Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-05-17
TERkIBLE ACCIDENT.
Master Mechanic Hahn Killed. In q Railroad
Wreck.

Wreck.
Yesterday afternoon Il frightful wreck
occurred on tie Reading & Columbia
railroad a short distance south Of Ephrata.
The tram that was injured was a local
freight drawn by the engine I" Raleigh"
which runs from Reading to Columbia
every afternoon. and at the point where
the wreck occurred there are a curve and
cut. Tho train was running toward Col
umbia at high rate Of speed, and Just as
| it dashed around the curve the engineer
saw there was heavy plank lying across
the track short distance ahead
of the engine. He blew his whistle
and did all in bis power to stop the train.
He was unsuccessful, however, and as
soon as the engine struck the plank it was
thrown from the track, together with
twenty freight cars, twelve Of which wero
loaded with grain and the others with
coal, iron pipes, SC. The engine went
crashing down the cmbankment and
was broken to pieces, and tho cars
were piled in space the length Of five
cars Besides the engineer and fireman,
MIR. George W. Hahn, master mechanic OF
the road, was in the cab Of the engine. He
| side of the engine which landed on the
embankment when it was overturned. It
was an hour Or more before Mr.. Hahn
could be extricated from his perilOus posi-.
tiOn. During this time he suffered
! terribly. He died shortly aiter he
had been got out from under tho engine
Tho engineer bravely remained at his post
and went over with the engine, but,
strange to say, escaped with but few slight
| bruises. The fireman saved his life by
jumping, and tho conductor and brake
man, who were at different points of the
the train, escaped injuries in tho same
manner.
Since the accident large force of men
have been busily engaged ut clearing tho
wreck, but traiUs have not yet passed it.
Trains are run from Columbia and this
city to the depot where passengers, &C.,
are transferred. The train due here at
$40 last evening did not ARRIVE until
almost 10 o'clock, aad all trains are lato
to day. 1t will be sOmo time before the
whole wreck is cleared. The loss to tho
company is heavy as tho engine and cars
are almost entirely destroyed, while .
great deal of the cargo is either lost or
damaged.
The Victim.
Mr.. Hahn formerly resided in Reading,
and was the son of Samuel Hahn and q
brother of VIM. +. Hahn, dealer in stoves,
etc., at No. S27 Penn street, that city. He
learned his trade in the P. Il r. shops and
had been employed in the Baldwin loco
motive works, Philadelphia. prior to as
! suming the duties Of master mechanic for
the Reading s. Columbia railroad COM
pany. The deceased was about 81 years
of age and leaves a widow-Mrs. Emma
Hahn { nee Weand )-and two children
Frank, aged 10 years and Edna aged a.
He was in Reading yesterday on business,
aud in order to reach his home before tho
| time of tho passenger train, took passage
on the freight. lie was prominently con
nected with St. Johns Lutheran church
and was member of St. Alban's COM
mandery of Knights Templar of Philadel-
phia. He will be buried in Reading on
Saturday, the Knights Templar conduct
ing tho funeral exercises.
Tho wreck was caused by the plank,
supposed to have been placed across tho
track by some scoundrel, for the purpose
of making wreck. There is no clue az
yet to the guilty parties.