Stanwood Tidings, Stanwood, WA September 14, 1906:
Chas. Exelby Badly Hurt
Charlie Exelby, conductor of the logging train at the Port Susan Logging Company’s camp, was struck to the face by a heavy crowbar last Tuesday while unloading his train at the landing, and is now laying in the O. R. Allen hospital with a prospect of a good long stay there.
In unloading the logs from the cars the method used is to plant one end of a long heavy steel bar on the deck of the wharf beside the car and the other against the log, giving the bar a slant toward the forward end of the train. The train is then slowly baked, and the bar simply pushes the log off the car. When the accident occurred the last log was being unloaded and as the train began to move, it swung cross ways, throwing the bar with tremendous force against Exelby’s face. It is a wonder that the man was not killed. As it was, his front teeth were knocked out, the upper lip went nearly off, and his nose almost tore from his face.
Mr. Exelby has had a hard run of luck lately. Only a few weeks ago he was obliged to take a lay off as a result of an attempt of one of his brakemen to brain him with a piece of railroad iron. It is to be hoped that his luck will change now before he has anything worse happen to him.