were sent to Byron Hot Eprirgs, a short distance away, and Dr. Bird of the springs, with Dr. J. D. David- son of Fresno, who was a guest, came quickly to the station. A trained nurse accompanied them, and first aid was at once given to the man- gled, bruised and scalded sufferers, who were 1ying near the track. Every effort was made to alleviate their sufferings, and those who were unable to proceed on the journey were taken either to the springs hotel or to the church in Byron, whiech was temporarily transformed into a bospital. None of the passengers of No. 8 were injured, @nd all of the crew of the Owl escaped unhurt. VICTIMS NOT «NOWN. Of the killed it was pofsible to identify but one person. The others were not known to their fellow passehgers, and up to a late hour nothing was found on their persons to furnish a clew to their names of residence. The one among the killed who was identified was named Clarence Oluff. Je lived at Fresno. The other dead are as follows: One woman, about 35 years old. One woman, about 20 sears old. came WVKERE VicTIACS FHOTEL A7 BYRON SPRINGS One man, said to pe from Bakersfield. One Japanese baby. One Japanese man. Two Chinese men. One white laboring man. The injured aré as follows: An unknown sallor, fatally hurt D. J. Vernon of Fresno, badly scalded and right knee broken. D. J: Vernon's son, seriously hurt. Ed Joyce, fireman of the Stockton local, scalded, but not dange! 8. 8. Crites of Bake: .. scalded. Robert Renrick of 38 Fourth street, San Francisco, scalded and leg broken. He a son of James Renrick of the -Portland Housé," Fresno. = of Tong Sing of Fres all badly hurt. George Washington, chief cook of the Owl, leg broken. Ed Slaughter, leg cut. Charles Harris, third cook, head and leg injured E. Towles, leg smashed. A. A. Sanderson, waiter, C. L second cook, head and fourth cook, head- cut and head cut. Alexander, waitér, knee broken. Miss Mary Baird of Fresno, hand slight Iy cut. LONE CHILD BRUISED. going to Fresno in charge of the con- ductor, was slightly bruised. Engineer Maguire of the Stockton flyer was severely /but not fatally hurt, W. Emil Mayer, 1043 Golden Gate ave- nue, San Francisca, badly scalded. J. F. Carroll of Suisun and Fresno, rep- resentative of City Street Improvement Company, scalded and bruised. Carl Keller and wife of Florence, Colo., scalded and badly hurt g W. L. Temple of Oakland, general or- ganizer of the Woodmen of the World, scalded and brulsed. George Moka, a Japanese of San Fran- cisco, head cut and badly 1nJured. Len Irwin of Fresno, son 'of Mrs. Ger- rard, 2% G street, Fresno, bruised, but not dangerously. F. F. Eastman of Paris, Maine, fatally injured. scalded and Lou Len, Chinese, 706 S8acramento street, 8an Francisco, scalded. Mabel T of Modesto, sister of Mrs, Kittrell of Fresno, severely but not dan- gerously scalded, Frank Short, the well known lawyer of Fresno, had a narrow escape. A moment or two before the collision he left the Fresno coach to enter the dining-room car to-take dinner with Chester H, Rowell, editor of the Fresno Republican. The lat- ter géntleman escaped injury also. Bert Elnstein, the Fresno banker's son, was standing on the rear of the Owl when he’ saw the flier approach and he saved himself by jumping. —_—— Hanging Follows Feast. HONOLULU, Dec. 13.—Qahu jail will have a feast on Christmas day and a hanging on the day following. Prisoners here receive one treat during the year— on Christmas day Tanbara, the Japan- ese murderer, who killed Captain Jacob- One woman about 4 years old. een of the schooner Woods, will be hanged on the morning after Christmas. Three Chinese women (one a daughter A little girl named Dorothy, 9 years old, | | Richard Post of Fowler, badly scalded. e it it '/Y‘ ’/ 77}@ B B i | 22 X . SCENE NE'AR BYRON, IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, WHERE THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE BYRON SPRINGS HOTEL WAS USED AS A HOSPITAL. THE PORTRAITS ARE OF FRESNO MEN WHO\ESCAPED IN THE TERRIBLE CRASH OF THE TRAINS. ® - THE DEAD. CLARENCE OLUFF, FRESNO. TWO CHINESE. = TWO WHITE MEN, S PIPE'S ASHES IGNITE GIANT POWDER FUSE Hawaiian Is Blown to Atoms and An- other Receives Fatal Injuries in Explosion. HONOLULU, Dec. 13.—One Hawaiian blown to atoms, one fatally injured and four others more or less serlously injured is the result of a giant powder disaster that cccurred at 6 o’'clock yesterday morn- ONE JAPANESE. ONE JAPANESE BABY. THE INJURED. D. J. VERNON, Fresno, scalded. knee broken. | D. J. VERNON JR., Fresno, serious bruises. EDWARD JOYCE, fireman Stockton local, scalded. S. S. ARITES, Bakersfleld, scalded. DOROTHY - ENGINEER MAGUIRE, severely hurt. W. EMILY MAYER, 1043 Goiden Gate ave. | J. ¥. CARROLL, Suisun, scalded and bruised. ROBERT RENRICK, 38 Fourth street, S. F., scalded. CARL RELLER AND WIFE, Colorado, scalded THREE CHINESE WOMEN, badly bruised. s GEORGE WASHINGTON, Owl cook, leg broken. ED. SLAUGHTER, second cook, head and leg cut. CHARLES HARRIS, third cook, head and leg injured. LEN TRWIN, Fresno, scalded. | | B. TOWLES, fourth cook, head cut, leg smashed. A. A, SANDERSON, waiter, head cut. *: MISS MARY BAIRD, Fresno, hand slightly cut. | W. L. TEMPLE, Oakland, scalded. RICHARD POST, Fowler, Cal., scalded. GEO. MOKA, Japanese, S. F., head cut. F. F. EASTMAN, Paris, Me., fatally injured. LOU LEN, Chinese, 706 Sacramento st., S. F., scalded. MABEL DEASY, Modesto, scalded. C. C. ALEXANDER. waiter, knee broken. , aged 9, slightly bruised. ing. The disaster was due eiitirely to the careless haMling of the explosive by the dead man, Kekaha, the fuse of the giant powder having caught fire from the ashes of his pipe. The house in which the Hawaiians lived was blown to pleces. Kekaha tried to throw the explosive from the house, but was too late and his body was scattered in all directions. Kalehua, dne of the in- jured, will probably die as he has one % eye destroyed, his ear druiis ruptured and 1s covered with cuts, bruises and burns. ‘Want Chinese Labor. HONOLULU, Dec. 13—The Builders’ and Traders' Exchange has declared in favor of Chinese labor for piantation pur- ses, except where white or Hawalian skilled labor can be use. about the mills. Federated labor is agalvst the importa- tion of any Chinese. - %xm PHSAENGER SEES SIGNAL BUT SPEEDS | _TO DISASTER Superintendent of Trans- | portation G. F. Richardson in an interview at his residence | in this city said last evening: “It was a rear-end collision. The réports that I have re- ceived state that the ‘Owl” en- gine wes disabled one mile west of Byron. The train | + pulled up on the main track and as usual in such cases one | |° of ‘the brakemen of the ‘Owl” !‘ | train was sent back to flag the | train following it. The train following was a Stockton ‘lo- | cal,’ and the brakeman was | able to flag the engineer of | the Stockton train, warning | | him of the danger. The engi- | neer of the Stockton train ac- L knowledged the brakeman's | warfiing but kept right on running his train and hence the rear-end collision. Why the engineer of the Stockton train failed to stop is a matter that will be investigated later.” 4 — SANTA ROSA MAN TO WED RICH KANSAN'S DAUGKTERI Invitations Issued for Marriage of Miss Florence Rockwell and James Rufus Edwards. JUNCTION CITY, Kans., Dee. 20.—Mr. and Mrs. Bettrand Rdckwell of this city have issted Invitations for the marriage of their daughter Flarence to James Ru- | fus Edwards of Santa Rosa, Cal. The wedding will. take place Thursday even- ing, January 8, 1903, at the Church of tae ‘enant. There will be a reception later Rockwell residence. e bride-tosbe is the only daughter of the wealthlest man in Central who made a fortune in the early days of Kaonsas out of Government contracting and has added to it since as a general merchant and -banker. The Rockweils have always been the backbone of Junc- tion City. e Chinese Fire Claimants Missing. HONOLULU, - Dec. 13.—Chinese fire claims warrants are being paid to the ex- tent’ of 10" per cent of the total amount | due on each claim. Difficulty arese upon presentation of 2700 Chinese warrants that were in the hands of the consulate. The treasurer refused to pay {hem, except to these to whom they were duve, and not | one of them had been indorsed over to the Chinese Consul. claimants cannot be found and .many of ) them have gone to China. | H Epecial Dispatch to The Call. | o 1§ J. €. Wilder, Kansas, | Hundreds of the | WARNING SIENALS ' IGNORED Queer Conduct of - Einginéer on a Flyer. ‘Church Transiormed . Into @ Hospital for Victims. Great Difficulty Experienced ‘ in Identifying the f Dead. e 20.—As of the AKLAND, Dec. | soon as word wreck reached Division Superintendent Palmer’s office at “Oakland pfer, the assist- | ant superintendent, took charge of the arrange- | ments for relief and then | { departea for the sceme of the disaster. | The wrecking train was hurriedly made up. with a Pullman car and a day coach added, to be used for the injured. Dr. J. P. Dunn went from Oakland and the company sent physicians from all available points. A relief crew went from | Tracy. Meager details were received at Oakland pier of the extent of the wreck. The trains left Oakland pier this. after~ | noon half an hour apart. The Owl de- parted first. It was in charge of Engineer | Louis Kerr and Conductor Willlam De- lan. The locomotive on the Owl was steaming badly and making trouble. The trains left Brentwood, according to rule, ten minutes apart. About a mile west of Byron the Owl came to a stop, the engine there giving out or Kerr stop- ping to adjust some part of the machin- ery. Conductor Dolan reports that he sent a brakeman back to flag the approaching Stockton train and that the brakeman did signal the train and received the neces- ry reply signal. But the Stockten flyer did not stop. It ran onm, and before the disaster could be averted the fiyer had struck the last coach, a combination car, used to accommodate local travelers. It i5 to the rear of the dining car, and gen- tlemen find it convenient for smoking and | as a lounging place after meals. | Engineer Milton Maguire and Conductor | Charles Schu were in charge of the | Stockton train. At the superintendent's | office the officials were in amazement that | the fiyer had passed the flag signal, as was reported to them. Half a mile dis- tance would have been ample to protect !the standing train and as the two trains are known to run pretty close to sched- | ule, each trainman knew it was essential to get out flag signals just as soon as posstble. It was surmised that the fiyer's air brakes might not have been working | properly and that this accounted for the | failure to slow down in time to prevent | the rear-end collision. | The work of rescuing bodles of the dead | 2nd caring for the injured was prosecut- | ed with all possible dispatch. The wound- | ed were taken to & little church at By- [ron, which was converted into a tempo- | rary kospital. Here the surgeons sent by the Seuthern Pacific officers did much of | their work. . Behind - the fiyer was the ‘Fresno local. | Ag soon as it reached the scene it was | abandoned, because of the wréck ahead, |and the passengers were put aboard the Owl, which resumed the Interrupted jeurney at 11:10 o'clock to-night, - with lsnch coaches as were not too badly smashed. It was expected that the track | would be cleared for travel by 1 of 2 | o’clock to-morrow morning. — Boy Injured in a Runaway. LOS ANGELES, Dec. 20.—Twelve-year- old John Lynn was probably fatally in- | jured in a runaway accident to-day. The boy was seated in a wagon, to which was | attached a team of horses. During the | temporary absence of the driver the | horses became frightened and dashed off at full speed, colliding with a telegraph pole. Lynn was thrown from the wagon, his skull being fractyred by the fall.