100 years ago: Six killed when avalanche sweeps part of Great Northern train off tracks

From our archives,

100 years ago

A terrifying avalanche swept part of the Great Northern’s Cascade Limited passenger train off the tracks in the Cascade Range.

The death toll stood at six that night, and 15 other passengers were reported to be injured. One survivor said he thought the train collided with another train – until the entire car was lifted in the air. He looked out the window and saw the chair car and dining car tumble down the slope.

Witnesses said the dining car turned over once, slid many feet and burst into flames.

All the other passengers raced to extricate passengers buried in the snow. Miss Fern Murdock, a Cashmere schoolteacher, was thrown down the mountain and buried up to her neck. She was rescued.

The train had many Spokane passengers, since it had left Spokane hours before for Seattle. Two Spokane boys were among the injured.

Fortunately, only a few cars were knocked off the tracks. One of those, a sleeping car, came to rest “suspended over the canyon.” The forward cars remained on the tracks.

The accident occurred about 6 miles west of the Wellington Tunnel at the crest of the Cascades.

The Spokesman-Review ran a list of all the Spokane passengers who were “reported safe.”