Wellington Train Disaster - 1910 by Nancy J. Farrier

As winter weather envelops much of the United States, I am reminded of the Wellington Train disaster, one of the worst train disasters in U.S. history. This natural disaster remains the worst in Washington history.

Wellington before the Avalanche
Technical World Magazine, 1910
Wikimedia Commons

 

In late February 1910, snowfall in the Cascade Mountains delayed two trains traveling from Spokane to Seattle. The Great Northern trains were the Spokane Local, a passenger train, and the Fast Mail train. Between the two they had five or six steam and electrical engines, 15 boxcars, passenger cars, and sleepers. 

 

They were finally cleared to pass through the Cascade tunnel to the west side of the mountains, but were delayed once again when they reached Wellington, Washington. Heavy snowfall and a few smaller avalanches blocked the tracks. The trains stopped under Windy Mountain above Tye Creek. 

 

For six days, the trains waited in whiteout conditions. The weather made it impossible for the crews to clear the tracks. The telegraph lines went down on February 26^th, cutting off communications with the outside world. Then, on February 28^th, an electrical storm moved in, the heavy rain, thunder and lightning shaking the snow-laden mountains.

 

It was after midnight on March 1^st, when the snow on the slope above the trains became an avalanche. The snow picked up momentum as it tumbled down toward the tracks, taking everything with it. The trains were picked up and tumbled down the slope to Tye Creek. 

 

Train wreckage from avalanche, By B.E. Frazier
Library of Congress, Wikemedia Commons

Charles Andrews, a Great Northern employee happened to be on his way to the bunkhouse in Wellington when he heard the rumble of the avalanche. He later described what he saw as, “White Death moving down the mountainside above the trains.” He went on to say, “[The avalanche] descended to the ledge where the side tracks lay, picked up cars and equipment as though they were so many snow-draped toys, and swallowing them up, disappeared like a white, broad monster into the ravine below.”

 

With no way to contact anyone for help, the few Great Northern employees began the laborious task of digging down to the wreckage, which was buried under forty to seventy feet of snow. During the first few hours they were able to rescue 23 survivors.

 

Debris from avalanche, By John Juleen
Technical World Magazine, 1910
Wikimedia Commons

In all, there were 96 deaths from the avalanche, 35 passengers and 58 railroad employees. Recovery took time and the bodies were taken by toboggan to trains that carried them to Everett and Seattle. 

Names of those who died in the avalanche.

 

The town of Wellington was partially destroyed by the avalanche and was renamed, Tye, to distance it from the disaster. Within three weeks, Great Northern had the tracks repaired and trains resumed their travels. In 1913, Great Northern constructed snow-sheds to protect trains from more avalanches. 

Snow sheds in 1911-1913

Snow shed today on hiking trail.

 

What caused this disaster? It was proven in court that the fault was not the railway’s but a natural disaster. However, many believed clear cutting the slopes was a contributing factor, as was the sparks from the trains and the fires they caused. 

 

You can still see wood from one of the Wellington 
buildings destroyed in the avalanche.

A new tunnel was built in 1929, making the old railroad obsolete. Today, the old grade is a hiking trail, the Iron Goat Trail. It was so named after the Great Northern Railway’s symbol of a mountain goat standing on a rock.

Beautiful forest along the trail.

 

Last fall, I visited my daughter in Washington and she took me hiking on one of the Iron Goat trails. It was a beautiful area and there were markers talking about the tragedy of 1910. It’s hard to imagine the people stuck on those trains for days, only to be killed by an avalanche. 

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning, best-selling author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats and dog, and spend time with her family. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

The Astoria Column and a Giveaway

Nancy J. Farrier here. Please read through and leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway.

The quaint coastal town of Astoria, Oregon is rich in beauty and history. Situated at the mouth of the Columbia River, Astoria’s past included such great events as the Lewis and Clark expedition reaching the Pacific there.

View West From the Astoria Column

In the 1920’s, Ralph Budd, president of the Great Northern Railroad, had a pet project to put up monuments in various cities along the line. His last project, to be erected in Astoria, was originally planned to be a tall pole that would house a huge flag. However, when Budd learned of artist Attilio Pusterla and his famous sgraffito painting technique, he and his architect, Electus Litchfield, changed their design. They unveiled a plan to commemorate Astoria’s historic events, from its discovery to the arrival of the railroad, in pictures.

The townspeople agreed with Budd and Litchfield that Coxcomb Hill, at 600 ft. elevation, would be the best place for the proposed histogram. New York philanthopist, Vincent Astor, whose great-grandfather, John Jacob Astor, settled Astoria and began the Pacific Fur Company, contributed finances for the Astoria column. His family previously funded the purchase of Coxcomb Hill for the project.

Astoria Column

A.B. Guthrie and Company from Portland, began construction of the column in March of 1926. The column was patterned after the TrajanColumn in Rome. Within two months they were ready for the exterior artwork to be applied. Meanwhile, Pusterla had been working in his New York studio preparing the sketches and designs for the historical depictions. The column dedication was set for July 22^nd, the final mural designs were finished on July 1^st and Pusterla and his team began to apply the murals.

To do the artwork, a round wooden scaffolding was constructed. The scaffold dangled from the 110 ft. viewing platform and circled the column. Pusterla would take his drawings up on the scaffolding, apply a fresh base coat to the column side, put the drawing in place and then blow colored powder into the holes that outlined the figures. When he lifted the paper away, he could see the outlines of the drawing. He then applied the lighter plaster and added the shadows and outlines necessary. Pusterla demanded his work be perfect, often removing the previous days work when it didn’t meet his standards.

By the day of dedication, only three bands of the mural were completed. The three days of festivities weren’t postponed. 8,000 people showed up to see the histogram. Pusterla continued his work and completed the artwork in late October 1926.

Along with the artwork, there were text panels that circled the tower. The words below are the text starting from the bottom and going to the top. You can see the artwork up close here. 

BEFORE THE WHITE MAN CAME

ROBERT GRAY ENTERED IN COLUMBIA GREAT RIVER-MAY 11, 1792

FINDS AN INDIAN VILLAGE ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER.

LT. BROUGHTON NAMES MT. HOOD, OCT. 1792

CORPS OF DISCOVERY CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS, LEWIS AND CLARK

INDIANS GREET THE EXPLORERS

LEWIS AND CLARK REACH THE PACIFIC OCEAN

CORPS OF DISCOVERY BOILING SALT WATER FOR SALT-SEASIDE

FORT CLATSOP ESTABLISHED – DECEMBER 1805

INDIAN FISHING AND BOAT BUILDING INDUSTRY

ASTOR’S OVERLAND PARTY LEAVING ST. LOUIS

ASTOR’S SHIP “TONQUIN” SAILS FROM NEW YORK, SEPT. 8, 1810

ASTOR’S “TONQUIN” ARRIVES AT MOUTH OF COLUMBIA, APRIL 1811

OVERLANDER CROSS THE DIVIDE LED BY WILSON PRICE HUNT

DESTRUCTION FO THE “TONQUIN” NOOTKA SOUND-1811

FIRST OVERLAND ASTORIAN ARRIVE

SOLD TO NORTHWEST FUR COMPANY-BECAME FORT GEAORGE BRITISH

U.S. SHIP “ONTARIA” FLYING AMERICAN FLAG 1818

COMING OF PIONEERS 1837-1848

THE RAILWAY ARRIVES 1893

Around the cupola—ROBERT GRAY, LEWIS & CLARK, JOHN JACOB ASTOR

In 1961, Lord John Jacob, a descendant of John Jacob Astor, attended Astoria's sesquicentennial. He

Chief Concomly's Burial Canoe 

dedicated a memorial to the Chinook Indians at the Astoria Column. The memorial is a replica of a burial canoe, the same that would have been used for Chief Concomly's burial. 

In 1988 the Friends of Astoria Column was established. The column artwork had not been preserved and was deteriorating. This group raised money to get the column restored. They continue today to support this historical monument. You can read about the restoration work here.

Have you ever visited Astoria? Have you climbed the column? One of the popular things to do there is to purchase a balsam glider and throw it from the platform. Of course, you have to climb about a million steps to do it. (In reality only I believe there are only about 170 steps.) The climb is well worth the effort. The view is incredible and you can sometimes see bald eagles soaring overhead.





Please leave a comment to be entered in a drawing. I am giving away an insulated cup from the Astoria Column and a copy of Immigrant Brides, or another of my books if you have that one.

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children and one grandson. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.