The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-12-13
Wa:.ssr aialaras's Pompt
Action Kept the Bankers
Express Of the Erie Road
From Disaster
GLOBE WAIVE BLEW OUT
ESCAPING STEAM DROVE THE
MEN FROM TUE ENGINE AND
THE CROWDED TRAIN WAS AP-
PRoACHISG THE TUNNEL UN-
DIRECTED AND UNCoN-
TROLLED.


Badly scaided about the face az9
hands, half blinded and forced IRON the
cab OF his locomotive BY escaping steam
as the resI,s of the blowing oat of a
globe valve, Engineer Walter Richards,
Of the Bankers Express train Of the
Erie Railroad. yesterday climbed over
the top of the coal heap III the tender,
dropped to the platform Of the first car
Of the train and applied the emergency
brakes. His grill saved the train from
lashing wildly though the Erik tunnee
and on to the depot without a hand at
the throttle The seats of every coach
that made up the train were occupied.
After his nervy feat Richards dropped
to the platform of the first car in pain
and exhaustion He was found few
moments later by the conductor and
brakeman of the train. who had rushed
forward to ascertain the cause of the
audden stoppage OF the train. The pas
sergers were Jared by the sudden stop
page and many pitched forward from
their sears. They scrambled out Of the
cars and wanted to know what was the
matter But the rainmen We're 100 busy
just then to talk, and many on the train
safely reached their destination without
knowing how near tie had come to fly
ing through a long tunnel in a masterless
train.
TIE Barkers' Express left Sterling
Forest. its starting place, at 80 a. NJ
Every ear was filed when it reached
AIontclair st 9.C5. The train was GID
ing swiftly over the Hackensack Mead
oys and was within half a mile of the
western end of the tunnel when the globe
valve blew OFT of the bboiler head ana
boii.1g lot steam rushed from the un
capped pipe. sRicharGs and his fireman
were thrown backward and stunned. The
cab was Instantly filed with the hot
steam. The men. with eyes closed and
holding their breath TO prevent inhaEng
tie steam, managed TO get out of the
cab. Meanwhile tie train was shooting
ahead toward the tunnel with express
speed. Richards made desperate eff
fort to get at the throttle after they had
reached the teaaer. He was about to
dart inso the bciliEg cauldron when his
fireman caught him by the shoulders ana
held hin, back, e-clainings
.sfy God, don't do that. It will kill
you before you get her stopped"
It was then that Richards crswled
over the coal pile in the tender and APP
piled the emergency brakes, bringing up
the train automatically. When found on
fhe platform in an exhausted condition,
the skin on one side Of his face and both
hands peeled of and suffering from his
burns the trainmen insisted on his being
made comfortable and lying down in one
of the coaches. He got up and lent
whatever assistance he could. to those
who were repairing the damages. When
the train reached the Jersey City depot
he hoped off his engine and went TO a
drug store where he had his wounds
treated. No one thought he would show
up for work for some time. But with
his face bandaged he reported for work
last night and took train out.
The railway officials say that Rich
ards is nervy, eool-headed fellow, and
that yesterday he did the right thing at
tAe right time. Richards will get his
mark, which means that he is sure soon
to ger 2 bethev run.