Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1895-11-22
BOYS WRECK A TRAIN
THE NEW YORK CENTRAL EXPRESS
THROWN FROM THE TRACK.

They Tamper with the Rails, Deralling
the Train-The Engineer and Two Tramps
KnIea-FIreman Fatally Hurt-Robbery
the Apparent Purpose.
SYRACUSE, Nov 90 Train No 9, the
fast mail express on the New York Cen
tral road, was wrecked about a mile west
Of Rome at an early hour today. The dis
nster was the work of train wreokers. The
engine and all of the cars "a the train
were ditched and completely wrecked.
The engineer of the train, Nathan Hager
Df Albany and two tramps were killed.
Tho fireman, Christopher Wagner of Al
bany and a mail clerk s porter named Nc.
Carthy were injured.
This is the second attempt within three
weeks to wreck this train near the same
spot The place where the wreck occurred
is on heavy down grade, which extends
from Verona into Rome, and the trains
usually run down It at a very high rate of
speed This train, not stopping at Rome,
generally goes down the grade very fast
and must have been running close to 40
miles an hour in order to make up few
minutes lost time. The country in the
immediate vicinity is swampy, and ditch
from four to siy feet in depth extends
the time it is filled with water. The place
| is desolate, not house being within
half mile.
The method adopted by the wreckers
shows that their work was deliberately
planned. They broke into the section
house and stole some tools, with which
they removed the flshplates which fasten
the rails to the ties. They then pulled out
the spikes, throwing them into the ditch.
The moving of the rail was then but a
few moments work In the atteSpt made
three weeks ago the perpetrators managed
only to remove one plate, as they did not
have the necessary tools to complete their
work. While they were away the track
walker discovered the deed, and watch
was kept that night all trains being run
at slow speed over the place
The People on Board.
Train No. 6 was in charge of Conductor
Reynolds of Albany this morning and left
this city at $3.50. 1t consisted of four mail
cars and three sleeping cars. There were
81 postal clerks and IA passengers aboard
| besides the members of the train crew
When the crash came, the engine, No.
$50, was thrown from the track into the
ditch and completely submerged in the
mire, only the driving wheels on the left
side being in sight. The forward mail car,
which was running to Albany with a lot
of empty mailbags, was thrown two car
lengths ahead of tho engine and rolled
down the bank, so that it lay lengthwise
toward the rails. The second car, in which
the mail clerks were working was thrown
on the tender of the engine and badly
wrecked The third and fourth cars were
also thrown into the ditch, the ends OF
each being broken. The first one of the
sleeping cars was thrown from the rails
and rolled completely over. The trucks
lay some distance from the rails. The sec
ond car was simply turned on its side.
When the engine went over, Hager, the
engineer, was carried with it and was
buried in the mire, it being necessary tC
dig for his body This was badly man.
gled, and death must have been instanta
neous. The fireman, Wagner was thrown
from his seat into the mire, and wher
picked up was found to be badly injured
about the head, and It is feared that he IL
internally injured. He was removed to q
hospital in Oneida. The two trapps who
were found dead are supposed to have beer
stealing a ride on the forward end Of the
first mail car, directly in the rear of the
engineer
Mccarthy, mail clerks porter, was
deadheading to Albany, and when the
accident occurred was sleeping on a shell
in the forward car When the car wen
over he was thrown to the floor and wa!
badly injured about the head, receiving {
cash over the brow. The other clerks and
passengers, as well as the members Of tht
crew. escaped with a few scratches anC
bruises.