Tag: Williams

More Williams News 1923

Just a few more sheep stories that were reported in the Williams News for 1923. Not all pertain to Arizona but were included as some of these articles would have been of interest to the sheep men and maybe the public. Newspapers back in the day certainly carried more newsworthy stories to the public then they do today.

In the February 2, 1923, Williams News an article appeared on the many attributes associated with Williams.  Besides the fact that it had prospered because it was the “gateway to the Grand Canyon” mention was made that the outlying country was “still grazed by profitable herds of cattle and well-paying sheep herds.” There were many sheep men who summered in the Williams area that I have previously wrote about – Aleman’s, Pouquettes, Wm. Pitts, R. E. Diahl, etc. It was also reported that J. F. Daggs, who had extensive sheep interests in the state, had passed in May 1923. His son had a home in Williams and was aslo connected with the sheep industry.

An interesting piece of information came from the William’s Woman’s Club November meeting. The women’s club held a meeting and discussed many things. One of which was how to beautify their town. Some one thought flower gardening worthy of our intensive attention, then came the water problem and finally the question of keeping the town herds, pet goats and sheep and range cattle out of their lawns and backyards. Just how this was to be done was not decided but the ladies thought perhaps they could cooperate with the Rotary Club and gain something definite in the way of means to make Williams the most beautiful town in Northern Arizona.  It will be interesting to see if further information of a joint adventure with the Rotary Club produces any results of ridding the town of sheep and other livestock!

In December the Williams News reported on the Articles of Incorporation for the Chevelon Sheep Company by P.J. Moran, C.J. Babbitt and H.G. Babbitt. Once again, this information helps with names of the sheep companies and those who were in the business.

Among these 1923 newspapers were many articles that would have been of interest to those in the sheep business.  One was “Department Film on Wool  One-reel motion picture on phases of wool handling and marketing is released”. It had been prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture and could be borrowed from them.  Another from the Department of Agriculture dealt with “Sheep are Particularly Subject to Parasites.” A third  informational article was titled “Commercial Life of Ewe”.  It stated that the  life of a breeding ewe is six to eight years, depending on type of sheep, range, feed, care, etc. The first lamb is dropped when the ewe is about two years of age. Four to six more are gotten before the animal is discarded. Many sheep breeds the ewes have two and sometimes three lambs thus this number cited could have been low but it did say depending on the breed!

And for our conclusion: the humorous story – “Maxim for Moral Maidens – To keep a man from dancing – cheek to cheek with you, wash your hair in sheep dip.”

Sheep and Trains Don’t Mix

An article from September 27, 1902 in the Williams News caught my attention this week. The article was entitled “Wreck on Canyon Railroad. Work Train Derailed by a Band of Sheep – One Man Killed.”  The information was obtained by the newspaper at the coroner’s investigation because of the death that occurred. So here are the facts of that dreadful day. 

The article began “A backing train, a cut on a curve with a heavy down grade, a large band of sheep and an excited herder resulted in a wrecked train, the loss of one life and a number of men being badly injured on the Canyon railroad, about four miles north of Williams, last Saturday afternoon (September 20th).”

The work train had been sidetracked to allow for another train to pass, the “No.33.” (Probably that train can be identified with further research.) A small train with one engine, two coal cars and a caboose but with a steep grade was all that was needed for this accident to occur. Conductor J. O. Dodge, brakeman E. S. McClure, engineer Lumsden, fireman Price and the 12 men who made up the stringer work crew were on the train. In an area hidden from view by those on the train were a band of Frank Everett’s sheep in the process of crossing the track.

The train was progressing through a deep cut and then a sharp curve when the brakeman sitting in the cupola of the caboose with the conductor saw in front of him no more than 300 yards away the sheep crossing the track. While the brakeman reached to apply the air in the caboose to slow the train, the grade and the curve made it impossible to stop the train from crashing into the sheep. The brakeman testified that the train was going about 20 miles an hour when they hit the sheep. He also testified that the man killed was in the door of the caboose and may have tried to jump and failed.

The caboose ran about 100 feet on the ties before it jumped the track and toppled down the embankment. The two coal cars and engine continued down the track. As soon as possible those men who could help, cut the engine loose and as fast as it could the engine headed to Williams to summons the doctor and help. Once in Williams another car was quickly attached to the engine and with Dr. Tyroler, Agent Hudson and others headed to where the wreck had occurred.

A horrendous site was met by these newcomers. Dr. Tyroler was much in need as every man, except one, had been injured, some worse than others. One man had died. The doctor saw to the best care of those injured in this emergency.  It was now time to remove the shattered pieces of the caboose off the deceased. The injured men and the deceased were loaded on the train and all headed back to Williams where Dr. Tyroler would be able to better attend many of the men’s injuries.  Some of the injuries were cuts, sprained ankles and bruises to arms and legs. One man had a compound fracture of his leg.  

One of the injured was sent to Los Angeles to be further treated. Some of the men were sent to wherever their homes were for recouping.

The six member jury that the coroner had empaneled stated, “We find that the said P.H. Swan, deceased, came to his death in a railroad wreck, on the Grand Canyon railroad, on this, the 20th day of September, A.D. 1902, and said cause was purely accidental and unavoidable; and we, the jury, exonerate all parties from any and all blame.”

I found no other mention of the sheep and how many were injured or killed in the train accident. Mr. Everett is not listed in the January issue of the Williams News as a member of the Arizona Wool Growers Association nor, is he listed in any comment for the rest of 1902 or the year of 1903. Further research will need to be undertaken to determine if this ended Mr. Everett from continuing as a sheep raiser in the state. It is likely he partnered with someone too.  Stay tuned for new information that may be uncovered.