The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-06-04
We take the following from the Cumb,

land Neas, of the 29th inst.
A few minutes alter twelve O'Clock yes
ierday morning engine 730. drawing ex
press train No. /, eastbound on the Pitts
burgh division Of the Baltimore and Obi
railroad. came dashing at the rate OF full,
thirty five miles an hour around a curve
three miles west of Confluence. and sixty
nine mice west OF this city. when the en-
gineer, 5. r. Pritchard, saw Just ahead
large piece of rock that had rolled dowI
the side OF the mountain on 10 the track
Quick as thought he sprsng from his seat
without relaxing his hold on the throttle
damned il shut and put on the air-brakes
The next instant the engine went crashing
and grinding ever the rock. was thrown
from the track and turned over and over,
stripping il of its machinery and crushing
everything about it that would break. The
tender also was broken up, but the sudden
stoppage did 40 other damage TO the bag.
gage and ladies' sleeping cars composing the
train, than 10 badly spring their platforms.
No one on the train was hurt, but on in.
vestigation it was found that the engineer,
S. F. Pritchard, had been killed, and the
fireman, j. w. ,Flaherty. of Confluence,
had three ribs broken and was very badly
bruised, though probably not seriously
hurt. Two halfgrown boys, tramps. one
named McGraw, of Baltimore, and the
other named Boyle, of Pittsburgh. were
riding on the trent platform of the bag
gage car, but their presence was unknown
until the accident. Boyle was instantly
killed, but McGraw escaped with a few
scratches. He could tell little of his CON-
panion, whom he said he had known for
only a few days. The fireman is a young
unmarried man. Unless he has received
internal injuries not known he will soon
recover.
The name of the engineer of the ILL
fated locomotive deserves to be embalmed
in verse and story, and his sad death
should cause universal sorrow and SYM
pathy. for the world loses much when it
loses such men as Benny" Pritchard. as
he was familiarity called. When the hor-
ror-stricken trainmen and passengers
reached the battered wreck Of what had q
moment before been q splendid piece OF
machinery, almost endowed with life, the
manly form of the brave engineer was
found standing erect. as if his engine was
running smoothly over the rails. One
hand grasped the throttle and the other the
handle of the air brake valve with a clutch
that could not be loosed,
His lips were pressed closely together
and his face wore a determined but anx-
ious look, that alas, was never to change,
for penetrating his side was the cold, cruel
polished iron handle of the ''reverse bar"
The engine in turning over had pressed
him against the bar and he had died in
stantly and peacefully-died at his post OF
Att l.oI ska. a., t~kt - Nntlfn-
is known of his thoughts or actions aftef
discovering the rock on which his quick
brain told him he or all others OF the train
must come to their death. He said moth
ing. but simply sprang from his seat-to
his Spartan duty and to his death This
the fireman, his only companion, saw, but
no more, as in an instant he himself was
hurled into the air. That the engineers
action WAS successful in putting on the
air-brakes is known, tor it saved the train
from wreck and its sleeping human freight
from death. Whether he succeeded in
throwing back the reverse bar is not known,
for though it was not reversed when the
crash was over it might nave been before.
Ii is probable, however, that the hero saw
that all he could do in the brief moment
between the discovery and the collision
was 10 close the throttle and hold the air
valve open long enough to ensure the pat
ent brakes a full supply of condensed air,
that, thanks to the noble man at the throt-
tie. did its work faithfully. S. +. Pritch-
ard was a young unmarried man, but an
engineer OF experience, skill, and. as his
devoted sacrifice shows. of GOODNESS, BRAY
cry and self-iorgettulness. He was the
son of Major Pritchard. of Connellsville,
who, and The young mans stricken moth
er, may have their grief softened by the
memory of the bright name their brave
son leaves behind him.