The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-12-18
FOURTEEN MEN INJURED !
Terrible Accident at the Mid Valley
COlliery This Morning.
BUT THREE DANGEROUSLY INJURED
A Lever Pin Dropping out Caused an
Engineer to Lose Control Of Train
of Coal Cars-He Stuck to His
Post and May Die
Special to EVENING HERALD.

Mt, CARMEL Dec. 1s.-A frightful acci-
dent occurred at the Mid Valley colliery this
morning by which fourteen men were in
iured, but it is not believed that more than
three of them were hurt dangerously.
The accident was due to an engineer losing
control of a train of coal cars ON a heavy
grade, and it is considered little short of
miracle that most of the victims were not
killed outright
There are two slopes at the Mid Valley
colliery. Slope No. is located at the breaker
and No. ? is about a mile east of the colliery.
The coal is hauled on the surface from No. 2
slope to the colliery by a small locomotive
and early in the morning this locomotive
hauls train of cars from the coliery to the
slope for the accommodation of the miners
at the latter place 1t is considered fortunate
that to-day a number Of men missed the
train as had the cars been filled as usual the
result Of the accident might have been ap-
palling
The engine started from the colliery at the
usual time with long string of empty coal
cars and a number of miners as passengers i'm
some Of them. The road from the collery
to slope No. has very heavy grade. James
Hollister was the engineer in charge When
about three-quarters of mile from the coll
lao, -, ,;,,
eflectual attempts to make headway Hollister
concluded to run back to get start. He re-
yerscd the engine and in doing so caused the
pin in the reverse lever to fall out and be
come lost. The train got a start ON the
grade and Hollstcr was unable to make any
use of the reverse lever lie tried to apply
brakes, but his efforts in this direction were
Of no avail, a, the rails were made slippery
by the early morning dew and the wheels
slipped over them as though they had been
creased. The wheels seemed to gain speed
with each revolution and the train dashed
down the grade at terrific speed Holister
remained at his post and operated the whistle
of the engine continuously as the runaway
train approached the colliery, the only al
tentative being left him
During the thrilling descent the engine
was in the lead, it being the custom to push
the cars up the grade from the colliery to
the slope, When a short distance from the
breaker the engine Jumped the track and
the cars piled ON top of it. A scene of great
excitement eusued about the cullcry and the
shrieks and groans of the unfortunate men
who had been passengers ON the cars were
heartrcndng.
Hollister, the engineer, was the first res
cued. Although young man of % years he
stood at his post like veteran and was
found mangled and scalded few feet from
his engine. He is the worst injured and may
die He is badly scalded about the body,
face and legs, his right arm is broken, and he
is injured internally. Hollister is a single
man and resides at Mid Valley.
John Leibg and Edward Allehach are the
two other men who are considered danger
ously injured Leibig was employed as a
woodchoppcr. He was under the engine,
but succeeded in crawling out, uotwith,taud
ing he sustained compound fracture of both
legs and was badly burned and scalded.
Allebach was a miner and has wife and
child. His right thigh was fractured and h,
sustained several bad cuts and bruises about
the head and body lie was buried by the
debris and wa, the last man taken out
John Helor had his knees injured, one
badly cut and the other contustcd George
Smichcn had his left hand injured and was
bruised about the head Joe Robeuduski