Show in a collision in railroad yards between a switch engine and passenger coach dr tavner or salt lake is injured engine is completely demolished in a wreck in the railroad yards at last evening john C van why an engineer for the southern pacific company met with a frightful death by being crushed and raided the accident happened on the southern pacific crossing of the oregon hort lane track A car load 0 passengers also had a narrow es cape from serious injuries dr tavenor ot salt lake was injured about the small atthe back the cause ot the accident is due to the fact 7 that van why did not see the emphatic stop signals given to him the engine ko 1036 southern pacific which he was running was struck by a passenger coach loaded with passengers and completely overturning the engine him between the tender and thac boiler head where he was to death by the breaking of a steam pipe in the presence of about fifty people who were unable to go to bli rescue on account of the groat volume of steam THE STORY the story of the accident Is as follows union pacific switch engine no 1101 in charge of foreman boyle was pushing a of passenger coaches over tha right lee of the Y preparatory to making up union pa cefic train no 4 east the cars were taken from oregon short line train no 11 from the north 1036 was on her way to the U P round house to have her alrea cleaned before going to work for the night switchman M L halley was riding on tha front foot board of the engine for the purpose of opening any switches that might be closed against them and the oncoming train and realizing the danger began giving van why signals to stop shouting at the top of his voice but in vain stepping off the footboard he again shouted to van why for gods sake get back the engine ran by him but a few feet when he heard van why reverse it but it was too late for the engine was on the crossing square in the way of the oncoming on coming train and the crash came knocking the engine over on its side several feet to the west of the track fireman dally ot the 1036 noticed the predicament and jumped in time to escape injury A FRIGHTFUL SCENE the scene that followed waa one that can hardly be described the screeching of the escaping steam from the demolished moli shed engine preventing anyone from hearing the agonizing screams of the engineer who was pinned tightly in the ruins and no one dared attempt him general yardmaster cun switchmen satchell baxter and together with several others displayed great courage in trying to rescue the unfortunate man after the services of another engine were used in pulling away the tender and cab of the ill fated engine the body of the dead man was reached and removed to the yard office and later taken to undertaking parlors WHAT EMPLOYEES SAY OF IT the several employed emp loyes and eye wit nesses of the affair gave very graphic accounts switchman halley giving tha following 1 I was following engine 1038 had orders to take her to U P round house to have her fire cleaned we were in S P yard on approaching 0 SL crossing aw no ll 11 connection backing down the right leg of the Y waa on the front end of our en gine and gave the engineer A signal to stop but for bome cause he did not and aart over the crossing I 1 got off and told him to back up and get out of the way of the other crew he had just reversed the engine and started her back when she was struck by the coaches and turned over killing van why switchman hells account of the affair Is as follows when we first started to work van why said we will have to clean our alre the first thing I 1 said all right go ahead I 1 told halley to take him around and get his alre cleaned and that Is all I 1 know about it switchman baxter stated as follows when we started to work I 1 heard the engineer tell foreman satchell that he wanted his alre cleaned and was told to go and have it done switchman satchel got on the front footboard to take him in and I 1 went down into the V P yards with satchell we went about twenty alve car lengths when we heard the crash and both went back as fast as possible and found van why caught between the cab and the boiler head fireman dalley who lumped left the scene a jew minutes after the accident occurred and his statement could not be procured WILD SCENE IN OAH in union pacific chair car no SOS which struck the engine the wildest contusion reigned as it was thought that the car would turn over on its side however the car was turned partly over and remained in that position As soon as the car struck the engine the passengers all began rushing for the doors and alie sound of the escaping steam seemed to make them frantic dr tavenor of salt lake received internal injuries about the small of the back the other passengers outside of a good shaking up and a few slight bruises were not injured everything possible was done by ane train crews for the excited passengers hurry up calls were sent in for physicians and surgeons and the ambulance bu lance but it was found there was no need of them for as soon as the excitement passed off it was found that there was only one case that being dr tavenor who required attention WITNESSED BY MANY the horror was witnessed by a large number of people who were at aie union depot and within ten minutes after the occurred several hundred people were and later in the evening it required a detail of eight police officers to keep the crowd back so that the large steam wrecking crane with a large force of men clear the track municipal judge howell together with the officers visited the scene and an inquest was ordered the following jurors were summoned by deputy sheriff seabring who was upon the ground I 1 H Be cratt tom matthews and robert allson the jurors viewed the remains of engineer van why john C van why was about forty years of age and leaves a wife and a small family residing at 2273 adams avenue he has been in the employ of j he southern pacific company tor about four years dr enors injuries were considered such as to necessitate his being removed to the hospital judge howell states the inquest will take place either monday or tuesday probably on the latter date |