Newspaper List
Beatty Bullfrog Miner – Beatty, Nevada [was called the Bullfrog Miner during first two months of publication – not to be confused with the Bullfrog Miner, of Rhyolite, Nevada]
Inyo Independent – Independence, California
Inyo Register – Bishop, California
Rhyolite Herald – Rhyolite, Nevada

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Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad, California / Nevada

For an extensive reading of all Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad related newspaper articles that I and John McCulloch have found to date, including items from locations along the line, go HERE

Newspaper Articles

1906

Beatty Bullfrog Miner, November 17, 1906
"MEXICAN SHOT"
At the Borax railroad grading camp in the Amargosa canyon a white man shot a Mexican last week in a dispute. Justifiable shooting was the verdict, because the Mexican had drawn a knife.

1908

Rhyolite Herald, June 24, 1908
“SCHOOL PICNIC LARGELY ATTENDED”
One hundred and ninety people attended the picnic Saturday at Howell’s ranch. The picnic was arranged by the trustees of the school board for the boys and girls and nearly every child of school age in town took advantage of the opportunity for an outing. There was lots of good things to eat, including plenty of ice cream, which was dispensed liberally.
A few accidents marred the festivities. Arnold Gries fell into a spring and would have drowned had it not been for the timely arrival of Mr. McMitchell. ‘Speck’ Harvey also fell in, but was rescued. Mrs. Pearson was hurt by falling from the stone wall at the ranch, but is getting along nicely.
The T. & T. railway gave free tickets to all the boys and girls, and charged only 25 cents for round trip tickets for adults.

Rhyolite Herald, August 12, 1908
“THREE MEN KILLED IN WRECK ON T. & T. RAILWAY”
The Dead
WILLIAM HAMILTON, engineer.
HERBERT BROADWELL, fireman.
W.E. MOORE, riding on blind baggage.
The first fatal wreck on the Tonopah & Tidewater railway took place Sunday evening about 7:30 o’clock near Shoshone station, about 18 miles south of Death Valley Junction. The engineer, fireman and a young man who was beating his way were killed, and fortunately none of the passengers was injured seriously.
The ill-fated train pulled out of Rhyolite on time, 5:05 p. m. Sunday. Near Shoshone it encountered the washouts, caused by a cloudburst and heavy rains which swept down from Eagle mountain. The raging torrents of water had scooped out two or more paths down the foothills and flats, one of the paths being about foor [sic] feet deep and at places 50 feet in width.
The first washout was only about 10 feet wide, and the water had honeycombed the roadbed, which gave way when the rear trucks of the baggage car reached that point. The baggage car, which was next to the engine, broke loose, and turned almost at right angles to the track, the chair car crashing into the side of the baggage car, and both going into the ditch, one on either side of the track.
The engine, freed from the train, sped on, with the emergency brakes set, but before the engine came to a standstill, perhaps 100 yards distant, it struck the big washout and turned turtle into the ditch. Engineer Hamilton stuck to his post and was pinioned under the engine. His left leg was severed in the crash and he was otherwise mutilated and also badly scaled by the steam. Perhaps 15 minutes elapsed before the engineer was lifted from the wreck, meantime he had breathed his last. “I guess it is all up with me, boys,” is what he moaned when death came.
The fireman was thrown out of the cab and fell into the wreck alongside the engine, right below a steam pipe which had burst. In this seething death-trap, young Broadwell struggled for several minutes, with the hot steam and water enveloping him from head to foot. He rescued himself, however, and exhibited as great nerve as men ever exhibit under the severest torture. Broadwell was literally scalded and baked to death. There was scarcely any skin left on his body, and yet he was able to walk from the Pullman berth into the smoking room when the doctor arrived to care for him and held up bravely to the end.
Moore, who was on the blind baggage with a companion, was thrown some distance, landing on his head, his neck being broken. His companion fell to the ground, but escaped uninjured, and proved himself the hero of the catastrophe by giving valuable aid to the injured men.
The wreck occurred at some distance from means of communication, and despite heavy rain that was falling, a plucky passenger walked 18 miles to Death Valley Junction, where a freight train was standing, waiting for orders. A special train was made up and rushed to Rhyolite, taking Dr. Fred P. Bowen and George Myers on board, and the scene was reached with all possible speed. It was midnight when the special arrived here and at 3 o’clock Monday morning the wreck was reached. During the hours that intervened, young Broadwell had been unattended, except by the passengers who gave his drink and offered what little consolation they could. Dr. Bowen says that he has never seen such nerve displayed by any man.
Young Broadwell died about 10 o’clock that morning, his father reaching him about ten minutes before he expired. Broadwell’s father, mother and a sister reside at Ludlow, and he was their only support. Fortunately he took out $3000 life insurance a few days previous to the accident.
Engineer Hamilton was a man of about 40 years, was married and had two children, the family living near Provo, Utah. He was a Knight Templar, an Elk, an Eagle and an Odd Fellow.
Another man, beating his way on the train is said ot [sic] be missing.
Traffic on the T. & T. was tied up for several hours. Additional washouts below Zabriskie delayed the northbound train Monday several hours, the train arriving at the wreck about 11 o’clock. Arrangements were made to transfer the passengers, baggage, etc., and traffic was resumed, the northbound train Monday reaching here about 5:30 p. m. A temporary track has been laid around the wreck, and it will require several days to remove the wreck and place the track in condition for traffic.

Inyo Register, August 13, 1908
"WRECK IN EASTERN INYO"
Sheriff Naylor received word from Ryan, on the Tonopah & Tidewater railroad in the eastern part of the county, that a locomotive had run off the track and that the engineer had been killed in the wreck. No other particulars.
Later information is that the south-bound passenger train from Tonopah struck a washout near Tecopa. The engine was derailed and several coaches smashed. Engineer Wm. P. Hamilton and a passenger named Moore were killed.

Inyo Register, August 20, 1908
H. Broadwell, fireman on the engine wrecked last week on the Tonopah & Tidewater road, died from injuries received in the accident.

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Page Revised: 02/03/2006