GADDINI

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Friday, May 17, 2013 at 14:33:34 :

The Marin Journal
Thursday, October 16, 1902
page 3

The Tomales Accident Proves Fatal

Further details of the accident at Tomales have been received.

One man killed, another probably fatally injured and two others seriously hurt - such was the result of the accident on the North Shore Railroad, near Tomales Thursday, when the roof of a tunnel crashed down on a construction train which was passing through.

The train consisted of an engine, a steam shovel on a flat car and a second flat car bearing a gang of 7 Italian laborers, among whom were John GADDINI, E. Aquistapache, Ben Felix and Ben Pedrotti. As the train entered the tunnel, the upper part of the steam shovel struck against the heavy timbers and tons of earth and rock crashed down on the cars.

Gaddini was struck on the head and knocked senseless, and likewise Aquistapache. Felix and Pedrotti were also badly hurt. The others escaped.

One of the laborers reached Tomales with the news of the disaster. Dr. Wynn and Rochel hastened to the scene and found Gaddini beyond medical aid. He died in about an hour. A wrecking train was sent for and the tunnel was cleared after considerable delay.

Aquistapache was sent to San Francisco for treatment. It is thought he cannot recover.

Jury Blames the Foreman

A coroner's jury Saturday found that John GADDINI, the Italian laborer killed in the tunnel near Tomales, came to his death from being crushed by falling timbers, through the negligence of Foreman Harry McLiren of the shovel car attached to the train on which Gaddini was riding.