Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-11-17
ENGINE TOPPLED
over BANK

By the spreading of the tracks, en-
gine No. 1901, on the Shamokin divis-
ion of the Pennsylvania Railroad, was
thrown over the embankment and
number of large coal cars were badly
wrecked on "the horn" above Race
street. Sunbury, shortly before the
noon hour, Sunday.
Engineer George KeefeI and Fire
man Harry Inns, both had miraculous
escapes from being killed, saving
themselves by jumping, sustaining
only slight injuries.
The ill-fated train, which was run
ming as an extra and was carrying
white flags, was just leaving the yard
for 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 fraiI tower in
terrific 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 were injured slight
ly, and he sustained a hard knock on
his chest when he struck, but FORUM
ateiy he was not otherwise hurt, al
though he was shaken up considera-
bly,.
Fireman Inns scrambled to the en-
CINE tender and jumped in tie opposite
direction, and, strange as it may seem,
was not hurt to any extent, sustaining
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
embankmeut, 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 coal cars following the engine,
were lifted bodily from the trucks, and
piled up cross wise on the tracks. The
first car being constructed of steel, was
damaged but slightly. the other two
being of wood, were badly splintered.
The fifteen cars following never left
| the track. and were not damaged in
the least but the next three were tele-
scop2d and smashed.
For several squares the noise of the
people had arrived on the scene the
wreckage about the fire box of the over
turned locomotive caught fire, adding
to the horrors of the accident The
Number One Fire Company responded
promptly to still alarm by laying a
line of hose from Fourth Street was
successful in extinguIshing the blaze
before any further great damage or 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 bat fraiI
pieces of pine lumber. The founda-
tion was torn to depth of several
feet, and the wooden ties were ground
into kindling wood Several of the
wooden ties were curiously twiste d
loose and driven into the coal dirt like
stakes, until they were completely buri-
ed.
The locomotive presented a 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 were 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 flakes and veuturiEg forth to
view the wreckage. During the after
noon fully thousand people visited
the scene to satisfy their curiosity
The Sunbury wrecking crew and
track reparmen were put to work at
once to clear the road. While the
~Iecking crew 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
n the afternoon. The wrecking crew
with the assistance of the powerful
steam derrick raised the engine tender
after much difficulty. Owing to the
inclemency of the weather no night
work was done. Early Monady morn
ing the Sunbury wrecking crew sup
plemented by the Nescopeck force and
large derrick began to raise the over
turned locomotive. The poor condi-
tioa of the roadbed prevented them
from making rapid progress
Same Old Story.
We are told with great frankness and
with positiveness that turkeys are
scarce and viii be too high priced
Thursday week for the average
q