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About Eastern Clackamas news. (Estacada, Or.) 1916-1928 | View Entire Issue (July 18, 1918)
EASTERN CLACKAMAS Devoted to the Interests of Eastern Clackamas County V olume 11, N umber 44 RIVER MILL BRIDGE COLLAPSE KILLS TWO TRAINMEN P. R. L. & P. Freight Crashes To Bottom Of Clackamas, Thursday Shortly before noon last Thurs day. July 11th. many people of Estacada and Currinsville were startled by a crashing roar, which resmbled the falling of many trees. A few minutes later telephone messages were received at Esta- cada from River Mill residents, frantically calling for physicians and help, as the P. R. L. & P. freight train which was then due, had crashed through the River Mill bridge. Similar messages had been sent to Supt. Roblev at the Far- ada\ power plant, who immedi ately picked up a crew there and at Estacada and rushed to the scene of the accident in a special car. Aside from the recovery of the body of conductor Arthur G. Kin der, who had been crushed by falling timbers and medical at tention given to brakeman Thom as Kearney, who in a slightly in jured condition was found on the wreckage, little could be done by the early rescuers. The River Mill bridge, which was a monstrous wood and metal bound structure about two hun dred feet long, spanning the Clackamas River reservoir above the River Mill dam, had complete ly collapsed under the strain of t'ie two large electric locomotives and two freight cars, falling with tne train and crew of four men to the water thirty-five feet be low. Unavailing efforts were contin ued all tnat day and night to re cover the body of engineer Wil liam Murray which is believed to be pinned under the wreckage of the locomotive on the river bottom eighty-five feet below the surface. And similar efforts since made by divers have been equally fruitless. Trainman H. I). Kleinline, who was on the locomotive with en gineer Murray, miraculously es caped injury, having gone to the bottom with the locomotive, risen to the surface among the floating timbers and crawled out unharm ed. Trainmen Kleinline ga ve the first alarm and heroically set to work in rescuing his comrades and had succeeded in releasing brakeman Kearney from tTie tim- m Concluded on back paire E stacada . O regon . Estacada Library May Close Door* l he executive committee o f the Estacada Civic Improvement Club, which organization found ed and has supported the Esta cada Library, announces t h a t unless outside financial help is received b y August 1st next, the library and its privileges will be temporarily closed. As t hi s public institution is serving the people of this entire community and has received its support almost entirely by the efforts of a few loyal members of the C. 1. C., who now find the work occupies too much of their time, the contemplated action is necessary. This public philanthropy was founded six years ago and at an a v e r a g e expense of $22. per month, has been supported by its founders, who now feel that others should help shoulder the responsibilities. Forest Fire Destroys County Bridge Under the direction of local fire warden Ray Wilcox of Esta cada a number of fire fighters were last Sunday afternoon and evening kept busy in controlling and extinguishing a bad forest fire along Deep Creek near the Dwyer Lumber Camps between Boring and Swede Hill. By Monday morning th e fire was under control, but not until about two hundred acres of log ged over land had been devastat ed, one or tw o old shacks near the Dwyer camps an d the county bridge over Deep ( reek destroy ed. The o r i g i n of the fire was credited to campers or fishermen, but warden Wilcox believes it was more likely to have lieen caused by sparks from the en gine used in the nearby logging operations. Local Soldiers Go Io Camp Kearney Archie Howell, Paul Holm, H. Creason, I-red Marshall and Oscar Holmen of this district, whoa few weeks ago entered the military service at Camp Lew’is are reported to have lately been transferred to Camp Kearney at San Diego, California. Among the other local boys in that company, Theodore Ahlberg and Milton Evans are remaining at Camp I^ewis until further or ders. T hursday , J uly Estacada May Get Chautauqua Sessions Not with the idea of in any way detracting from the glories of th e neighlioring Gladstone Chautauqua, this c o m m u n i t y may shortly enjoy similar educa tional and amusement programs and all its own. This educational treat is i n store for the local people through the beneficence of a few local philanthropists, who M o n d a y signed the necessary papers to guarantee t h e $550. expense. By signing this agreement, each sponsor agreed to stand his or her, (more her than his) share of the expense. A few of the “her” philan thropists now contend that they signed th e agreement without having clearly understood th e provisions as to th e financial obligation. These h o w e v e r , have the satisfaction of remem bering that a certain Estacada man a few years ago, finally was released from a somewhat simi lar agreement, after due legal process and expense. The local committee has not announced yet the dates of the assembly, as the advance agent had left town wrhen a few of the feminine sponsors called to inter view him regarding same and other Chautauqua matters on Tuesdav. Search Of Locomotive* Fail* To Locate Body Up to Wednesday noon, no sign of the body of e n g i n e e r Murray, who perished in th e freight wreck of Thursday, hail been found and the supposition that the remains were still in tTie cab of the locomotive has proven false. A professional, deep-sea diver with proper equipment spent a day or two on the scene early this week, having gone to the l>ottom of the Clackamas and examined the cabs of lioth loco motives. The coat of the dead engineer was found a few days before in the drift wood near the grating of the nearby dam, but it is sup posed this coat had been hanging on a hook in the engine cab at the time of the accident. It is now believed the body has float ed from the wreckage and will be found near the dam wirhin a few days, as due to the coldness of the water, it would require several days for the remains to come to the surface. $1.50 P er Y ear ESTACADA ELECTS NEW SET OP SCHOOL OFFICIALS Special Annual Meeting More Free From Discord Than Expected Fora time Monday evening, at the special meeting of the tax payers of Estacada School Dis trict No. 108, it looked as though personalities and t own feuds would occupy the attention of the meeting to the detriment of the interests of the district’s public schools. But after the first half hour of oratory, veiled threats, personal insinuations and abuse of parlia mentary rules, the meeting got underway and proceeded to nom inate and elect three directors and a clerk for the ensuing terms. The financial report of th e retiring board was in part ac cepted, the objection to its ac ceptance not being based by the taxpayers on their lack of confi dence in the correctness of the expenditures and receipts, but rather against the usual custom of unitedly accepting an impor tant report of this kind, after merely having heard it read aloud by the clerk. The meeting gen erally was of the opinion that hereafter all such reports should be given prior publicity, so that all taxpayers may have the op portunity to study the individual and collective items before ac cepting or rejecting same. With Chairman of the Board J. W. Reed presiding, the meet ing finally elected Dr. II. V. Adix, director for the three year term; Walter Givens, director for the two year term and Bert H. Finch, director for the one year term; with Mrs. A. L. Lasswell elected clerk. The result of this election as sures a continuance of the high standard of the local schools w ith all directors being broad minded taxpayers and fathers of children now in the schools. The meeting however neglect ed a courtesy which was due the retiring board members, and that was the tendering of a vote of thanks to these men whose pu^t 'work, despite some com plaints, has been concientious and for the best interests of the schools at all times. Regular Sunday Service* Hereafter. Announcement is made that beginning Sunday next, both Sunday Sc hool and preaching services will be held every Sun day morning at the Estacada M. E. Church.