Train Wreck at Pilchuck Creek
A bridge collapses near Snohomish, sending a work train into the water.
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.
A serious wreck occurred on the Great Northern railway just east of Snohomish this morning when a bridge over the Pilchuck Creek collapsed. The train, consisting of six flat cars, a caboose, and a pile driver, fell into the water. In a miraculous escape, three men were found uninjured, though a fireman named A. McDonald sustained serious injuries. The train's pile driver struck the bridge superstructure, likely causing the collapse. The bridge is a total ruin, and passengers are currently being transferred across the breach.
“Just how the men missed being killed is a miracle.”
Rail infrastructure was the lifeblood of the 1890s Pacific Northwest, and disasters like this were frequent reminders of the dangers of rapid, industrial expansion. Today, these same rail corridors remain central to Seattle’s logistics, though with significantly more rigorous safety standards.
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