Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-01-09

RUNAWAY ENGINE. ION Friday morning
last, as engine No. 1928, VI about ready to take
a train westward over the. & z. Railroad, the
engineer stepped into theIlegraph Office in the
upper yard for orders. d returning he found
that the fireman had opeid the valve and step
sed on the tender, when u compiling broke, sepa-
rating the engine from u train. In a second
the engine was out Of rea, and passed over the
bridges at lightning sled. Telegraphic de-
spatches were at once SIT TO the different sta
tions on the read with orrs TO switch the run
away locomotive off the trtk. The despatch had
scarcely reached LewIsbuk station when the To-
comotivc came along lka meteor. At Milton
station the switch was tthed open just in tme
and the locomotive che rushing over the
switch into the ground rhrly two squares before
1t came to bait, knoclhg the stills into splin-
ters, and making the stpes, laying on the track,
| fly in every direction. Frtunatcy the mail train
which was about due atMilton, had not arrived
Had it been on the trak at the time, It would
have resulted in serios loss of life. The mail
arrived about two mines after the locomotive
left the track. The gdge indicated 1853 lbs of
steam-enough to hav run to Muncy station.
What is remarkable tlt engine sustained but
little damage to its machinery. The COW. catcher
and forward truck weri completely demolished.
A wreck crew was Immediately sent after the
runaway engine from this place, and in run
ming on the siding at Lewisburg station to clear
the track for the mai, Mr.. Jos. Bentley fell
from the wreck car, and had his leg broken and
mutiated above the knee, by coming In contact
'"'h 'ie vheels. Bentiy .yas brought 70 this
place on the mail train, aud his wounds were
dressed by DR.. Haupt.
THE runaway engine, on Friday last, has been
repaired and started On trip on Monday last.
THE TRIENNIAL AssEssMENT.-T The assessor
and assistant assessors of the East Ward IN the
borough of sunbury, completed their labors last
week, in making the triennial assessment. As
there has been considerable dissatisfaction in
regard TO assessments of property, the assessors
in the east ward this year, complied strictly with
the law, and went together from property to
property. to examine before they put the valua-
lion upon It. Having nothing for a guide to go
by, each one after looking at the property, pnt
down the amount Of valuation he placed upon it,
and then they compared the figures, and when
hey differed, made an average of the valuation.
This mode seemed to be the best to get at the
real valuation. In former assessments one of
The assessors would 90 round and note merely
some of the improvements and then copy the
est from a former assessment book which
n many instances made the assessment very un-
'qual. This has been the case in properties on
Market street, which was assessed no higher
han property located several squares away,
when the former really would bring ten times
he amount at a cash sale. We believe that it
hould be the duty of every assessor to adopt
he course of the present assessors, as it will not
nly equallze the taxes, but will give more gen.
raj satisfaction to every property holder.
Another new feature adopted by the assessors
# the east ward was the taking of. the census.
II this way the census can be taken more cor
ectly, and it will consume no extra time. In
he east ward the number oc inhabitants Ia at
resent 1888. 1t is also ascertained that large
lumber had removed from that ward since the
hange on the railroads, and have gone to other
arts.