Trapped on the Tracks: A Laborer's Peril at Newcastle

A very serious accident happened yesterday at Newcastle to a German man named Mike Metach, who has been working on the construction train under the foreman David Sullivan. While the train was standing near Newcastle yesterday, Mike went off into the brush. When he returned, and while the train was in motion, he tried to jump to the ground on the rails and the box car passed over him. Conductor Geo. Williams, who was on the flat car, and Arthur Andrews, who was on the box car, both warned him to stay off but without avail. The Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad Company brought him down to Seattle and gave him every care and attention on the way. Upon his arrival here, he was taken to the Providence Hospital where a physician was soon in attendance. It was found that he had sustained a serious compound fracture of the right thigh, that one of his arms was badly crushed, and that he had received internal injuries, the nature of which could not at present be determined. Last night he was very low and there were grave doubts of his recovery. Metach is about 40 years of age and has one brother in this country, residing at Holabird, Hyde county, Dakota.