The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-28
FATAL WRECK AT
PRESTON PARK

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Concluded from Page IL
speed was frightful. II seemed as |
1t had been shot out of u cannon
Young Fitzgerald who was on tn,
tender hung on to the handles besid,
him with desperate grasp. expecting
TO be swept off any minute. In tn,
middle of an s-like curve about Il mil,
this side of Starlight. the ilange of tn,
locomotive wheel snapped. or at leas
the engine left the rails at this poin,
The speed had not been decreased bu
seemed to be gaining and was ~ or 81
miles an hour when the derailmen
took place. The result can be pictured
in ones imagination. The engine whe,
it jumped. shot across the rails. ant
plowed into earth and turned de
II half-circle before it fel
over on its side The fun force o.
the train behind. each of the cars
weighing - or 30 tons, moved ant
pushed the engine of 100 tons about II.
If 1T were Il toy. When the crasl
ceased and the furious force of tn,
mad train was spent. the engine was
II wreck. Reaching from the oute'
rail 1t lay down the field. Sunken Will
the earth, 1t was II wall against which
the cars rammed themselves with ;
wild unrestrained force until nothing
remained but a mountain of debris
The heavy timbers of stout cars Were
and splintered like match
boards. Car trucks were piled on tor
of each other and some were rolled
down the incline beside the track. II
two or three places cars were forced
up into the air for ten or twelve feet
The rails on one side snapped and rip.
ped off and the hundreds of tons OF
coal covered the ground for severa
feet on both sides of the track. 1t was
Il picture of terrible confusion and il
would make one shudder as he viewed
the wreckage and contemplated the
fate of the men who were caught anG
had their lives squeezed and crushed
out. either between the cars or under
their terrible weight.
Died at Their Posts.
least chance to save themselves. Tc
them to jump threatened an awfu
fate, for they lived in the hope that
the train could be checked. The en-
S!neer. fireman and the two brakemer
were in this plight They were forced
to stick to their posts and there they
died. Conductor Smith and Brakeman
Walsh were more fortunate. The
speed of the train and the heaps OF
snow on the cars prevented them from
any headway. So when the
crash came they We're only few cars
off from the caboose. When they felt
the cars jamming and heard the awfu
noise they jumped. Smith landed safe.
~. Walsh did not fare so we'll as his
leap was greater. In falling his head
came in contact with something that
tore the left scalp for several inches
His left shoulder was badly bruised
interfering with muscles of his arms
Walsh could not tell how it happened
The wreck and sacrifice were complet,
before he had the least chance to real
iZc what was going on. The train lef
Poyntellc at 6.02 in the morning. and il
Il few minutes it was OH it's wild run
In lightning time it passed across hi:
NINA that the train was running ava.
ana in another instant the crash came
and he and Smith were leaping fol
their lives. II was II terrible experience
and Walsh was quite unnerveh by the
ordeal. This was the second wreck t.
which he was caught, and is .robabl,
the last. as he resolved yesterday tc
change his employment. His earlicl
experience was when a number of cars
toppled over opposite the Northwest.
Young Fitzgerald who had such I;
escape by being hurled from
the engine TO safety when the smaNl
came. told The Tribune man that ht
was frightened almost to death durina
the wild ride. He was alone on tbs
tender when the train passed Preston
but he needed no one to warn MIN tha
the train was running away. Th.
speed he said was terrible. and IN
it, When the engine whisi!.
for the brakes and the speed
grew mad instead of lessenins. he felt
that his time had come and he grippet
his hold though with little faith that Il,
would escape death. When he was cas-
of the engine by the terrible lurcr
when it ploushed into the earth. h.
was not stunned. he declared, ana II.
he lay on the ground lie was almost
with fear mt the sound ol
the cars as they crashed together ani
We're torn apart. lie was half sick al
day, ana would not discuss his eXper.
!ence until he could not escape tbs
of his questioners.
a a.. In,
y. V, and aIayheld Yaro
reached the scene, the bodies of Mil
lard. Budd and Duffy We're dug out o,
The debris ana taken TO Middletowr, t.
be prepared for burial The FIRST i've
We're found near the tender. This ind!,
Gated that Budd had only started I,
sci the brakes. Duffy was under I;
heap of coal. All three We're fearfull
Whiting was still under tn,
engine last night and could not bc
reached. Portions of his body Were
about the wheels OF the en.
sine.
The crew was AN extra one, every
man except the conductor; none of the
regular hands of this train came out
to make the run. All OF the men wer,
u III NuIDplluule. w HltlilI
has been on The road for years. Mil
lard was employed for two years, Dui'
~ had been running for only siS
while Budd was only in servic,
TWO months. Millard and Whiting wer,
married and are survived by one chill
each.
Superintendent r. B. Williams, of tht
Scranton division, was on the ground
lll day. Traffic will be open today.