Saturday, June 27, 1914
MERCED EVENING SUN
INTERESTING EXPERIENCES OF
THOSE ABOARD WRECKED Y. V.
TRAIN COME TO LIGHT TODAY
Remarkable Escapes From Death or Injury and Acts of Courage Are
Features of Merced River Canyon Accident. --- Wreckage Shoved
Aside and Trains Resume Regular Schedules. --- Body of J. C.
Mahoney Not Found. --- Injured Are Doing Well.
The aftermath of Thursday night's fatal wreck on the Yosemite Valley railroad today brought to light a few more interesting facts and incidents that otherwise the situation changed but little in the past 24 hours. The body of S. J. Harris was taken the wreckage yesterday afternoon and removed to Mariposa for burial this morning. The body of Conductor J. C. Mahoney has not been located, although searching parties are at work on both sides of the Merced river for some distance below the scene of the wreck. All the injured passengers in the county hospital here are doing very well and there is little likelihood of further deaths. The wreckage has not been entirely removed, but the Y. V. track has been opened and all trains are running practically on regular schedule today.
The statement has been published widely that Harris was pinned fast in the wreckage and was drowned slowly as the river rose. This is not borne out by local people who were present. It was true that Harris was in the water and that the water crept up close to his neck, but it did not cover his head and death came not in the form of drowning.
Mrs. C. A. Kimbly, whose residence was given as Ventura, left the county hospital yesterday and went to Los Angeles on the 4:40 p.m. Southern Pacific train. Mrs. Kimbly resided in Ventura but a short time, and has since returned to Los Angeles, where she made her home for many years.
Brakeman M. J. Hickey is the most seriously injured of those at the hospital. His condition is still doubtful, although it is not considered dangerous at this time.
Remarkable Escape
Perhaps the most remarkable escape from death or injury of any one on the ill-fated train was that of Robert Stites, a car repairer in the employ of the company, who was returning from El Portal. Stites was riding in the combination car in a seat opposite Conductor Mahoney when the crash came. Before he realized what was happening he found himself in the cold waters of the river. The top of the car had been jerked off, just as though a stick of dynamite had been place under it, and Stites was pitched out through the space where the roof had been. He landed clear of the wreckage and neck deep in the water. He was dazed for a moment, then collected himself, looked back and saw the engine standing on the track alone and the first two cars piled up on the river bank. He realized then that there had been a wreck. He swam ashore uninjured and joined in the work of helping the injured.
It is Stites opinion the Conductor Mahoney was pitched through the open roof of the car in the same manner, but was stunned when he hit the water so could not swim out.
Fireman Leonard's Acts.
None of the many acts of bravery and presence of mind at Thursday night's Y. V. wreck was more consequence than that of Fireman James Leonard, who probably prevented a heavy logging train from crashing into the rear of the Pullman cars. As soon as the engine of No. 3 was stopped, Leonard jumped out of the cab, grabbed red lantern and ran far up the track to flag the oncoming logging train. He then returned to the scene of the wreck and performed a second act of note. He almost succeeded in saving the life of S. J. Harris, who was pinned tight between the two wrecked cars and more than waist deep in the icy waters of the Merced river. Leonard tried in vein to free Harris, and then seeing that this was impossible, turned his attention to keeping Harris from drowning. He held Harris' head above the water, all the time still trying to free Harris' legs, until he found that the best and only thing to do was to prop Harris' head up above the water, which had been rising until it reached his neck. Harris died before the water reached his head and when death came his head was still above water.
Woman Assists Friend.
Mrs. I. A. Boho, a pretty little matron of Fresno, was one of the passengers in the overturned day coach with her friend Miss Nell Hedrick of Fresno. When the crash came and the car rolled over into the water, Mrs. Boho scrambled to her feet and made her way to an opening, the only avenue of escape in reach. But instead of ?? out alone, she returned to where Miss Hedrick lay with a injured ankle and although the water was almost knee deep in the car, assisted her friend to the opening, helped her out first and then drew herself out of the car to safety.
Miss Hedrick's Story.
Miss Nell Hedrick of Fresno who was in the car that went into the river tells a very clear story of what happened after the first crash.
"Mrs. Boho and I had been in the Valley for about ten days" said Miss Hedrick yesterday afternoon, "and left Camp Curry Thursday afternoon by stage for El Portal. We reached El Portal and while waiting at the station for the train we heard people talking about the derailment of the train a day or two previous. I thought nothing more of the accident until about 10:30 Thursday night when there was sudden jar and the car started to go over several bumps. After running along on the ties for a short distance the cars seemed to break away from the engine. Then the car that I was in started to slant down at the front end and went over the embankment. There was an awful crash, people shrieked, the car paused for a moment and then turned completely over and stopped bottom side up. The passengers were thrown to all parts of the car and when the car turned over lights broke and went out. We heard an explosion from the gas tanks. The water came in through the windows and was about two feet deep in the spot in the car where I was lying. The seats loosened by the wreck were directly over our heads. Several fell and one struck me on the leg. I was pinned under the broken seat until pulled out by a young man. I was passed along then out through an opening and my rescuer kissed me. I guess he mistook me for his wife.
"I do not know how long we were in the wrecked car before relief arrived. It seemed to me it was an hour and a half. The baggage car caught fire and burned to the edge of the water. We in our car did not know but what the sparks might jump to our car. It was an awful experience. People near me cried and groaned. I could do nothing for them. I saw an old man lifted out of the car. He was covered with blood and badly cut.
"They made stretchers out of doors from the cars and the injured were placed on these doors. The doctors in the relief train arrived at 5 o'clock in the morning and then we were taken back to Merced."
Mrs. Boho was not seriously injured in the wreck. She was struck on the back by a flying suit case and dazed for some time. She also suffered a nervous shock because of the harrowing experience.
Others at the scene of the wreck are inclined to the belief that Miss Hedrick was so excited and nervous that her story of what transpired was greatly exaggerated. All disagree with Miss Hedrick and the fact is that cars did not burn.
Man Who Summoned Aid.
Colonel Edward Fletcher of San Diego, a well known writer, is the man who ran several miles down the track to Bagby and telephoned to Merced for aid. On his way down the railroad he stumbled into a hole and injured his right leg, but limpingly continued his journey to Bagby. Fletcher, according to many passengers, was the real hero of the wreck although he insists on giving praise to many others.
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