Jim Kershner’s this day in history
From our archives, 100 years ago
A caboose and 12 boxcars were attached to an eastbound freight train sitting at Rathdrum.
At least, they were supposed to be sitting. Somehow, they became unattached and rolled down the slope. They picked up speed and then smacked into a big freight train engine on the main line.
All of the workers on the train could see the collision coming, so they were able to jump out of harm’s way. One man, apparently a hobo, was riding in a freight car and couldn’t see what was coming. He broke his arm and was badly bruised.
However, most of the mayhem involved only the train cars, which were “piled in all directions, striking and damaging the freight house and delaying all traffic for four and a half hours.” It took that long to clear the wreckage. However, most of the freight cars were empty and the engine survived the crash mostly intact.
The cause of the accident was still under investigation.
Also on this date
(From the Associated Press)
1846: Boston dentist William Morton used ether as an anesthetic for the first time as he extracted an ulcerated tooth from merchant Eben Frost.
1949: The Berlin Airlift came to an end.