A Nighttime Train Wreck Near Chehalis
A northbound express train derails after striking a steer, leading to a miraculous escape for the crew and passengers.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
CHEHALIS, June 11.—Northbound train No. 4 was wrecked four miles south of Chehalis at 9 p.m. The train was going at a very high speed and struck a steer. Instead of throwing the animal off, it was caught under the engine, which was thrown off the rails. In the passenger coaches only a jar lasting three seconds was felt, and then the train came to a standstill. The passengers on alighting found the engine, tender, mail, express and two baggage cars lying on either side of the track. The engine was completely demolished, and from the ruins Fireman Bell was taken out. He escaped death miraculously, and apparently had no injuries but a slight scalp wound. Engineer Jennings jumped, and sustained no injury beyond a few scratches. The track at this place is cut in a side hill. While the locomotive went into the ditch below, the tender remained upon the roadbed, but was turned upside down. The mail car, instead of going into the ditch, headed up hill and came to a standstill against a log. On the head end was a tramp, stealing a ride. His name is unknown, and his injuries are serious. Mail Clerk W. L. Melick had a remarkably narrow escape. He jumped out of the right side door and landed safely. He states that his first impulse was to take the other side. Had he done so he would have been crushed to death between the car and a log. The track is torn up for a distance of 300 yards, and although a wrecking train has been sent down it will be at least ten hours before trains can pass.
“Had he done so he would have been crushed to death between the car and a log.”
Railroad accidents were a common hazard of 19th-century travel in the Pacific Northwest, where steep side-hill grades and wandering livestock posed constant threats. Today, the Northern Pacific line through Chehalis has transitioned to modern freight corridors, but the geography of the route remains a challenging feature for transportation.
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