Railroad Accident

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 25, 1883

Railroad Accident.

THE most terrible accident ever known on this coast occurred on the Southern Pacific Railroad, early in the morning of the 20th. The south-bound overland express had reached the summit of Tehachipi Mountain, in Kern County, and had stopped in order that the "help" engine, put on to assist in making the ascent, might be detached. As this engine is always behind the regular one, the train was left standing alone while the change was being made. A heavy gale was blowing, and as the brakes were insecurely fastened, the cars began to move backwards down the grade. The employees were on the ground, and before they could reach the train it was beyond their reach, and moving with rapidly-increasing velocity. After running three miles down the mountain, two sleeping coaches, the mail, baggage, and express cars, jumped from the track, and rolling over, fell about forty feet down an embankment. Here they took fire from the stoves and lamps, and were soon consumed. The other two cars kept on the track and were stopped about two miles further on without damage. Of those that were in the wrecked cars, fourteen were wounded, four were killed outright, and seventeen were burned to death. Only six persons escaped uninjured.