New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-23
SAVING ATRAIN FROM WRECK
THE LIVES OF GOO PASSENGERS on THE PENNsYL-
VANh RAILROAD ENDASGERED-ENGINEER

lHE LIVES Of oOO- PASSENGERS on THE PENNsIL-
vANA RAILROAD ENDASGERED-ENGINEER
sIEG's BRAVE ACT
The train on the Pennsylvania Railroad which
left Jersey City at lis p. m. yesterday was made
up OF ten passenger coaches all of which were,
as is usual on Sundays. crowded with people 1t IS
computed thai there were not less than six hundred
passengers on the train. Conductor Whelpey had
charge and the engineer was Joseph A. Sieg
married man of middle age who lives in Jersey
City. by the time that the train reached the
Bergen cut its speed was about thrty-five miles an
hour The smoking-car which next to the
tender of the engine. was crowded with men, many
of whom stood up in the aisle.
Suddenly through the front door Of the car,
which was open and let in strong cur
rent OF air, came Whit of smoke,
Immediately followed by dense volume of smoke
and tongue of flame The passengers who were
seated sprang up in alarm. and those who stood
near the front door shrank back the smoke and
flame increased. One man grasped the door and
slammed it shut. The next instant it was dashed
oTca again and two men threw themselves into the
cab. One of these was Sieg, the engineer, and the
other was the fireman.
Through the binding smoke that poured directly
over the iron tender the passengers could see that
the cab OF the engine was in flames while the open
door OF the eng furnace was q mass of fire. The
smokng-car passengers were filed with consterna-
tiOn. Those nearest the door crowded out upon
the platform, only to meet another excited crowd is
suing from the front door of the second car, the
passengers Of which had by this time become
alarmed by the commoton and the illumination
from the blazing cab The other passengers raised
windows aud looked out, only to that the train
was dashing along at great speed and that 1t
would be fatal to jump.
Engineer Sieg stood the front door for an in
slant and looked back Mt his engine, which
was without control He realized that upon him
depended the lives of six hundred passengers.
What had occurred had occupied only few seconds
of time. He turned to his fireman. and bade him
go 10 the closet in the rear of the car and use
the lever of the air brake which is there, which
would have checked the speed of the train. The
fireman started TO obey the order but he found his
way blocked by an imDenetraOle mass OF excited
men. ianmed together in the aisle. What took
place then Theodore Reeves Of Newark, who was
in the second seat Of the smokiugcar described as
follows: The passengers We're all exclted and it
was mposs bic for the fireman to force his way
through them to get TO the closet sad to the en-
glneer standing near me, What is to be done He
made no answer, but turned his face TO the engine
aud setting his teeth together Ee sprang
through the door and | saw him indistinctly
through the smoke climb upon tue tender
Then he disappeared in the flames beyond
The excitement IN the car continued We felt how
hclpiess we were then. packed in like cattle. The
only hope, apparently, lay III the desperate act or
the engineer. ! was revolving over In my mind the
feasibility OF dropping from the car window near
me into the Hackensack River when the train
should cross the bridge.
Presently we felt that the speed of the train was
being le'sened, and finally with lurch and bump
il cane 10 a full stop. We hastily clambeTed out
nd " sfODDpd HuekeusaCk
Bridge. The flames from the cab, released from the
strong pressure of AIR caused by the speed or the
tram, now mounted upward. About two hundred
people were on the ties of the bridge aud heads
protruded from the windows Ol all the rear coaches
in some of which the passengers were ignorant OF
the cause of the sudden stOpDage.
The passengers nearest the engine now
saw the mead and shoulders Of n
man appearing above the water tank on
the tender several men spraug on the tender and
drew HIM out. IL was Engineer Sleg. tie was weak
and half unconscious. The clothes were completely
burned from HIN. His face was dIshgured and his
hands were shocking.y burned. HIS BODY was
blstered so badly that some OF the flesh was
stripped oil in moving him. In the meantime,
ready hands supplied with pals drew water from
the liver aud dashed ii over the burning cab soon
putting out the flames"
The engineer was placed temporarily IN for
ward car anu Conductor WhelDiey. who was III the
third passenger coach when the fire occurred and
who had employed himself IN quletIug
the fears of the passengers, ordered
I'D an engine and freight car, which was
standing on the opposite track on the meadows near
the bridge. sieg was placed the freight car and
taken TO jersey City. where he was conveyed
to st. FrancIss Hospital. TRIBUNE reporter
visited the hospital last evening 10 inquire ABOUT
his condition, The sister in charge expressed her
belief that he would i've although his Injuries were
very serious. -,
McantIno the fireman of the engine mounted the
charred cab and ran the tram to Newark. Inc pas
sengrrs in the smoking-car who had witnessed the
erOic return of the engineer 10 his post We're 0ud
in their EXPRESSIONS OF gratitude and praise OF his
act Ii was the universal sentiment that by MS
bravery he had saved the train and prevented a
frightful accident
Ihe ire is said TO have been caused by flames from
the open furnace door communicating with the
woodwork of the cab Favored By the riisn o.
the engineer and his assistant from their posts.