Railroads

Once Railroads started to traverse the land, people and freight were able to move quicker and easier across this country.

Unfortunately, trains would wreck and people, both passengers and crew, would get hurt or killed.

The wreck of the passenger train was caused by spreading rails. Miss Emma Egan of Chicago was killed. Among those who were injured were: Mrs Kehoe of Portland, Oregon; J C Roddell of Markville, Minn; L J Lewis of Cornwallis, Minn; Joseph Pahn New York City; M F Gremt of Weiser, Idaho; B F Ips of LaGrande, Ore; C P Fifer of Nebraska; and John Cullen Daniels of Huntington, Ore.

Then engine jumped the track and went down the embankment killing Engineer Edward Purtell and Fireman Paul Spidell. Two mail clerks and the express messenger were bruised, but able to help. No passengers were injured as the remainder of the train stayed on the track.

A man named Fitzgerald was found on the steps of the train wreck with his skull fractured.

B F Sutton was killed when he was struck by a train near Weiser.

Charles Villenueve was struck by the trolley he was trying to catch. Motorman W E Stroup identified a man near the tracks, but the emergency brake was not engaged soon enough to prevent the death.

John Cary, a young brakeman, fell between two cars while trying to couple them and was dragged a distance. He was taken to the hospital at Boise, where his leg was amputated. He died later that evening. The freight agent at Boise, Mr Crisman, notified his family in the east of the accident.

John Alisantis' body was discovered next to the train mutilated. No witnesses to the accident, but is believed to have been struck by the train.

Two Oregon Short Line trains collided. Fireman A J Wessa and Fireman W H Davis were killed. Brakeman F E Carmen lost his leg in the collision.

A merchandise freight train and a work train collided on the O L & I track near Fairview. The conductor, Albert S Warner and brakeman, Dwight V Reynolds were killed instantly. Brakeman Geo A Anders died several hours later after being transported to the hospital at Logan. Several crew were injured from the work train.

Henry Craft was leaning out the window to be seen by the engineer and hit his head on a warehouse. He was knocked to the ground and unconscious. Train stopped before he was further injured.

Three boys returning from a high school basketball game were killed when their vehicle was struck by a train at a grade. Three others in the vehicle received minor injuries. The three who died were: Carl David Hansen, 17; Charles Hansen, 17; and Ray H Hyde, 14.