The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-06-04

&BsEM6M4aN friends and relatives
SeiHA5Jff we're enjoying the
SEESS balm of success and
"a AsRNBE.J happiness in Fergu-
go 9ra sons theatre last night
the elements were playing havoc on
the outside.s Little did the graduates, the
anxious friends, or the disinterested spec
tstors who occupied seats gin Ferguson's
theatre last night know that when the APP
plause was highest a railroad engineer and
fireman lay victims, not a mile distant, to
the storm that indicated its presence by the
heavy taps upon the roof of the theatre.
Whatever the graduates or others
thought, at 10 o'clock last night, half an
hour before the graduating exercises closed,
two men were picked up from
q wrecked train near the east end of the
West Shenandoah colliery dirt bank and.
carried to the watch house at the William
Penn turnpike crossing,
These two men were Samuel Bailey and
William Roeber. The former was engi-
neer and the latter fireman of coal train en-
CINE No. SOB, and their engine fell a victim
to a washout.
Owing to the late hour and the distance
of the scene of the accident, coupled with
the heavy rain storm, the news did not
reach town as quick as it would under more
favorable circumstances. But as soon as it
did Chief of Police DAVIS and a HERALD
reporter started for the scene of the acct
dent. 1t was found between the two great
dirt banks of the Turkey Run and West
Shenandoah collieries, and at a point about
Is yards east of the William Penn turn
pike. There the engine was found topsy-
turvey, The front of the engine, with its
still burning headlight, was pointed south
and its rear end was pointed north. The
tender lay the same way, side by side with
the engine, and upon the walking plank of
the tender rested the front wheels of a
loaded goDdols. The latter leaned to the
north and was off both rails. The remain
der of the loaded coal train stood upon the
rails, but rested heavily against the derailed
gondola and wrecked locomotive.
The story is this: At about 9.45 o'clock
last night when the storm was severe, en-
CINE No, SOB started out from Indian Ridge
colliery with a loaded coal train. The train
proceeded cautiously and was running at
the rate of about a mile an hour when the
bed of the road suddenly gave way. Samuel
Bailey, the engineer, at once whistled
for all brakes on and dived through the cab
windows. Fireman William Roeber did
not take in the situation at once This is
accounted for because the engine is a dirt
burner and, of course, the fireman is dis
tant from the engineer. However, the en-
gineer jumped and sprAined his back. The
fireman fell in such a position that escaping
steam from the overturned engine scalded
the lower part of his legs, his arm and his
neck.
The wreck had been caused by a washing
out of the road, due to an extraordinary
Aow of water from the dirt banks on the
north side of the road. The place at which
the washout occurred looked as if there had
been an immense CAVERN.
The slow pace at which the train was run
prevented a horrible wreck. Engineer
Bailey and Fireman Roeber received help
from the crew and were taken to the watch
house at the William Penn crossing.
Shortly after their arrival there p j. Fer
guson and Drs. Stein and Hamilton ap.
pesred on the scene and they found Vice
President w. F, Ssdler, Jr., with an cleo
trio car nearby in charge of P. Stack, j
Leckie and Daniel Snyder. Mr.. Sadler
had been called from the theatre in Shen-
andoah and was on his way down the road
to see what damage the storm had done,
but seeing the wreck on the Reading line
stopped the car and got off to investi-
gate. Mr.. Ssdler at once placed his car at
the disposal of Mr., Ferguson and the VIC
tins, and proceeded down the electric line
with gum boots and rubber coat.
Bailey and Roeber were brought TO town
and the latter was carried on a stretcher
from the electric car to the Reading pas
senger depot. B. j. McGinness, proprietor
of the Watson House, at once handed to
Policeman McGrsil a pitcher of steaming
coffee and the beverage was dealt out to the
victims and their friends at the depot.
When the HERALD reporter and Chief
of Police Davis had walked back from the
scene of the wsshout they found Bailey and
Roeber in the depot with the other mem
bers of the crew and Mr.. Ferguson.
Bailey said he was all right and Roeber,
who laid upon stretcher said he felt good.
Mr.. Ferguson remained with the victims
until they were placed upon a train for