A few days ago, I wrote about a freak accident during the construction of Tunnel No. 1 of the Fernley & Lassen Railroad in the Susan River Canyon. In September 1913, tragedy struck with the construction of nearby Tunnel No. 2.
On the morning on September 11, 1913 the roof caved in sending a mass of rock debris wherein it claimed the life of J.J. Painter an engineer for the railroad. Two other men, M. Arbuckly and W.H. Robinson sustained major injuries. There were other men in the tunnel at the time of the collapse, but they were able to escape without injury. This was the first of two fatalities to occur during construction of the railroad through the Susan River Canyon.