File:Milwaukee Road's Columbia Express Wreck, May 30, 1911 - Marengo, Washington (15283556331).jpg

WRECK ON THE C. M. & P. .S. RY. MAY 30, 11 NEAR MERANGO, WASH.

Date: May 30, 1911 Source Type: Postcard Printer, Publisher, Photographer: Cramer (#3) Postmark: None Collection: Steven R. Shook Remark: Note that the postcard publisher misspelled Marengo and listed the initials of the railway incorrectly.

Marengo was a railway siding of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road Milepost 1927.0) located in Adams County, Washington, approximately 11 ¼ miles southeast of the town of Ritzville, Washington [47°1'38"N 118°11'10"W]. Note that there was once a community of Marengo also located in Adams County, Washington, but the Marengo mentioned in this postcard was the railway siding.

It is believed that the wreck took place at this location on a very sharp curve in the track: 47°0'44.25"N 118°12'52.68"W.

The following newspaper item concerning this train wreck appeared in the May 30, 1911, issue of The La Grande Evening Observer, published in La Grande, Union County, Oregon [Volume 10, Number 186, Page 1, Columns 1-2]:

NEW MILWAUKEE EXPRESS IN THE DITCH AND TWO KILLED Tacoma, Wn., May 30. -- The Milwaukee's new limited transcontinental passenger, "Columbia" was ditched this morning near Lind, Washington, according to information received here. The engineer and fireman were killed. The train was enroute to Tacoma.

The engineer was Talmadge and the fireman Scholenberg. One baggageman and four negro waiters were injured in the wreck of the Columbian express on the Milwaukee road near Marengo. She left Seattle last night. A smoker, tourist and day coach were derailed.

The following newspaper item concerning this train wreck appeared in the May 30, 1911, issue of The Oakland Tribune, published in Oakland, Alameda County, California:

TWO KILLED IN NORTHERN WRECK. SECOND TRAIN OVER C. M. & P. S. RAILROAD GOES INTO THE DITCH. ENGINEER AND FIREMEN MEET DEATH; LOS ANGELES LTD. DERAILED. Spokane, Wash., May 30. -- Derailed at a sharp curve seven miles east of Ralston and 26 miles east of Lind, Wash., the "Columbian," east-bound passenger train on the Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound Railroad, was wrecked early today the engineer and fireman instantly killed and at least one passenger seriously injured. Reports from the wreck are meager.

The dead: Engineer E. H. TALMAGE, of Maiden. Fireman SCHOLENBERG, of Maiden.

The injured are being taken to Lind.

The "Columbian" is the second through passenger train to leave Seattle over the Milwaukee line since the completion of the road. The train was new and expensively equipped. The engine and two cars were demolished.

Engineer Talmadge was Earl Harry Talmadge, the son of Henry J. Talmadge and Lillian Mason Talmadge. Talmadge was 40 years old at the time of his death. Fireman Scholenberg was Harry Shollenberg, the son of William H. Shollenberg and Alice Mary Scott Shollenberg. Shollenberg was 23 years old at the time of his death.