The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-12-01

.ZIlr=/ lost his life and two
SCAN NLI others were injured. A
SSlCASo dirt-burning engine ex-
ploded and the man who lost his life was
William Barry, the engineer. Two others,
of the crew, the conductor and fireman of the
train, had marvellous escapes and sustained
but comparatively very slight injuries
The engine that exploded was numbered
542 and was drawing an extra train of thirty
four loaded coal cars. She passed the Lehigh
depot in this town at about sos O'Clock and
after running about half mile the explosion
occurred. When this occurred Engineer
Barry was at his post. Simon Neifert, the
fireman, and William Eroh, the conductor,
were standing together at the freman's side
of the cab That the last two men escaped
with but sprains and bruises is one of the
greatest miracles in the record of railway
accidents.
The force of the explosion was tremendous.
The top carriage of the engine was carried
| high into the air in southeast direction and
fell about fifty feet from the truck. 1t
turned completely around while in the air
and fell with the stack end pointed towards
the truck and tank. Not wheel of either
of the latter left the rails. Expert rail-
readers who viewed the wreck say they
never saw such a clean cutting Off of the top
carriage of an engine.
The unfortunate engineer was carried with
the flying part of the engine and was found
stretched out face downward under the right
side of the wreck. Neifert and Eroh were
blown southwardly, away from the train, and
fell in the snow covered gully about two
hundred feet away. They remained stunned
where they fell for several minutes and upon
recovering consciousness Neifert arose to his
feet and went over to Eroh, who was lying
few yards away, conscious, but unable to get
up. His hip was injured. NeiGert finally
succeeded in helping Eroh to get up and the
two men made their way slowly and pain
fully to the track walkers box about fifty
yards east of the wreck.
By this time several men who had heard
the report Of the explosion reached the scene
The two injured men were brought to the
depot in town, Neifert walking and Eroh
being carried. DR.. Stein met them at the
depot. He found Neifert had sustained
several scalp wounds of a comparatively
slight character and sprain of the left arm.
Eroh's injuries were found to be sprain of
the right hip and left arm After receiving
attendance the men were sent to their homes
at Quakake on the 1888 passenger train.
The force of the explosion broke the coup.
ling between the engines tank and the train
of cars and started the latter backward.
Harry Gearhart and Peter Rhoads, the rear
and middle brakemen had retained their re-
spective positions and succeeded in bringing
the train to a stop about three hundred yards !
from the scene of the wreck. Rhoads then
went to the depot with the injured men. |
while Gearhart returned to search for the en-
gineer.
Barry undoubtedly met instant death The
life was crushed out of him by the ponderous
weight of the wrecked engine, but his body .
was in no way mangled. The only marks
found after the body was released were upon
his forehead, which was cut and bruised, but
not crushed in any manner.
An examination of the truck of the engine /
showed that the engineers reverse lever was
solid in its fastenings and in an upright
position and the sand pipe was also secure,
but was bent so that it stood straight up,
Claim Agent P. J. Ferguson and Agent 7.
J. Davies with a number of railway em-
ployes arrived upon the scene and made an
examination Of the wreck with a view to
getting out Barrys body. The feet and
ower limbs of the unfortunate man pro-
-ruded ON the north side of the engine The
wreck crew had been summoned from Delano,
put it did not reach the scene until half past
e'eyen' Meantime the railroaders who were
present. with the assistance of some citizens,
commenced trying to release the body. With .
picks and shoyels they started ditch on the
north side of the wreck and about four feet