Black Rock, OR Logging Train Wreck, May 1915

Log Road Engineer Killed

Jesse Russell Loses Control of Train and is Crushed After Jumping.

Salem, Or., May 28.-(Special.)-Jesse Russell, 35 years old, engineer on the Spaulding logging road, was killed today when he lost control of his train going down a grade near Black Rock, Polk County. Russell jumped and was crushed under the wheels of a car. Other members of the crew escaped injury.

Mr. Russell is survived by his parents who live at Macleay, this county, and a brother, who is County Clerk of Linn County.

Oregonian, Portland, OR 29 May 1915

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Train Is Chartered to Take Party Far to Funeral.

Fellow Workmen of Jess A. Russell, Killed in Accident Near Black Rock, Pay Tribute to Him.

Albany, Or., June 5.-(Special.)-Fellow workmen of Jess A. Russell, who was killed near Black Rock a week ago Thursday, when a logging train ran away on a steep grade, paid a splendid tribute to him at his funeral last Saturday. They chartered a special train of three coaches and, bringing their families with them, made the long trip from Black Rock to Shelburn via the Salem, Falls City & Western line to Salem, thence over the new cut-off to the Woodburn-Natron line and southward on that road to Shelburn.

Mr. Russell had been an employee of the Spaulding Logging Company for 15 years and was one of the most popular men in the company’s camps.

A group of members of Kings Valley Lodge of Oddfellows, of which Mr. Russell was a member, also made a long trip to attend the funeral, traveling from King’s Valley in five automobiles.

The funeral of Mr. Russell was held in the Presbyterian Church at Shelburn at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon. The services were conducted by Rev. J. Edward Blair, of this city, and the burial was in charge of the members of the Kings Valley Lodge No. 44, of King Valley and Dierdorf Lodge No. 54, of Scio, both Oddfellows.

Mr. Russell was engineer on the logging railroad of the Spaulding Company, near Black Rock. When the train was coming down a steep grade the airbrakes refused to work properly and the train ran away. The fireman jumped safely. Mr. Russell was the only other man on the train, and it is not known whether he jumped and was thrown back under the train or whether he was hurled from the leaping engine.

Jess Russell was born near Sutter, Cal., December 27, 1876, and came to Oregon with his parents in 1887. The family lives in Southern Oregon for 10 years, then near Albany a short time and near Shelburn for 16 years, moving to Macleay several months ago. Fifteen years ago Jess Russell entered the employ of the Spaulding Logging Company and had worked most of the time since then on the Big Luckiamute River and near Black Rock.

He is survived by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Russell, of Macleay, and the following brothers and sisters; Mrs. Ella Lybecker, of Cheney, Wash.; Mrs. Etta Todd, of Sutter, Cal.; R.O. Russell, of Black Rock; Robert Russell, of Chico, Cal.; R.M. Russell, of Albany, County Clerk of Linn County; Arch Russell, of Grass Valley; Earl Russell, of Shelburn and Verda Russell, Theron Russell, Homer Russell, Alma Russell and Inez Russell, of Macleay.

Oregonian, Portland, OR 6 Jun 1915
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!