San Leandro, CA Railroad Collision, Nov 1869

RAILROAD COLLISION.

San Francisco, November 14. -- A few minutes past nine this morning the eastward bound train on the Western Pacific railroad, eight cars, including one sleeping car, collided with the Alameda ferry train of four cars, near San Leandro, both trains going at the rate of twenty miles an hour. The engines are a perfect wreck. The cars were smashed and driven through one another. The Western Pacific train left on prompt time, but the morning was so foggy the engineer with difficulty could see any distance ahead. Upon arriving at the switch where the Western Pacific connects with the Alameda road, the train slowed, and the switch tender was questioned whether the Alameda train had passed. He answered, "All right, go ahead." Soon after the trains came together with a terrific crash. The first passenger car of the Western Pacific was driven through the smoking car and the other cars badly damaged. The killed and wounded are variously estimated at ten to fifteen, and thirty to fifty. It is impossible to obtain the correct number at present.

The following is a list of the known killed and wounded:

Killed:
ALEX. W. BALDWIN, United States district judge of Nevada, of Virginia City.
EDWARD ANDERSON, engineer of the Western Pacific.
McDONALD, road master of the California Pacific railroad.
WM. BOULET, principal of the young ladies seminary at Oakland.
CHARLES MARTIN, fireman of the Alameda train.
GEO. L. THOMPSON, fireman of the Western Pacific train.
DAVID WARD, merchant of San Francisco.
JAMES CONNELLY, of Corrall Station.
MAX EHOMAN, merchant of San Jose.
B. H. FOX, as supposed from papers found on the body.

Wounded:
J. J. PERKINS, railroad employe, badly bruised.
J. P. LOWELL, of Sacramento, both legs badly jammed.
J. L. BEARD, mission of San Jose, slightly.
JUDGE WM. CAMPBELL, U.S. district attorney of Nevada, left leg broken.
S. M. B. HALEY, of San Francisco, leg twisted.
PATRICK MAHON, of Oakland, both legs broken.
J. C. KNAPP, of Pleasanton, right leg smashed and otherwise injured. (Three men were killed along side of KNAPP).
J. P. HELER, of San Francisco, was badly bruised.
NOEL LAMBERT, carpenter of the Western Pacific, both legs broken.
W. L. TAYLOR, of Chicago, bruised across the stomach.
SETH BROMLEY, of Sacramento, one leg broken and the other badly jammed.
GEORGE CADWALLADER, of Sacramento, badly bruised.
THOMAS McNULTY, of San Francisco, right leg broken and foot bruised.
BANLOS, leg badly smashed.
two Chinamen badly hurt.

The killed and wounded were mostly on the Western Pacific train. When the cars telescoped the passengers were driven together and crushed among the ruins, and with great difficulty many could be extricated. The sleeping car with the unhurt passengers and badly wounded was sent to Alameda. Great excitement prevailed during the day. The catastrophe cast a gloom over the entire people of the city.

Rocky Mountain News Denver Colorado 1869-11-15
__________________

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!