Tennessee Pass, CO Train Wreck, Jan 1902

WRECK ON THE D. & R. G.

A bad wreck occurred on the D. & R. G. yesterday morning near Tennessee pass. Fireman HEALY was killed and Engineer READY was fatally injured and died before he reached the hospital. Both lived in Salida. Brakeman SKELLY was badly cut about the body, but not seriously injured. The locomotive and fourteen cars were wrecked and consumed by fire. On leaving Tennessee pass the air was tried and found to be all right. The thermometer registered sixteen degrees below zero, which affected the air, and the track being covered with ice and frost the application of the brake proved of no avail. The train was moving at least seventy-five miles an hour when the accident occurred. An effort was made to put out the fire which broke out in the wreck with snow but it was unavailing and the entire train was burned. The track was cleared by midnight by the wrecking crew from Minturn. In the meantime arrangements were made with the Colorado Midland to run their trains over their road.

Basalt Journal Colorado 1902-01-25
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!