The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-04-27
An Answer from r;spy.
EsPY, April oath, 1888.

,ear tnlS place on inc N. ", W. Is. IL. H.
'ays Gust opposite Espy by which freight
rain was wrecked, the engine being hurled
lown the embankment ard five cars de- |
rallied" and further, "that the slide was |
by n number of workmen in the |
Espy boat yard, and couple of men out
on the river in a boat, any Of whom had |
ample time to have gone over the river and
warned the approaching train. What
actuated them to remain passive spccta-
tors can only be conjectured. Had a
couple Of the crew been killed 1t would
not have been such a funny happening for
the Espyites. Shame on theml" The
Ne,cs Item states that every precaution had
been taken tc guard against accidents Of
the above description, as this section of
the road is so located rs TO be In danger
from them at any time ia the Spring.
MIR. Editor, was not on duty that after
noon in the boat yard, being unwell; had
been should have acted as other "Espy-
ties" did-remained passive spectator,
for the very important reason given by the
News Item that accidents of that kind are
liable to occur at any time in the Spring,
and that every prccaution had been taken
to guard against them. The statement
that everyone who witnessed the slide had
ample time to cross the river is not cor
rect. The distance from the yard to the
nearest canal bridge, where boat might
have been obtained, and across the river
to point up the road far enough to have
given the proper signal to heavy freight
train on down grade, would have been
in all mile, nearly half of that distance
to be rowed against strong current. 1t
was stated by some of the tain hands that
they met track walker at Il point where
it would have been necessary to commence
slowing the train, and he informed the
engineer that the road was clear A party
who claims to have been standing on the
canal bridge and saw the slide, also saw
man going up the road just passing the
point Of Ruckle's island about three hun
dred yards from where the slide occurred
The unfortunate "Espyite" had neither
speaking trumpet or field-gass and there
fore could not tell who the man was or
hail him. There are several parties who
claim to have heard or seen the slide, and
of course would have made some effort to
have stopped the train had they thought it
| necessary. From all the information that
can be gathered there was an interval OF
from twenty minutes to probably half
hour from the time the slide occurred un-
til the engine went over the bank-not
more than time enough to have crossed
the river. | have no hesitancy in saying
that there is not a man or boy in Espy
who would not have turned out and rem
dered any assistance they could, if the
slightest danger to the train had been ap
pretended, especially the two boys,
Hummel and Crcveling, who were in the
boat. For humanity and manliness theil
superiors are seldom met. We are thank
full that the boys escaped being callet
Algerines, as they happened to be in {
boat on the river mt the time, or in othe
words Small-rate Pirates. or course tn,
boys might have signalled the train, bu
as slides had been almost daily occur
renee they supposed, as every other person
did, that a watchman was near enough tC
that point at all times to warn an ap
proaching train of any danger, and when
the boys saw the train pitching headlonl
into the slide they lay on their oars il
frightful amazement watching the rcsul
just as older persons would have done
The Espy boat yard is a branch of Dusi
where every man is expected to do hi
duty. We have a superintendent and
foreman who are ever mindful of tina
fact; we are not looked upon, however
} as chattles; we are not prevented fror
looking across the river at train or an
other object of interest passing. Tim
! killing, however, in our department, is 4
no time the order of the day. Either on
; of the managers would have suspende
their operations and concentrated the
, entire force if it had been for momcl
J thought necessary. We all supposed til,
there was standing order that all trair
should be run at speed at that point thi
} they could be controlled in any emergenc!
The N. &. w. b. II. r. is q well built an
well managed road, we believe, havin
advantages not possessed by many 9th,
roads, having a solid bed and being almo
destitute of high trestling, deep cuts an
tunnels the principal point of danger c
the road, am told, is the Espy blui
where the slide occurred. At that poil
the rock pitches at an angle of abol
eighty degrees, resembling, somewhat Il
convex of French roof, covered only
Il few feet Of loose matter; the ordinar
. jar of heavy train in wet weather is lii
BILE to cause slide. Whilst | do NJ
possess any knowledge of engineering {
practical railroading, think the onl
means of permanent security at that poiI
would be to blast out the rock a sufflciel
, width to build wall of masonry to for
II pocket to receive such loose matter
might slide down, and the wall to be secur
!, ly braced W ith heavy timber. Mr.. Editor,
have no doubt but that the road could
made safe and convenient with less lab
and expense than many others in this sc
u ton. After this is all done it will only
steam railway managed by humG
. beings, liable to make miscalculation
s and accidents will occur on that as well
/ on other roads until mechanical scien
shall have superseded steam railways
:, just as electic telegraphy is soon
# be superseded by the more improved te
&c phone. While | write there are workm
engaged clearing away slide near t
n place the former one occurred. We no
q our friend OF the Catawissa NepS Item W
% not have to call us barbarians or brut
again, or to apply to us the ancient tril
- name of 'ites," the common name
N the wicked nations encountered by I
, host of Israel while journeying fro
~ Egypt to the Promised Land, whom Joi
ua and other leaders were directed by I
Almighty to destroy, The word Espyi
applied to us at the present day, signif
80 a rough, unmannerly people who have |
y made much progress in Christian civil
ton and general intelligence. Whilst