Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-13
ONE KILLED, ANOTHER HURT
Accident at tho Beech Street
Crossing of the p, w. g. B.
CARRIAGE STRUCK BY A TRAIN
Vehicle Destroyed and Horse
Almost Cut in Two.
Joseph II. Blatz, Manager oi the Factory
of i. BluInenthal e. Co, Instantly Killed
and Edward +. ElinR, IA Timrk"eper 1t
the Plant, Severely Injured while Cross
Ing the BaIirOad sunday Morning.

Joseph II, Blatz, manager of tho local
plant of f. l}lumenthal a. Co., was in
stantly killed. and Edward +. Finn, a
timeleePcr at the factory, was severely
injured, by being struck by Pcnnsyl-
vania railroad train at the Beech street
crossing about $50 O'Clock Sunday
morning. The death of Mr.. Blatz
causes widespread regret, for in the
comparatively short time he has been
in Wilmington, he had endeared him
self with the employees of the concern
and had made numerous friends
There are no safety gates at the
Beech street crossing and on Sundays
no Waterman is there. The tracks of
the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Balti-
more railroad, the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad and the Philadelphia & Read
ing railway, parallel each other at that
point, making it dangerous crossing.
Mr.. Blat2 and Mr.. Finn drove down
into the district below the railroad by
way Of Justison street, and were re-
turning by way of Beech street. As
they drew near the crossing, Charles
Bratton, q Postal messenger boy, and
other lads, who were on the opposite
side of the railroad and saw the COM
ing train. yelled Il warning to them.
but apparently they did not hear, and
all unconscious of the danger, drove
from behind Il row of freight cars
directly upon the track. There they
were struck by the Chesapeake 81 Ohio
express train, northbound. The car
riage was reduced to splinters and the
| horse almost cut in two. ..
Mr.. Blatz and Mr.. Finn were
thrown into the air and alighted some
distance from the tracks. Michael
Gardner and others picked up the
bodies, which were placed on the eX.
press train, after it had stopred and
backed, and were brought to French
street station.
1t was apparent that Mr.. Blatz had
been instantly killed. His neck was
broken, his skull and left arm were
fractured, bat his face was not dis
figured Mr.. Finn was at first thought
to be in II very serious condition. He
was attended at the station by Dir.
Howard Ogle and then sent to the
Delaware Hospital. His head was cut,
hut the surgeons found no broker
bones, and believe he will recover. His
residence is PIC Harrison street,
Mr.. Blatz's body was renewed to thu
Office of Coroner's Assistant James T.
| Chanuler. ..
Joseph H. Blatz was only % year!
old, yet he had attained high position
in the morocco industry. His fathc
has q morocco plant at Elizabeth, n
j., and from that city the son cam
here about two years ago to manag
the Blumenthal plant, which is tn
second largest in the country. Hi
knowledge of the business included no
only what he had learned in thi
country, but also the results Of stud
aboard. Ii did not take long for hin
to show his thorough mastery of tn
business in handling the problems "a
the Wilmington plant, and one of til
J characteristics which made for success
was his kindly manner in dealing wit
! the employees Of the concern. His resi-
denco was at Gil Van Buren, street
where his sister, Elizabeth, and hi
brother, William, who assisted him u
the plant, also lived,
, The news Of his death was c0mmuni
Gated to his father and to membcrs (
| the Blumenthal firm, which comprise
Lulian Ullman and Ferdinand Blumer
( thai. Ihe latter is abroad. On recci,
! ing the sad news Mr.. Ullman came I
! Wilmington and called at the stricke
! house.