Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1903-01-29
FATAL WRECK ON W. & N. B.

| OHc VI tHe ulOSC appalling IdllrOa(
wrecks in the history of the w. & N
B. r. r. occurred near this place
at an early hour Monday morning
when loaded freight train running
at twelve miles an hour crashed in
to ten freight cars standing on the
Summit siding, resulting in the death
of three of the trainmen.
The dead are:
HI. l.. Edkin, conductor.
Edward Darling, brakeman.
Thomas Swank, brakeman.
The injured: Lloyd Fairman, fire.
man, bruised and badly scalded
about the body; Boak Steigleman,
engineer, sustained minor injuries.
Both brakemen resided at Sones.
town. Darling is survived by a
widow and Swank bya widow and
infant child, both having been mar
ried less than a year. Mr.. Edkin
who had been in the employ of the
railroad for IS years, lived at Satter-
field. He is survived by young
widow.
The accident occurred at what is
known as Summit siding which is
about one and a half mile from La
porte. In order to accelerate the
movement of coal, the crew had been
at work to move all cars possible to
Summit siding that big trains could
be started in the morning toward
Halls Station.
Owing to the steep grade from
Satterfield to Summit siding only a
short draft of cars was moved on
each trip and these were placed on
sidings between Nordmont and La
porte.
AT an early hour Monday morn
ing the crew of the early passenger
train with their engine placed ten
cars on the siding at the summit and
the engine ran out the south end on
to the main line and returned to
Ringdale for the remainder of the
train. At 2:40 O'Clock the engine
returned TO the summit with loaded
cars of hayand grain. Owing to the
position of the cars already on the
siding it was the intention of the
crew to run past the north switch and
push the cars back onto the siding
from the south switch. AS conse-
quence the engineer did not reduce
the speed as they approached the
north end but instead of continuing
on the main line the engine dashed
into the open switch and against the
string of loaded cars left there few
hours previously.
All the men were riding in the cab
of the engine except Fairman who
was on the rear of the tender pulling
down coal when the engineer saw
his train turn to the switch and was
but two car-length from the standing
cars ahead. He shouted ''Boys we
are all gone!' All but he made an
attempt to jump, but had only time
to step to the tender when the col
lision occurred.
The impact of the engine and its
string of cars against the stationary
cars was terrific. The tender crush
ed together like an egg shell and
lodged against the big locomotive.
The cab was completely demolished
and thrown upon the boiler over the
dome. Engineer Seigleman was
thrown through the cab window and
escaped with a painful cut on the
thigh. The fireman was on the real
of the tender shoveling coal and was
thrown with terrific force against
the fire box. The three unfortunate
men were caught between the ten
der and the locomotive when i,
crashed together. Mr.. Edkin's legs
were crushed to the knees. Mr.
Darling's body was horribly man
gled, indicating instantaneous death
Mr.. Swank's one leg was severely
crushed and scalded. The fireman
though badly scalded' after assisting
engineer Seigleman as best he coult
in caring for Swank and Edkin start
ed for Laporte to summon help. Th'
lanterns were all extinguished ant
the night dark and cold. The roat
to Laporte was not familiar to Mr.
Fairman who lost his way. Hal