I am hoping you have access to the paper in 1904. I am also hoping there is a report of a train accident Feb 2, 1904. I am looking for anything about a W.T. (William Thomas) Daniels who worked for the G.H. and S.A. Railroad and died "3 miles west of Finlay Station." I am hoping you can take a quick peek at the issues for that time period and see if there any reports on it.

I am trying to prove a family story that W.T. died on a train and his father, J.W. (John Wesley), went to bury him and got pneumonia. He died March 4, 1904, at the Hotel Dieu hospital. I would like to see if I can get a little more information on W.T.'s death.

Tarna Blackelm

Thanks for emailing, Tarna. I found the article on the death of W.T. Daniels but did not find any information on father J.W. Daniels' death from pneumonia.

In the meantime, this article will confirm the first part of your family's story. Here is the article on the train wreck from the Times' Feb. 3, 1904, edition:

"Three Dead In the Wreck: Engineer and Fireman of the Light Engine and Brake on the Freight Train Killed

"A special bearing the remains of the three men who were killed and the man who was injured in the Finlay wreck, which occurred yesterday afternoon, arrived in this city about 11 o'clock last night and was met at the depot by a large crowd of friends of the dead men. The remains were carried to the undertaking parlors of Nagley & Carr to be prepared for burial.


"The wreck occurred yesterday afternoon about 1 o'clock and the first report of the accident received in this city did not give any deaths. The subsequent reports, however, said that the fireman of the light engine was injured and asked that a physician be sent. He was sent out with the wrecking crew which left for the scene as soon as it could after the news of the accident reached El Paso.

"The wives were demoralized by the wreck, the engine having broken down the telegraph pole along the right-of-way when it left the track, and the first news of the disaster to reach El Paso was very meager and did not in the least indicate the disaster that it really was, in which three men were killed outright and one very seriously injured.

"From the crew of the special which brought the dead and injured in last night it was learned that the wreck was caused by the derailment of the light G.H. engine.

"The engine was in charge of Engineer Gillispie and Fireman Daniels and was the one that pulled the G.H. No. 10 out of here Monday night, the train going out double-header to Valentine. At Valentine it was cut loose from the regular train and was turned and started back to El Paso, near a station called Finlay, the engine derailed on a curve, plunged clear of the track and turned completely over, evidently killing the engineer and fireman instantly. The T.&P. freight No. 133 was following the light engine in about twenty minutes and as there was no one left on the engine to go back along the track and flag the following train, it came around the curve and before it could stop or even check it had crashed into the derailed engine and the track which had been torn up when the engine left the track.

"Brakeman Hartfood of the T.&P. freight was killed instantly and the fireman was severely hurt, having his arm broken and being internally injured. The engineer of the freight train miraculously escaped injury. É

"The S.P. No. 10 which arrived here about 11 o'clock was held un til about 2 o'clock, when it was allowed to proceed. By this morning the traffic was normal.

"The cause of the derailment which caused the disaster will probably never be known, but it is thought that the engine being a heavy, high type, was running too fast when it struck the curve on which it was turned over.

"The arrangements for the burial of the dead have not yet been completed, but there will be a meeting of the respective brotherhoods to which they belonged today to make these arrangements. It could not be learned last night if the men who were killed had families, but they have lived in El Paso several years, it is understood, and were quite well known."


For many years the Times ran this version of "The Night Before Christmas" as an annual tradition:

'Tis the night before Christmas, and all through the casa

Not a creature is stirring. Caramba! Que pasa?

The stockings are hanging, con mucho cuidado,

In hopes that St. Nicholas will feel obligado

To leave a few cosas aqui and alli,

For chico and chica (and something for me!)

Los niños are snuggled all safe in their camas

(Some in camisas and some in pajamas.)

Their little cabezas are full of good things

Todos esperan lo que Santa will bring!

Santa is down at the corner saloon

(Muy borracho since mid-afternoon);

Mama is sitting beside the ventana

Shining her rolling pin para mañana

When Santa will come en un manner extraño,

Lit up like the Star on the mountain, cantando,

Y mama lo manda to bed with a right.

Merry Christmas a todos y a todos good night!