The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-04
DIED UNDER The WHEELS.
Young Harold DanaS Horrible Death
BIZ an Engine.

Caught Under a Central Railroad
Yard Engine and Life Crushed Out
observation-disclosures to Step on the
Engine While in Motion-His Near
sishtedness May Have Cost Him
His Life.
Harold Dana, the 11-year-old son Of Mr.
Gee. A. Dana. bookkeeper for the Savan-
nah Bank and Trust Company, was run
over and instantly killed by pusher, in
the Central railroad yard on West Broad
street yesterday morning. His death was
3 sudden and terrible one.
Young Dana was employed by Agent
Smith as messenger in the Florida Cen
trail and 'Peninsular railroad freight
Office, which is located at the end of the
long freight shed of the Central railroad
running back from the uperintendent's
Office.
About 9 o'clock he was sent over to the
Central depot to mail some letters on
train No 80 for Florida which leaves
at $40 o'clock standard time. He was
frequently sent on such errands and it
was his custom to ride out Of the shed on
the rear coach of the train and drop of
opposite the freight office, by which he
saved a considerable walk. 1t was this
habit that proved fatal to him.
FATAL RIDE.
Dana was seen to leave the carshed on
the rear end of the passenger train. Car
Inspector Fielder, who was on the train,
saw him Jump from the train about 100
yards below the shed and turn to step on
the yard engine, or pusher, which was
moving backward on parallel track in
an opposite direction from the passenger
train Mr. Fielder felt instinctively that
the boy would be killed, and went inside
the car in order that he might not see the
sight. As his train was moving rapidly
away he had no way of knowing if his
intuition was realized. Mr.. Fielder left
the train at the coal chute. He was not
surprised to hear when he returned to
the Office that his mental prediction had
been realized
UNDER TIE WHEELS.
The first that the crew on the pusher
knew of young Dana's presence was when
two negroes, riding on the forward end
saw his mangled body appear from under
the wheels Nobody had seen him at
tempt to board the engine nor had they
heard any cries. The men Immediately
called to the engineer to stop, and jump
ing off, ran back to where Dana
lay The life had been crushed
out Of him. The body was
fearfully mangled, the back of the head
being torn off and the body almost cut in
half across the middle. The left arm
and left leg were broken.
Coroner Dixon was Immediately tele-
phoned for, as was also the boys father
The body was not touched until the
coroner arrived. Portions of the skull
and brains were scattered for 20 feet
along the track. These were
gathered up by Coroner Dixon
who took the body TO his undertaking es-
Enlistment where he prepared it for
burial There was no necessity for an in
quest, as all the facts were evident
While the body was terribly mangled
the face was fortunately untouched.
THE FATHERS GRIEF.
Mr.. Dana arrived before the body was
removed, but did not view it. His sons
terrible death was a great blow to him.
The body was removed to Mr.. Dana s
residence, No. l72 Duffy street, yesterday
afternoon. 1t had not been decided last
night whether the burial would take
place at Savannah or at Beaufort, where
the dead boys mother is buried.
Young Dana has been employed at the
freight office of the Florida Central and
Peninsular railroad since the middle Of
January, and was well liked by the en-
ployes of the office. His sudden death
threw a gloom over the office yesterday.
While no one saw the accident occur, it
is evident that young Dana, when he
jumped from the passenger train,
started to board the pusher, which was
moving in the other direction. He missed
his footing and was knocked down by the
engine, which passed over his body. with
the results stated. The engine was NOV
ing slowly at the time. Dana is said to
have been near sighted, and doubtless
miscalculated the distance when he
attempted to step upon the rear of the
tender