Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-25
tCOpyrighted.l

hast elaboration. of the fate Of the Pryde fam
Ly.or rather the male portion of it-father and
four sons. This book is a curious study 1t
registers the entrance of a person into the
service OF the corporation, with his age and
ueligree. and in seven cases out of ten their
dissolution and causes therefor. One of the
CIriOIs features - the numerous cases of Young
men entering the cOmpany's employ on a GER
tain day and month or two later a record of
their deaths or disability is found. These facts
substantiate the well-known predictions of old
railroad men that if a man on entering the
service as green hand can pull through the
first year unframed his chances for attaining a
iaellow age and position of responsibility are
increased about so per cent.
TIE PEYDE FAMIY's RECORD.
Running your finger down the index of the
book to the letter ''P'' you will find that the
Iame "Pryde' is quite numerously inscribed
and embraces the surnames George. George.
H.. James. John and William. all plain nam es.
but representing n plain. honest and fearless
family. The index will refer YOU to pages AT
dr1 4}s for the biographies of the Prydes and
ii YOU notice the dates closely you will ascer-
tain that within a years time the entire group
mentioned above were wiped out of existence.
AMI all through sudden and violent happsn-
Iags- reporter of HE STAR upon a recent
visit 70 Philadelphia was shown this book BY an
Official OF the company located in the office
wherein these records are kept and from lin
learned the details of the calamities.
Two Years previously the mother of the
lryde family had died. leaving the father and
chiliren. including daughter-Peggy-to la
ment her death and honor her memory The
father was about rounding out his sixtieth
yea-. well and strong and good for many more
wears OF active duty. His eldest son, Geor,e
VA thiriy-iye. Jim came next. at thirty.
Jack was touching the twenty-eight mark. Viii
w.Is climbing the hill toward TWENTY-FIVE and
Peggy had Just seen her twentieth birthday
The father and three eldest sons were engineers.
the Youngest a fireman on the same engine with
Lis father. All the bows. strange to saw. were
bachelors ami Peggy threatened to follow in their
footsteps Of single blessedness- They resided
al COlumbla-On-the-Susq eighty miles
west Of Philadelphia. occupied prominent DO
sItIOn socially in this railroad borough and
we're honOred and respected by all who knew
them
BEAUTIFUL PEGGY PRYDE-
Peggy Pryde was the envy of many Of her
girl companions on account Of her good looks
and the number of her male admirers To the
latter she always returned one answer. s.Tu
never marry a railroad man." ami as this class
embraced seyen-elghths of the marriageable
men Of the town her chances of entering the
MATRIMONIAL state were very remote. She
coIld give no reason for her strange decision.
out chung 10 1t with q tenacitv that seemed
almost supernatural She was uncommonlv
pretty. 10 be sure. neither blonde nor brunette.
but with a clear. fair skin. a healthy red in her
cheeks. and big brown eyes full of mingled
honesty and coquetry, the eyes that belonged
10 the girl. pure, sweet and true-hearted The
i''ther and boys idoiized Peggy. and as they
poured their monthly earnings into her Lap
told her. with Joyous frankness and earnest
PRIDE, how they were going to make her a rich
Edy some day As their earnings reached well
INTO the hundreds monthly this did not seem a
remote lmpOssibIlity.
FATHER AND WILL CRUSHED BIZ A TRAIN.
Peggy received her first terrible shock. since
the death of her mother. one evening in Janu-
airy. a. She was preparing the evening meal
IN anticipation of her father and Youngest
brother partaking OF it. they were due in
i-om their run that evening, when Jim en-
tered the kitchen with a ghastly look ON mis-
face and compressed lips. and staggering over
TO the lounge near the window sank down upon
1t with an almost heart-broken sob. Rushing
10 his side Peggy ina frightened voice inquired
the cause OF his agony. Father and Will"
was the Sasping reply. and Peggy's face took
on the color OF death and her worst fears were
realized as Jim told her slowly. word by word
.hat both were sleeping the long sleep but
few miles below town. The next few davs were
horrible ones to Peggy, but her brothers came
mAnIully To the rescue and managed to some
what blot out the terrible remembrance
AOuA buc ANOIt DFdhttiltn OF the tram to
which old man Prydes engine was attached
the particulars of the father and sons terrible
taking of was learned. The train of forty
Freight cars was coming down the hill from the
east toward Columbia at tns rate of about thirty
miles an hour then the coupling lar and chains
between the engine and tender broke. Will
Pryde WAS handling the long bar at the time.
SURFING up the hre to carry them to tn,
round house without additional coal and as the
engine shot away from the tender he was
hurled into the opening. As ne fell he grasped
the broken chain and in this way was dragged
over tie ties below. with the train following
after a few yards back. His father imIne,ii-
al ~ darted 10 his rescue Grasping the chain
leading from the IRE box door to the roof of
the cab. the father leaned over and Catching
hold D: his boys blouse commenced hauIinp
hlIl upward 20 a place of safety. Wills weight
was heavy and the work slow. He had HIM al
most on 10 the floor of the engine cab when the
combined weight of the two Wreuched tha
PIE which held the chain above from its
taste nIngs. and father and son were dashed to
the track below and the entire train passed
over their bodies, grinding and tearing them
almost INTO pieces
HE engine had been shut off some miles
Jack anu Tie tram soon caught up to IL again.
allowing the trainmen 10 climb into the cab
aud soon succeed In controlling the nomen-
tam OF the train and finally stopping il. The
bottles we're found some distance back. gath
cred Up. carried to the caboose ard hauled to
The Calamity sort of stunned the boys as il
was the nrst that mad overtaken the family in a
railway way, although father and son had
grown up In the service. Peggy of late wears
lad dreaded seeing her father and brothers
cave home to go our on their runs. but as thsy
came and went regularly without harm she
Lad become hardened. as ii WERE and took
tAelT SvOcatlou as matter of course. The
accident that robbed Esr Of a father and
brother opened her eyes to the possibilities of
railrOaders lie and settled melancholy
sook possession OF her.
GEORGE KILLED N A COLLISION.
Midway between Columbia and PHILADELPHIA
L. place called the Gap" The name marks
he summit Of a hill. the sides and base of
which have been the scenes of three-fourths OF
'hc accidents that have occurred on the eastern
DIVISION Of the road George Pryde held the
throttle of engine 81, pulling c heavy tram
10. led mostly with heavy lumber. and WAS
lowing swiftly along down the east side of the
Tap one night in March of the same year
"hen The train parted some half dozen cars
back from the engine These breaks are of
" liHary consequence and three times out Of
-ouT, II properly handled, delay OF only few
minutes Il the result. The book of rules in
cases OF this kind calls for the stoppage of the
Ietr part Of the train by the Use Of brakes as
ICON as possible. George Pryde. with his en-
Sliie and SIX cars, continued on for about two
miles and then stopped After waiting some
-Lle Tor the rear end to come into sight