West Glendale, California
Train Wreck
May
22, 1907
WRECKERS DITCH TRAIN
One Killed and Twenty-two Hurt Near Los Angeles.
FLYER PLUNGES OVER TRESTLE
Rails Dislodged by Miscreants, Who Pull Track
Apart by Connecting Wire as Train
Approaches--Cars Pile on Each Other When Engine
Hits Ties--Southern Pacific Offers $10,000
Reward.
Los Angeles, Ca., May 22--Train No. 20, one
of the Southern Pacific’s coast line flyers, due
at 9 o’clock last night, was wrecked at West
Glendale, ten miles north of here, at 12:30 this
morning. The wreck was the deliberate work of
train wreckers. One man was killed and
twenty-two persons were injured, three probably
fatally.
The man killed was T.
J. McMAHON, of Santa Barbara, a
member of the electrical workers’ union. He is
believed to have been stealing a ride on the
baggage car, and had as his companion Frank
Naylor, a fifteen-year-old boy, from Santa
Barbara, who was fatally injured.
Others who were injured are:
T. H. Young,
Oakland, porter.
Mrs. Shidler, Los Angeles, probably
will die.
Mrs. Rose Fetterman, Cleveland, Ohio,
will probably die.
Miss Fern Opdyke, Pittsburg, Pa.
A. G. Young, Marshall, Mo.
W. S. Stitt, Los Angeles.
William McClure, Los Angeles.
William Love, Pullman porter, face
cut; probably will die.
C. H. Robbins, Los Angeles.
N. E. James, Los Angeles.
W. E. Miller, Xenia, Ohio.
P. H. Baker, Portland, Oreg.
F. H. Shanley, dining car conductor,
San Francisco.
Ben Dixon, Oakland, dining car
waiter.
Ed Wilcox, Oakland, second cook.
R. Redwood, Oakland, dining car
waiter.
How Wreck Was Accomplished.
The wreck of the train was accomplished at a
point on a trestle over the Arroyo Seco. The
fishplates and bolts of two connecting rails on
the south-bound track had been removed, and in
the apertures whence the bolts were taken
strands of heavy wire were fastened at the end
of each rail. From the appearance of the track
after the wreck it was evident that some person
hidden on a hillside close to the trestle had
pulled the wire as the train approached and
spread the rails outward toward the edge of the
trestle.
The tender, the diner, two Pullmans, the buffet,
mail and baggage cars plunged over the edge of
the trestle, falling a distance of sixteen feet.
The buffet car, the express car, and one of the
Pullmans were turned completely upside down, and
the others landed on their sides. All were badly
crushed and splintered,
Work of Rescue.
As soon as possible the uninjured trainmen and
passengers scrambled down the steep bank to the
overturned cars. Through broken windows and
doors forced with axes, wielded from within and
without, the frightened passengers emerged,
while from the darkened interiors came the
groans and cries of the injured. A relief train
carrying several physicians started from here as
soon as news of the wreck was received.
At the Southern Pacific general offices in this
city notices were posted to-day offering $10,000
reward for the arrest and conviction of the
person or persons responsible for the wreck. The
officials announced that they had no clew
whatever.
The Washington Post, Washington, D.C. 23
May 1907
Transcribed by Audrey. Thank you,
Audrey!
WORK OF VILLAIN
SOME FIEND WRECKS SWIFT PASSENGER TRAIN AND CAUSES DEATH.
FATAL CALIFORNIA DISASTER
Ties Wire to Loosened Rails and Pulls Just as Heavy Loaded Tains
[sic] Approaches.
Los Angeles, Cal. --- Train No. 20, the Shore line limited, one
of the Southern Pacific's line of flyers due at 9 o'clock on night
of May 21, wrecked at the West Glendale, ten miles north of here, at
12:30 in the morning. The wreck was the deliberate work of train
wreckers. One man was killed and twenty-two persons injured, three
probably fatally.
In accomplishing the wreck of the train, which was the coast
limited, a devilish ingenuity had been exercised. At a point on a
trestle over the Arroyo Seco, the fishplates and bolts of two
conecting [sic] rails on the southbound track had been removed, and
in the apertures whence the bolts were taken strands of heavy wire
were fastened at the end of each rail. From the appearance of the
track, after the wreck, it was evident that some person hidden on a
hillside close to the trestle had pulled the wire as the train
approached and spread the rails outward toward the edge of the
trestle.
The train, three hours late, was traveling between thirty-five and
forty miles an hour. The engine wheels were first to leave the
rails, and the engine took to the ties, traveling nearly 100 yards
before it was brought to a standstill. The tender, the diner, two
Pullmans, the buffet, mail and baggage cars pluged [sic] over the
edge of the trestle, falling sixteen feet. The buffet car, the
express car and one of the Pullmans were turned completely upside
down, and the others landed on their sides. All were badly crushed
and splintered.
The Dead.
T. J. McMAHON, Santa Barbara.
The Injured.
T. H. YOUNG, Oakland, porter,
cut about head, hip dislocated.
MRS. SHIDLER, Los Angeles, injured internally; will
probably die.
MRS. ROSE FETTERMAN, Cleveland, Ohio, arm broken,
lacerated scalp and head, internal injuries; will probably die.
MISS FERRIE OPDIKE, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, injured
internally, scalp cut.
A. C. YOUNG, Marshall, Missouri, cut about head and face,
arm broken.
W. S. STITT, Los Angeles, scalp cut, internal injuries.
W. S. McCLURE, left cheek badly cut, kneecap broken.
WILLIAM LOVE, Pullman porter, face cut, injured
internally; will probably die. .
C. A. ROBBINS, Los Angeles, head cut, injured internally.
N. E. JACOBS, Los Angeles, shoulder broken, right arm
cut.
W. L. MILLER, Xenia, Ohio, cut about face, badly injured.
P. H. BAKER, Portland, Oregon, cut about head and face,
hip dislocated.
F. H. SHANLEY, dining car conductor, San Francisco, scalp
wound and lacerations of face.
BEN DIXON, Oakland, dining car waiter, cut and bruised.
E. WILCOX, Oakland, second cook, cut and bruised.
J. REDWOOD, Oakland, dining car waiter, cut and bruised.
Submitted & transcribed by Stu
Beitler Thank you,
Stu!
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