The Mena weekly star., 1907-02-28
PLUNGED NTO \ RIVER
Fast Chicago-New York Passenger Train Goes Over 60-Foot
 Embankment
MANY PROMINENT CHICAGOANs HURT
Postmaster Busse Badly Bruised but Not SeriocsIy lnjured-of the 54 Passengers on the Train Not One Escaped Injury, Although None We're Killed Outright.


 We're Killed Outright.
 Johnstown, Pa, Feb. 24--The Pennsylvania Special. the fast 1s- hour train on the Pennsylvia railroad between New York and Chicago, was wrecked at Black Diamond, Pa, seven miles east of Johnstown early Saturday morning.
 Many prominent Chicagoans were on the train, all of whom were seri- ously injured. Among those were F. A. Busse, postmaster of Chicago, Samuel F. Nixon of Nixon & Zim- merman, theatrical proprietors; NJ. A. Singer. manager LaSalle theatre, Chicago; Lightner Henderson. a civil engineer; George s. Wood, manager Colonial theatre, Chicago, and J. J. Kern, ex-state's attorney of Chicago.
 The train was running about 50 miles an hour and was B minutes late. When rounding sharp curve at Black Diamond the whole train swayed The engine and smoking car remained on the tracks, but the Pullman coaches left the rails and plunged over a 60-foot embankment.
 The wreck was caused by what was termed by railroad men as an un- avoidable accident The brake rig ging on the first Pullman following the combination coach on the train dropped down and tore up the tight rail for a distance of 300 yards. The engine and combination coach die not leave the rails. but the four Pullmans following plunged down over the embankment to the river bank 60 feet below, oyerturning when they reached the bottom.
 The "eighteen-hour train" travels at high rate of speed. coming down the mountain. When the brake rig ging fell it either stripped the heaos off the bolts holding the rails to the ties or tore up the rails themselves.
 The speed at which the train was travelling when it left the rails was terrific. There is curve abo' where the first rail was loosened. The cars did not o<erturn going down the steep hill. There were no trees or Instructions in the way to hinder them and they remained up- right until they reached the bottom. The first car overturned and slid along on it's side for quite distance. The second car did likewise The third car turned over completely and had its top crushed in. The fouru car is on it's side. Most of the pas sengers on the train were in their berths when the cars left the tracks.
 Altoona, Pa, Feb. 24.-So far as can be learned from Pennsylvania railroad officials here, no one was killed in the wreck of the ls-hour New York Flyer near Johnstown Friday night. There were 54 passen- gers on the train nearly, all of whom were hurt. Only one passenger, John F. Kline, postmaster of Joliet, ili.' was fatally injured. He is in hospl- tai here. F. A. Busse postmaster at Chicago was badly bruised but not seriously injured.
 The Chicago and New York special eastbound, arrived on the scene soon after the accident occurred, and the crew and passengers turned out an' gave their attention to caring TOT the injured. Some of the more seri- pusly injured were brought to tnis aity and taken to the Altoona hospital A few were taken to the Memorial hospital, Johnstown, put the greater number, whose injuries were slight, continued their journey westward on a special train, made up and sent out of Pittsburg to take the place of the wrecked train
 When the train left the rails in- stead of falling over. the cars siip- ned down the steep embankmeht, which was covered with ice anu snow into the river. Fortunately, tbe water was very shallow. Had II not been for this it is probable tha' many of the passengers would nave heen drowned before assistance couio have reached them. As 1t was, tneir escape from death was very narrow.
 Without clothing and exposed to inc clements of one of the coioes' nights of the year the suffering oi the messengers for time was eS- trame The arrival of the train rom ,be west and the prompt response ol the doctors from Johnstown anu south Fork saved them from suiler- ,no serious consequences rom tne axtreme cold weather.