The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-03
CRIPPLED BY WRECKS.
A Day of Many Disasters on
the Lehigh System.
THE ROAD TIED UP BY ACCIDENTS.
Several Lives Lost and Much Prop
erty Destroyed.

Towns Property Was Destroyed By Fire
and Probably Three Men Were Killed, if
Not Mors-Oniy Ous Through Trsin
Reaches wIkeabsrre. and sup.r-
iutendeut E.ser Breaks Down fron
Overwork Four Engines Disabled IN
n Series OF Wreck. Near Ea.tea-A.
OmciaI At the Throttle OF Another En-
gins Crashes Into = Delaware and HAD
son Trnin-AImo-t No Coal or Freight
Trains Moving-The New Men Leaving.
wuKEsPARRE. Dec. Poor train running
caused disastrous wreck on the Lehigh VAL
ley Railroad at White Haven this morning.
The strikers want TO put the blame on the
non-unlon men who we're In charge OF the coll
llding trains but the facts as far as ascertained
do not warrant this.
The company officials made good Roadway
yesterday in making up freight trains In theif
yards at Cotton and were anxious
to get them to the seaboard quick
as possible, Soon after midnight two
trains loft Wilkesbarre bound east Tho
first one carried seventeen box cars filled with
grain. -four. and feed. en- route from the West.
The second train was made up OF eight cars
filed with moasses. honey. and -four.
Thetwo trains left South Wllkesbarre twenty.
FIVE minutes apart and they had a run OF nine
train reached White Haven at the foot OF the
mountain south OF Wilkesbarre the engineer
opened the throttle wide for q swift run on q
straight and level track for twelve miles. The
braksmen. however. so. It is said. were not
down at the brakes. The result was that when
the engineer gave sudden pull he broke the
train in half
He carried most OF the cars with him. but
about six. including the caboose. remained
The engineer did not feel any less pressure
from behind aud went on ahead
The fngman. however knew what was up
at once and signaled to the engineer. but the
lattor had Iust passed around n curve The
nnGm an then started to go back and protect
the rear cnd OF the broken train. He had hard
~ gone back ten yards till the second train. In
charge OF Engineer John German. came In
sight.
The second train was ahead OF time. Only
about six minutes had elapsed before the flrse
train had passed White Haven. The second
train was running at the rate OF thirty
five miles an hour. As soon as the engl-
neer saw the red lamp in the hands Of
the flagman he reversed his engine and
jumped. All the injury he sustained was .
broken arm. When the engine crashed into
the cnboose and the heavily laden freight cars
It made terrific noise.
Those who Witnessed the collision had barely
realized what had occurred when flames
burst from tho wreck. A heavy wind
was blowing at the time and 1t was
not long before the entire mass was enveloped
In fire. Citizens hurried to the scene in hun
dreds and much excitement prevailed. The
fire had already communicated to the Ruhnks
HOTEL which stood near by.
Tho wreck was deserted for the time. and all
energies were directed to save the hotel
guests. This. 1t Is believed, was accomplished
The fury Of tho flames could not be checked.
and t. W. Rickers's store was next burning
1ercely.
From there the FIRE spread to the large liv-
cry stable owned by Edward Cramer OF Eas-
ton. For time It looked as II the town was
doomed. but fortunate change In tho wind
gave the firemen an advantage. and the haTues
were then gotten under control
Attention was again turned to the wreck.
Four cars OF grain and -four were still burning.
The only man to be seen at that time who rode
on the Inflated train was the engineer who
had bravely stuck to his post
How he escaped from his cab is . mystery.
He had three men In the caboose behind him.
and as they were nowhere to be found II IL
feared they have been burned In the wreck.
The fire. which was subdued and supposed
TO be under control broke out again at 1890
and extended resulting in the burning OF the
buildings which comprised the entire block.
In addition to the structures first destroyed
there were those: Smiths Hotel. briggs
Hotel. Driggs's drug store. G. W. Koous's dry
goods store. Fischers iewelry store. Foerch.
ner's iewslry store. and several dwellings.
At l o'clock this afternoon the north-bound
track was sufficiently cleared to permit trains
passing. The south-bound track. however,
was still blocked with smoking debriA 4
The engineer. fireman. and one brakeman OF
engine III are accounted for. The engineer
sustained a broken arm and severe bodily con-
tusions The fireman and brakeman are in
jured internally. Three other men we're among
the crew 1t Is certain. but how many more no
one knows. Otthese nothing can be learned.
The caboose and four cars containing grain
are pile OF burning ruins. Whether the miss
ing men are beneath this cannot yet DO deter
mined.
since the strike was inaugurated the LehiGh
Valley Company has sent as many as ten and
twelve men out with train, and this fact
leads to the suspicion that there are more
than three un'ortunates.
As the men now taxing the strikers places
have come from all parts Of the country, no one
knows them. Few Of them have given their
correct names even at the receiving station.
and all euIaayored 10 conceal their identity.
So that until the roster Is examined theiF
names cannot Doe learned.
MANAGER Wiltur OF The Iehigh Valley Conn
pany a rived ON tho scene early and persons
ally direet~! Tie movements Of the wreck
ing trains tho action ~ the strlk-
srs them selves in the emergency has been
highly commended, as theY rendered valuable
aid in moving the cars. which were left intact.
Great excitement s'il prevails. and hundreds
OF people ara vTOwiing ABOUT the ruins "A
hall hundred uniformed deputies carrying
clubs patrol the tracks.
The leeiing az tiHst tho company Il stronger
to- lay than AZ any time -iGce tire strike began.
The employ ueUt Of incompetent help Ia move
trains 70 declared To have brought about to-
day disaster
{; is certain that the loss TO the town will be
100000. What the cOmpaRY's loss will 10
no one knows.
Late his afternoon serious wreck occurred
at the lOTruro rullierY near AYOcA General
Yard Master Fred Bound had taken an engine
at T. 81 to the cutoff on the mounlain
to move some freight. On the return trip
the grade " - heavy and the yardmastsr. fear
ing to trust tho non union engineer. took the
throttle himself While Passing tho coll iery at
a good rate " speed he crashed into a Dela-
out 81 the branch.
The LehiRh VALLEY engine was badly dam
aged and the coal cars Piled In big heap
The yard master. IL is said. ran eontraTJ to