THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
PAGE 2
The CHEMAWA AMERICAN
Among the distinguished passengers on board who were
injured was F. Marion Crawford, the novelist.
Published Weekly at the Salem Indian Training School
As a matter of fact, Chemawa was the place con
verted in a general hospital. It was a night of horror.
At that time the school was small and of facilities in
adequate to meet the demands of such an emergency.
The maimed, dying, and the dead were found in nearly
every building of our school. Everything within the
power of those here at that time was done for the un
fortunate victims of what was probably Oregon’s great
est train disaster. The papers of the land were full of
the noble work of Chemawa on this occasion.
Chemawa, Oregon.
Please address all communications to
Ruthyn Turney, Manager.
JAS. H. McGREGOR
SUBSCRIPTION
-
Superintendent
50 Cts PER ANNUM
A BIT OF HISTORY
The following dispatch appeared in the papers of
Nov. 13 from Brooks, Oregon, a village a few miles
north of Chemawa:
Thirty-six years ago last night, November 12, 1890,
which date also fell on Friday, old timers recall that a
train bound for California points went through the
bridge over Lake Labish, carrying 140 people with it,
and of this number 130 were killed or injured.
W. S. Conser was conductor on the train, and suffered
injuries from which he declared it took him 14 months
to recover, while many succumbed years later to in
juries received at that time, so that the exact number
of victims may never be known. N. A. Ambrose and
A. S. Rand, mail clerks, received mere scratches, al
though the mail car was totally demolished.
The wreck was believed by trainmen to have been
caused by the removal of a rail by a man who meant
to stop the train and secure money from those on board
for saving their lives, as several similar accidents hap
pened at about that time, and a man named Richardson
was arrested, after being praised as a hero for stopping
another train.
The accident happened in the evening in a heavy
fog„ and every one of the train crew was killed or so
injured that only a colored porter could manage to get
out and flag other trains. The bodies of John McFad
den and Fin Neil, engineer and fireman, were dug from
beneath the engine, buried out of sight in the soft
earth. Two tramps were killed outright and a travel
ing man died the next day on the relief train just
pulling into Portland.
Henry E. Reed of Portland was a reporter for The
Oregonian at that time and was sent to cover the wreck.
The late Tilmon Ford, a lawyer, lived across the swamp
from the disaster, and laid the foundation of his fortune
by adjusting the claims of the injured out of court,
many thousands of dollars being paid by the Southern
Pacific company to victims of the accident. Farm
homes were converted into hospitals, and it is said that
an Indian boy ran the distance from Chemawa to Sa
lem, about five miles, to bring news of the wreck.
LOCAL
The Logan brothers were visited by their brother
and sister on Armistice Day.
Mr. Kline is the advisor for the Winonas! From
a man’s point of view the Winonas have made quite a
stride forward!
Master Robert Downie spent the day with Master
Robert Sanders on Thursday, while Mr. and Mrs.
Downie saw U. S. C. defeat O. A.C. at Portland.
Chemawa was represented at Monmouth last Satur
day evening at the concert given by the Elman String
Quartet. Our people declare the music to have been,
wonderful.
Nellie Rinehart, Josephine Alberts, Gertrude Caisse,
Florence Sheravoloff decorated the stage for the Sun
day evening services. It was a fitting setting for the
splendid talk given by Mrs. Preston.
Mr. Iliff left on Monday evening for Seattle, Wash.
He is engaged in inspecting some wooden piping that
the government is purchasing for shipment to Sho
shoni, Wyo. Mr. Iliff will probably be absent for
several days.
Local radio fans report having “tuned in” last
week to hear the artist music students of Dr. R. W.
Hans Seitz of Salem when they broadcasted a delight
ful program from Portland. The verdict was that it
was a superb concert. Dr. Seitz also has a class of
private music pupils at Chemawa.
Buffalo county, South Dakota, has returned to the
dominion of the redmen as a result of the election
Tuesday when a full county ticket of Indian candidates
was victorious. This is said to be the first instance in
American history since the coming of the “pale face”
government, of such an occurrence. The men on the
winning ticket are Thomas Eagleman, clerk of court;
Charles Fish, auditor; Thomas Gaut, register of deeds;
Wallace Ashley, sheriff; Joseph Iring, assessor, and
Thomas Tuttle, county commissioner. All of the men
measure up to white men holding similiar positions in
other counties in education and experience, and are all
of a progressive nature.