Engine Caught Fire At Tehachapi And Santa Fe's Fine Train Endangered

The Santa Fe overland limited west bound had a very narrow escape from destruction yesterday at noon at the Tehachapi depot. That the entire train of elegant Pullman coaches and the town of Tehachapi were not wiped out of existence was due to good fortune and hard work on the part of railroad men and citizens of the town. That no one was killed or even hurt is strange indeed. But such is the fact. The train reached Bakersfield, but more that two hours late yesterday evening, after its experience on the mountain, the passengers none the worse for their fright.

The train stopped at the depot at Tehachapi and Engineer Wallace had descended from his engine and was engaged in looking over the machinery, preparatory to starting down the mountain, when the oil in the tender caught fire from the firebox through the breaking of the feed hose. The flames burst forth and the fireman who was on the engine had but time to jump for his life and the monster engine was badly damaged, the flames quickly attacking the composite car attached immediately behind the tender.

Engineer Wallace escaped all injury as did the other members of the train crew. A freight train was on the siding and the engine was immediately attached (detached???), run onto the main line and coupled to the rear of the limited. Quickly the balance of the train was detached from the burning composite car and hauled to a safe distance, the trainmen assuring the frightened passengers that all danger was passed.

The depot, however, was directly in the way and before anything could be done to save it, it was attacked and burned like dry tinder. Citizens of the town and trainmen quickly formed a bucket brigade and by hard work kept the flames from spreading to any of the adjoining buildings, though for a time it was feared that the balance of the town might be attacked by the fire.

The wrecking crew was ordered out from Kern and succeeded in clearing the track in about two hours, and another engine being rushed to the scene, the uninjured part of the train was enabled to continue its journey. A box car was taken from Kern to Tehachapi and a temporary office opened until the depot can be rebuilt. It will serve for all purposes. The railroad officials estimate that the loss including engine, car and depot will be $20,000 which is a very conservative statement considering the value of the car and engine.

Engineer Wallace was seen last evening at his home in the city and he said: "The accident was certainly a most fortunate one in as much as there was no loss of life. That some one was not killed is strange indeed. Fortunately the train was standing still at the time and this no doubt prevented the affair being much worse."

The fire destroyed the telegraph lines through the town of Tehachapi and during the afternoon there was no direct communication with Los Angeles and points south.