The Semi-Weekly Star, Saturday, March 1, 1902

Death on the Rail

A distressing accident occurred on the W.P. & Y. Route yesterday at 11:55 a.m. abut two miles south of Frazer station.

Two passengers on the last up trip of the Dolphin, after reaching Skagway, decided to walk over the mountain and had reached the point above named when they were overtaken by the north bound train running at a speed of 25 miles an hour.

At the place where the accident happened the snow is piled up on each side of the track to a height of five or six feet, with barely room for the passage of the body of the cars. One of the men was on top of the snow bank, but the other a German named Hauser, about 35 years of age, six feet tall, weight about 180 pounds, light complexion and light mustache, was on the track.

The man on the bank heard the roar of the train and called to his companion, who endeavored to scale the wall of snow; but he was too late and was caught by the snow plow, thrown under the wheels and frightfully mangled before the train could be brought to a stop.

As soon as possible the train crew took the man from underneath the wheels and placed him on board the train, but he expired a very few minutes afterward.

On examination it was found that his arms and legs were ground almost to a pulp and that a portion of is skull had been torn away. The body was brought as far as Bennett and there left to await an inquest.

No blame is attached to the employees of the railroad, as at the time of the accident the train had just rounded a sharp curve and the plow was throwing such a quantity of snow that it was impossible to see anything in front.

It is said the deceased was a resident of Chelan Falls, State of Washington, and leaves a wife and four children.