Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The Northern Pacific’s “crack” passenger train, the North Coast Limited, derailed between Missoula and Spokane when a derailing switch was thrown open.

By a horse.

It happened like this. The train was cruising along about 20 miles west of Missoula when a horse, described as a cayuse, wandered away from its owner and stood on the track. It was “dazzled by the headlight and made no attempt to get out of the way.” 

Engineer “Fatty” Allen had no time to stop, and the locomotive struck the horse a glancing blow. The horse “soared in a wide parabola, struck a switch stand, turned the lever and threw open the derailing switch.”

The engine, tank, mail car and two baggage cars went into the ditch, but the passenger cars remained on the track and nobody was injured.

Neither, amazingly was the horse. After it hit the switch, the cayuse trotted over to its Indian owner, who was standing by the tracks. A crowd lectured the owner, to the effect that he should not let his mount “dispute the right of way with a locomotive,” but the owner and horse were unperturbed and headed off toward the Flathead Reservation.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1924: President Calvin Coolidge delivered the first radio broadcast from the White House as he addressed the country over 42 stations.