The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-15
BURIED UNDER a WRECK.
Unsuccessful Efforts to Secure q
Hallway FiFeman's Body.

BALTIMORE. aug. 15.-UnsuccessfuI eff
forts were made yesterday 10 recover the
body OF J. Arthur Plat. the fireman. WHO
was killed in the collision late Monday
night CT TWO Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
trains On the yiaduct bridge which spans
Gwynn's Falls, in Southwest Baltimore,
not far from the CIaremont sto- kyards
The body is supposed to be under the heavy
locomotive, which lies bottom upward on
the west bank Of the stream, or concealed
in the tender which is also bottom upward
il the middle OF the stream
a number of men worked hard to locate
the remains. but without avail. The water
at that point is very filthy, and the bottom
Of the stream is soft mud Il is believed
that the body viii not be recovered until
the locomotive or tender is removed, and
that may take several days.
Plat had been II the employ OF the COM
pany for about three months. His father is
said 10 live in Germantown. Pa and his
mother somewhere IL New York State
The body OF Charles y Schoppert, the
engineer who was killed was TUNED over
TO his family last night BIS skull was
crushed and his neck broken.
Engineer SebopperU was born in 1862 at
Summit Point. jefferson county. Va. He
came 10 Baltimore about thirteen years
ago, where he married Miss Lizzie ReJraft
SchOppeTt had been with the Baltimore
and Ohio in the capacity of fireman ana
engineer for more than thirteen years He
was member of the Brotherhood of LG-
connective Engineers Surviving him are
mis- -sidow two girls, and one boy
Coroner c. Frank Jones'. Of the South
western district. viii hold an Inquest in
the case tonight.
\ wTecking crew, in charge of Assistant
Trainmaster Charles L Cole Of the Bait
more division First district. wsnt 10 the
scene OF the wreck early yesterday morn
ing and worked throughout the day Il is
said TO be one of the most difficult wrecks
the road has ever had to handle, and it
may take four or five DAYS 10 Gear ayav
tbs debris. The big Baldwin locomotive.
weighing 1S4, coo pounds, is lying on II >
west bank Of thu stream. vi h 4 part RESI-
ing in the water. and seems to be in good
condition. with the exception Of tna cab,
which was broken by the fall of forty-e CHIT
feet from the top OF the stone bridge. Lit
tie damage seems TO have besn done the
tender, which is also bottom upward but S
made more di1IiCuit 10 handle because OF
the fact that 1t is in the stream. a gon-
dola ear filed with coal is also in the
stream. The coal Will probably be lost. but
the truck Of the car is damaged only OF
one end. WOTkmen were busy yesterday
making road en- which to lay a temporary
the stream TO the permanent track.
The coping along the store b idge for
perhaps twenty feet was broken, and the
big stones tumbied down ii = banks The
arch OF the bridge was not affected and
trains passed over it AL day yesterday
The opinion prevails tha& the accident
was due either to misunderstanding or a
diSObedience Of orders. The locomotive in
charge Of Engineer Sehoppert, was draw
ing tender and number Of empty cars
the right of way, so that 1t could be backe I'd
into a siding near the Claremont stock
yards. The coal train was, it is said. pass
ing from the eastbound to the westbound
track by a switch laid on the bridge
tower is a short distance away. and the
operator is said TO have ordered Engineer
Schoppert to hold his train of ''empties'
until the other train had passed Through
some misunderstanding Engineer Schop-
pert is believed TO have started his train
across the bridge, while the coal train was
coming from the opposite direction. The
locomotive and part of the coal train were
on the westbound track. several cars We're
on the switch and the remainder of the
cars were on the eastbound track which
the train was leaving
Engineer Schoppert's locomotive struck
the cars on the switch a glancing blow.
His engine and tender and one of the coal
cars were forced off the track and toppled
over the stone parapet forty-eight feet to
the stream below. Engineer Schoppert and
Fireman Plat doubtless did not have time
to jump, or else stuck TO their posts and
went down in the wreck.