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 enlarge | Author: Gary Krist
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy Used: $5.55
You Save: $9.45 (63%)
New (38) Used (18) from $5.55
Avg. Customer Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 263113
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0805083294
Dewey Decimal Number: 979.777
EAN: 9780805083293
ASIN: 0805083294
Publication Date: January 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Red stain on text block. This item is only available for purchase online and is not available in the Goodwill store. This book is being offered by Goodwill, a non-profit organization. All funds raised are used to support the Goodwill which provides quality, effective employment training and basic education to individuals experiencing significant barriers to economic opportunity. Because Jobs Change Lives. Proceeds from the sale of these goods and financial donations from the community make it possible for us to operate our free job training programs. Your donations and purchases help support these important programs and make the community a better place for all of us.
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| Customer Reviews:
 ATragedy in the Washington Cascades January 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I grew up in the state of Washington, where I was part of a railroad family: my grandfather worked for the Milwaukee Railroad and my uncle for the Northern Pacific. I lived and traveled in Washington for over 50 years, going over Stevens Pass a number of times, though never on the train.
But not until the release of Gary Krist's book The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalanche was I aware that the deadliest avalanche in American history and one of railroading's great tragedies had taken place in my home state right on Stevens Pass almost 100 years ago.
Two trains headed west to Washington's Puget Sound were caught in an unexpectedly powerful winter storm at the Wellington station, high up in the Cascade Mountains. The White Cascade tells the story of how and why the trains were caught in what turned out to be a fatal situation; of the attempts to rescue the passengers; and of the inquest afterward in regard to the Great Northern's liability. The book is well-researched and documented and features a number of photographs as well as a list of those who died.
Krist focuses on the stranded passengers and on James H. O'Neill, who was responsible for railroad operations in that area. Drawing on letters, diaries, memoirs, newspaper accounts, court records, corporate archives, and contact with family members of some of those involved with the accident, Krist reveals the reasons why some of the passengers were on the train, and the way they interacted during the long and ultimately futile attempt on the part of the railroad to rescue them. We meet and get to know a number of them: some who will live, some who will die. We see families ripped apart, survivors whose lives will never be the same again. We follow James H. O'Neill's all-out attempt to save the doomed trains, the media treatment of the incident, and the Great Northern's defense against those who held it responsible for what happened.
This is an engrossing book for anyone interested in railroads, disasters, history, or any combination of the three. Krist's style is easy to read and puts you right there with the passengers, as their frustration with the inconvenience of what initially seemed a short delay turns into apprehension, fear, and foreboding; with the rescuers, as they work at clearing track in blizzard conditions, racing against time and ultimately losing the battle; with O'Neill, as he gives his all, only to see the Great Northern criticized for not giving enough.
This is a powerful story, all the more powerful for being real. Approximately 100 people were killed and dozens more injured: passengers, railroad workers, hired laborers. As a result of the tragedy, the town of Wellington was renamed Tye; ultimately a railroad tunnel was built that bypassed it, and it ceased to exist. In an interesting personal twist, after reading the book, I discovered that one of my best friends lost a relative in the disaster. The White Cascade is a fitting tribute to his memory, as well as those of the others who died at Wellington.
 History with soul December 5, 2007
This book discribes living flesh experiences into the Wellington Disaster. It combines the macro-history of the nation, with the micro-history of the individuals to bring to life a disaster that should not be forgotten.
Highly Informative and Interesting Work December 5, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As a railfan, I found this book to be highly detailed on the inner workings of the GN RR, especially during what could only be described as a once-in-a-lifetime event. As one interested in history, I found it to be a masterful retelling of the events in a very readible format. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in either railroading or the history of the US Northwest.
Great historical perspective of a forgotten catastrophe... June 25, 2007
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Don't know why I was prompted to pick this book up...my husband is in a search and rescue group, so that was partly the reason. I read the info given on the back of the book, and having grown up in Northern CA and being a voracious reader, I thought I should have heard about this one transportation disaster. My father was born up in Washington, but somehow this one has faded from national consciousness.
What really struck me about this book is the straightforward writing of the author, Krist. He doesn't sensationalize, as some other books on disasters tend to do. He is honest and reflective, gives the reader all the information on both sides, and lets them draw their own conclusion. I especially enjoyed the information about the court trials and the aftermaths. We can dislike the typical corporate image that continues to run big companies (only now they are the pharmaceuticals who could care less...), but we also recognize that the men who dealt at the closest part of the railway with this disaster most probably did as good a job that could have been done. Unlike the Titanic, where there were some very dismaying behavior by many who were at the helm of the boat and the company, most of the rail workers, especially the superintendant who oversaw the whole week of work around this avalanche were hardworking and gallant, who did make a few mistakes but nothing overt.
By showing us how the courts handled this particular case, plus the information that came from the newspapers that did sensationalize this happening, Krist lets us see why we have come full circle to another place that if this case were tried today, it would have ended very differently for the company. Krist makes a good case for why the ending verdict was probably right (but probably would not have been reached in this era of lawsuits we are currently in). However, he also points out the impact that this case and other transportation disasters of that time had on labor and safety laws in this country. He draws a good diagram for the reader for why this trainwreck led to our current safety requirements and the change in attitudes of people towards corporations that were in control during that time period. Now we need to turn our eyes to the corporations that are currently out of control in ours...perhaps Krist would like to take some of them on?
Karen Sadler
A good story told well May 13, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is non-fiction at its finest. As the story unfolds, you almost wish you could get a warning to the poor passengers whose fate is all but inevitable. The author expertly weaves together the series of events that led to the disaster, providing insight into the decisions that were made from those in charge. As the snow continues to fall, adding layer on top of layer, the many characters in this story slowly become individuals with whom you can sympathize.
The story takes place in 1910 at the peak of the railroad era. The automobile and airplane are introduced as only bit players. All of the background information is perfectly balanced with the drama that unfolds atop the mountain.
There is no single mistake that led to the accident, but Superintendent James O'Neil is guilty of two mistakes that might have made a difference: His refusal to meet with the passengers and his refusal to negotiate with the laborers involved in snow removal.
This is a fast read made even more so by the author's clever use of cliff-hanging chapter endings. I highly recommend the book.
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