Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-07-04
BUFFALO FLYER
WRECKED At SUNBURY

1 % tlOCh IuesuaN dlbtTHOOua L NO
men were Instantly killed, a third ia
tally hurt, and score of passengers in
Jured.
The flyer ran into an open switch,
and then into Lewistown freight.
None of the crew of the freight were
hurt.
The accident happened at the lower
end of the yards. The flyer was five
minutes late and was running at the
rate Cf sixty miles an hour The
Lewistown freight was just about to
pull out of the yards. The express and
baggage cars were iammed into each
other and splintered almost into kind
ling wood.
Three of the flyers crew were kill.
ed, and about twenty passengers We're
hurt
The dead are:
Fireman Frank Macavilla, Williams
port.
Express Messenger Eyer, of Harris
burg.
Assistant Baggagemaster Hunter, of
Harrisburg, who died in the hospital
The injured are:
Edward Stringer, of Northumbar-
land, brakeman on the flyer, slight in
ternal injuries.
\. S. Ringuir, of Lancaster, head
cut
Mrs. William G. Irving, Mendina,
N. Y, serious internal injuries.
Miss L. Snyder, of the University
hospital, Philadelphia, nose broken.
Joshua SAKE, an invalid from the
hospital at Keating summit, nervous
shock from which he may not recover
Minnie ITCHY, of Baltimore, hand
cut.
Mrs. H. NJ Bennett. of Takoma
Park, Washington, D. O., serious ID
ternal injuries.
Mrs. Irons, Bodine N. Y. broken
nose and internal injuries.
William Ulmer. engineer ON the fy-
er, serious bruises and internal il
juries.
The wreck was caused by an opm
switch at the lower end of the yad
near the bridge across the Shamok u
creek. The Lewistown local intendH
to take the south bound track but was
switched upon the track which Wa
being kept clear for the flyer. already
overdne. When once upon the TRACK
the replaced switch made it impossible
to return.
The freight was standing on north
bound track and the crew. having
ample warning of the approach of the
flyer, escaped unhurt. The engineer
of the passenger train could not see
the freight which was hidden behind
upon it before he was aware of lis
presence and could apply the air
brakes. In the collision both engines
We're smashed into twisted heaps ri
scrap iron, the freight train was totally
wrecked, and the baggage car of the
flyer was broken to pieces.
Harry Spangler, of Lewistown. fire
man on the local and G.. p. Miller, Of
Lewistown, the fagman, made the fol-
lowing statement:
We jumped from the train and ran
ahead to flag the passenger which we
could hear whistling around the bend.
We tried our best to stop them, but
they probably did not see us and ran
at full speed straight ahead into the
tender of our engine, which was run.
ming backwards.
William Ulmer, of Harrisburg, en-.
gineer on the flyer, when questioned
by reporter said:
We were running at so miles an
hour to make up five minutes back
time. thought the track was clear
until we rounded the bend and saw
the freight scarcely fifty feet away. l
threw on the brakes, but it was too
late to jump. My fireman jumped just
before the crash. He was killed.
Macavilla, the fireman, jumped an
instant before the collision occurred
He was caught between the tender and
baggage car. His clothes were torn
from him and he was crushed to death
Eyer, the express messenger, who
was on his first trip over the division,
was killed in the express car. The
floor was forced up against the roof by
the car behind and he was crushed be-
tween the timbers.
The mail was scattered broadcast,
and trunks were torn to pieces and
their contents ruined. Many Sun
burians Joined in the search for miss
ing valuables in the debris, helping
guard the trunks from thieves and
rendered great aid to the injured.
On the same car and IN the same
manner, Baggagemaster Hunter was
mortally hurt, and died about an hour
later at the hospital
An engine and car carried most OF
the injured to Market street. Sunbury,
whence they were removed to the hos.
pital. The ambulance, carriages and
automobiles carried many more up tc