Wednesday July 10, 1920
Merced Express

TRAIN WRECK ON THE Y. V ROAD

Passenger Train Derailed in Merced Canyon near Bagby

       Train No. 3 on the Yosemite Valley Railroad was derailed at about 10:30 o’clock Tuesday morning at a point in the Merced river canyon about two miles above Bagby. The derailment is believed to have been caused by a broken flange. The locomotive and baggage car left the tracks but the three Pullmans, containing sixty-eight members of the New Jersey delegation to the Democratic National Convention, were not derailed. The train was bound from El Portal to Merced. At the point where the derailment occurred the road skirts the Merced river, on a grade through a cut. The engine left the rails on a curve and fell inward, striking the bank. Engineer Alvis Yoakum applied the air brakes, and the train came to a stop within two feet, after the baggage car had also been dragged from the rails.

       Engineer Yoakum suffered two fractured ribs, a badly bruised foot and severe burns about the face and hands. Surgeons and nurses who were passengers on the train rendered first aid, following which the injured engineer was brought to his home in this city, where he is reported to be recovering as rapidly as could be expected. None of the other members of the train crew nor passengers were injured.

       The work of clearing the track was finished Thursday morning and traffic was resumed. A large number of the tourists, many of whom were members of the Eastern delegation to the Democratic National Convention, were detained in Merced Wednesday on account of the tie-up, and through the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce they were entertained during their enforced stay in this city. Through the courtesy of Douglass & Egan of the Merced Theatre a special matinee was given Wednesday afternoon, and in the evening there was a special concert by the American Legion band in the Court House park. Among the tourists was Governor R. I. Manning of South Carolina, who expressed his appreciation to E. N. Baker, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, when leaving for Yosemite. "I can assure you that my party is deeply thankful," said Gov. Manning, "for the many kindly things you have done for us. We will have especially pleasing memories of Merced."

- - LOCAL BRIEFS - -

       One of the government mail trucks operating between El Portal and Yosemite was utilized in the emergency caused by the Yosemite Valley railroad tie-up to bring to Merced a load of first-class mail. The truck left Yosemite at noon and coming out over the Wawona road, arrived at Merced post office at one o’clock Thursday morning. After discharging its load, the truck took on half a ton of mail for Yosemite and left on its return to the Yosemite at two o’clock Thursday morning.