The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-01
Fatal Accident TO Principal Of
Dsering High School.
STRUCK BY MAINE CENTRAL SNOW
PLOW AT WOODFORDS.
His Neck was Broken and He Died Almost
Instanely-Leavos Wife and Two Small
Childron-Has Been Connected With
Deering Schools Eight Years.

IS
Childron-Has Been Connected With
Deering Schools Eight Years.
Edgar FL. Crosby, principal of the Deer
ling High school was struck by a Maine
Central snow plow at the Forest avenue
crossing near Woodford's station about
5.l5 O'Clock yesterday afternoon and in
stantly killed
While the blizzard was raging late yes
terday afternoon, making progress
through the snow drifts on behring's
sidewalks extremely difficult. whirling
the snow into the faces OF those unfortu-
nate enough to be abroad, binding them,
and at times forcing them to turn their
backs to the blast, Principal Crosby Of
the Deering High school started from the
Woodforis post Office for his home on
Hartley avenue. There were few people
on the street and those who were plung-
| ing along through the drifts with their
hats pulled down over their eyes and their
collars turned up about their ears were
unable to either see or hear anything. AS
| Mr. Crosby reached the Forest avenue
that the gates which guard the track were
down, and long freight train was roll
| ing by, carrying with it a cloud of snow.
This train was on the inward bound track
headed towards Union 4 station and Be.
tween Mr. Crosby and this train WAS the
outward bound track along which was
coming an engine pushing a ffanger
ahead of it.
| Mr. Crosby waited until the long freight
train had pulled by and then passing the
gates and not seeing the approaching
snow plow he started to cross the outward
bound track. A cloud Of snow whirled
! up about the rear car of the freight and
FOR IN instant completely blinded Mr..
Crosby. Just at this time he evidently
heard or saw the coming snow plow. He
was then between the inward bound and
the outward bound tracks, and had he
stayed In that position, SO the engineer of
the snow plow said, he would not have
been injured. Mr.. Crosby started to re
| turn across the outward bound track and
stepped directly in front of the coming
| plow. The engineer saw the man through
| the whirl of SNOW before the tlanger, but
q ID .4lot stop In time to save him. TIE
plow struck the unfortunate man and
hurled him to one side far out from the
| track, where he was buried in a bank of
! snow
There were quite number of people
behind Mr.. Crosby when the accident oc-
CURED and these rushed forward to the
snow bank in which he lay nearly buried
from sight The engineer brought the
snow plow and engine to a standstiu and
the train crew and those people who
happened to be in the vicinity ran back
to tie scene of the accident. DR.. Foster
was called and on examination it was
found that Mr.. Crosby neck was broken
and thatshe had evidently been instantly
killed. When those who were near by at
the time reached Mr. Crosby, he was
dead.
From his left ear and his mouth the
blood gushed forth in streams. which
soon turned the white snow drift into one
of scarlet. His cap was pulled down OVER
his ears and this, together with the noise
made by the freight train and the wind,
probably accounts for his not having
heard the signals of the approaching snow
pIow
AS far as could be discovered MIR.
Crosby's body was not even bruised nor
was his face disdgured in any way
Rioh's ambulance was called from
Portland and the body was brought into
this city where it was placed in caskct,
and last night carried ont to Deering to
his home. Mrs. Crosby is an invalid,
and the news of her husbands sudden
death completely prostrated her.
The terrible affair cast gloom over the
whole city of Deering, and almost every
house in the place was house OF mourn
ing last night
Besides a wife, Mr.. Crosby leaves two
young children, boy and girl, the
eldest being about eight years old.
Mr. Edgar H. Crosby was born in
Brownyille in this state, 80 years ago.
He was the son Of DR.. L. B. Crosby,
prominent physician of that place, who
with n brother, DIR. N. II. Crosby of
Monson. and three sisters survive him.
He Graduated from Colby university in
1880 and soon after his graduation taught
the High school of Milo. He was also the
principal of the Monson academy for
number of years.
Eight years ago Mr.. Crosby came to
Deering as the principal OF the High
school. From the very first he was IN
usually successful, and he made the Deer
ing High school one of the best in the
State Of Maine. With his pupils he was
very popular, and by his kindly manner,
his scholarly habits and upright character
he not only endeared himself to his pupils
but to all who came in contact with him.
A nobler, better man never lived than
Edgar FL. Crosby. he has left behind an
honorable record, and his untimely death
brought to q sudden end life Whioh was
full of promise.
He took great interest in the affairs OF
the city of Deering and the schooi OF
sE'