Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1904-11-18
ENGINE TOPPLED
over BANK

gine No. 1901, on the Shamokin divis-
ion Of the Pennsylvania Railroad. was
thrown over the embankment and a
number of large coal oars were badly
wrecked on "she horn" above Race
street, Sunbury. shortly before the
noon hour, Sunday.
Engineer George Keefer and Fire
man Harry Inns, both had miraculous
escapes from being killed, saving
themselves by jumping, sustaining
only slight injuries.
The ill-fsted train, which was run
ming as an extra and was carrying
white flags, was just leaving the yard
for a trip to Mt. Carmel Soon after
the locomotive started to round the
sharp curve on the horn, it began to
sway and rock like a frail tower in a
to rrific wind storm. Engineer Keefer,
realizing, that something was wrong,
hastily shut off the power and did all
he could to stop the train, and then,
calling to his fireman,H. Inns, to save
himself, jumped for his life. He struck
the end of tie and rolled part way
down the embankment. The ligaments
of his right wrist we're injured slight
ly, and he sustained hard knock on
his chest when he struck, but FORUM
ately he was not otherwise hurt, al.
though he was shaken up considera.
bly,.
Fireman Inns scrambled to the en-
gine tender and jumped in the opposite
direction, and, strange as it may seem,
was not hurt to any extent. sustainin g
only few slight scratches.
People witnessing the wreckage af-
ter the accident, and heard how quick
ly it all happened, could not realize
that both men were not ground to
death in the pile-up.
Scarcely second had elapsed after
the engineer and fireman had made
their leap for life before the monster
iron horse toppled and rolled over the
embankment, finally burying itself in
the coal dirt almost bottom end up
ward.
There being pusher behind the
train. helping it around the curve. the
three GOAL cars following the engine,
were lifted bodily from the trucks, and
piled up orosswise on the tracks. The
first car being constructed Of steel, was
damaged but slightly. the other two
being of wood, we're badly splintered.
!, The fifteen cars following never left
the track. and were not damaged in
the least but this next three we're tele-
scoped and smashed.
For several squares the noise Of the
wreck was heard, but before dozen
people had arrived on the scene the
wreckage about the FIRE box Of the over
turned locomotive csught fire, adding
to the horrors of the accident. The
Number One Fire Company responded
prom pity to still alarm by lay ing a
line Of hose from Fourth Street was
successful in extinguishing the blaze
before any further great damage OF in
jury was wrought.
For distance of fifty feet or more
the roadbed was completely destroy
ed. The heavy steel rails were snap
ped into pieces or twisted into differ
ent shapes, as If they had been but frail
pieces of pine lumber. The founda-
tion was torn to a depth of several
feet, and the wooden ties were ground
into kindling wood. Several of the
wooden ties were ouriously twiste d
loose and driven into the coal dirt like
stakes, until they were completely buri-
ed.
The locomotive presented sight of
destruction as it lay buried with all of
the working parts underneath exposed
to view. The cab was torn loose and
knocked into small pieces, and most
Of the other small parts we're wreck
ed but it is not believed that the
machine, as whole. is badly wreck
ed, as it buried itself in the soft coal
dirt. Men skilled in such work, ex-
press the opinion that it can be repair
ed easily, but that the expense would
be quite heavy.
Quickly the news Of the accident
spread about Sunbury. and even the
disagreeable weather could not keep
the curious ones from Drawing the
snow-fskes and venturing forth to
view the wreoksge. During the after.
noon fully Thousand people visited
the scene to satisfy their curiosity.
The Sunbury wrecking crew and
track repairmen were put to work at
once to clear the road. While the
wIecking Grew raised the broken cars
and got them out of the way the track
repairmen set about to rebuild the road
bed and relay the rails and ties. This
work was not accomplished until late
in the afternoon. The wreoking Grew
with the assistance of the powerful
steam derrick raised the engine tender
after much difficulty. Owing to the
inolemency Of the weather no night
work was done. Early Monady morn.
ing the Sunbury wreoking Grew sup.
plemented by the Nesoopeok force and
large derrick began to raise the over
turned locomotive. The poor condi-
tion of the roadbed prevented them
from MAKING rapid prouraas