NEWSPAPERS: Two Killed by Train in Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon *************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with United States Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by noncommercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *************************************************************************** Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Elizabeth Corethers 1 Jun 2003 *************************************************************************** Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Friday, 25 Oct, 1940, p. 1, c. 2 TRUCKER DRIVES SQUARE IN PATH OF NORTHBOUND Wardell Dolley, Boy Identified as James Garner, Victims--Bodies Mangled The morning northbound Southern Pacific passenger train, smashing squarely into a 1940 GMC truck and semi-trailer at the Helman street crossing in Ashland at 10:30 a.m. today, brought death to both occupants of the truck-- the driver, Wardell Dolley, 40, of Klamath Falls, and a boy tentatively identified by authorities as James Gerald Garner, 16, of Dallas. Garner, pinned under the battered cab of the truck, was dead when he was finally extricated from the wreckage at 11:25. Dolley, rushed to Ashland Community hospital, died at 12:50 this afternoon. Both were horribly mangled. The tragedy occurred as the truck, owned by Mason Ehrman and company, wholesale grocers of Klamath Falls, started east across the tracks to pick up a load of canned tomatoes at the Bagley canning company, which is located alongside the railroad. The truck had left Klamath Falls earlier this morning and was to haul the tomatoes back after being loaded. According to information given Ashland city police, state police and the deputy coroner's office in Ashland, the truck drew up to the tracks and apparently stopped, then drove onto the rails directly in front of the oncoming train, consisting of the engine, three passenger cars and two baggage cars. Following the impact the truck was rooted [sic] along on the locomotive's tender for about 400 feet before the train was stopped. Two railroad switches were ripped up and a Western Union telegraph pole was sheared off near the base by the smashed truck, shutting off telegraph service in Ashland for over an hour. Dolley, according to authorities, was tossed clear of the wrecked truck 210 feet from the point of impact. He was conscious until picked up and taken to the hospital, where he lapsed into unconsciousness before he died. Garner, it was believed never was conscious after the collision. Dawson Burgess, engineer and Merritt L. Clark, fireman, both of Ashland, told authorities that the train was traveling between 18 and 20 miles an hour at the time of the crash. Dawson said he saw the truck drive up to the tracks, hesitate as though going to stop, then continue on. He said he couldn't stop the train in time to avoid the wreck. Garner was tentatively identified by a driver's license in a wallet discovered near his body. Ashland authorities, in a telephone call to the Mason Ehrman company in Klamath Falls, learned that Garner was probably a friend of Dolley's who went with the latter for the ride. Dolley was employed by the company as a truck driver. An eye-witness of the accident, W. E. Moor of Ashland, told authorities he was about a half block away from the crossing and saw the truck approach the tracks, apparently stop, and then proceed. He said both the train and the truck were traveling very slowly. District Attorney Frank J. Newman said today that an inquest would be held either tomorrow afternoon or early next week. The inquest will be in charge of the coroner's office. Ashland authorities were this afternoon attempting to make a more definite identification of Garner.