The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-07-28
DIED UNDER
HIS ENGINE
Engineer Myers Of Morristown
Drill Killed by the Upsetting
Of His Locomotive.
STRANGE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT

Amiel E. Myers, engineer of the
Morristown drill, was killed on Mon
day morning by locomotive 657, which
he was running, going off the derail at
the Water street bridge. The fire.
man. Marshall Hixon, when he saw
the locomotive was going over the
bank, jumped from the top OF the ten
der to the tracks and escaped with
sprained leg.
The drill crew in charge of Conduct
or Conlan had been drilling at Whites
coal yard and backed down quite a
string of cars into the yard on the
westbound side of The railroad near
the passenger station. A few drills
were made there, and the tower was
signaled for the switches to cross over
to the passenger yard. The switches
were set and the signal given from the
tower and Engineer Myers proceeded,
Init in the derail switch, between the
rail and point, was firmly wedged
achain which evidently had been brok
an off from the hopper bottom of
pondola car which had passed over the
switch a few minutes before. The
nony trucks evidently climbed over the
chain and the driving wheels followed,
running off the ties, and when the soft
earth was reached upsetting the en-
gine. One gondola, the one with the
broken hopper, was also turned over
on it's side. but remained on the tracks.
The engine turned completely over on
the bank.
Rrakemen Hopkins and Peer were
on the train with Conductor Conlan
but escaped all injury.
Section Foreman Rankin put his
gang at work digging near the cab to
rescue the engineer if possible, and
after working for an hour and half
managed to get so that they could re-
move the body, which was carried to
the Shelley ice factory, where DR..
Griswold and DR.. johnson made an ex-
animation. They found some slight
contusions about the head, but Or.
Johnson expressed the opinion that
Mr.. Myers had lived for some under
the engine, death being due to sutfo-
cation. He declared that it again
showed the necessity OF coroner IN
Morristown, and the result OF no one
having authority in railroad matters
here except over some one department.
The possibility of the fire depart
ment being of use was discussed, but
it was decided that the tiremen would
be of little use in handling a heavy
piece of apparatus like the locomotive.
The accident seems to be one for
which no person can be blamed. The
derailing device at that point seems
refinement of safety for the protection
of trains on the main track, but such
device is required by the Interstate
Commerce Commission on all s1dlngs
opening into main tracks. The grade
of the siding is such that there was no
danger of cars running down on the
main track, and with only bank OF
earth with little shoulder and less
than rail length of rail on the derail
point. invited the loss Of life which re-
suited. A wider bank and hundred
feet of rail would have given oppor-
tunity to stop the train before going
oyer the bank.
1t is thought that Engineer Myers
saw the obstruction which opened the
derail, as he applied the air and stepped
from his cab, presumably to jump OIL.
Engineer Myers, commonly known
as "Frenchy Myers, was one OF the
Oldest of the engineers on the road, for
merly running some of the fast trains
and being "a favorite for officials trains.
A few years ago he bid in the drill run
here and retired from the more siren
uous work of running on the line. He
is survived by widow and three
grown sons.
The work of clearing the wreck was
started at once and was viewed by
hundreds Of people during the day.
The gondola and the tank Of the en-
CINE were hoisted away, then a shelf
was dug on the side of the bank and
covered with ties. The wrecking crane
was then used to stand the engine up
on it's wheels again. An incline was
then graded down from the siding, and
the engine to-day is being hauled out.
Chains on cars are prolific source
of accident. The horpers are supposed
to be closed before a car is moved, but
many times chain drops or gets loos-
ened in some way.
The wreck brought many officials to
town. Superintendent Rine spent
most Of the day here. Others were
Assistant Engineer Neaffie, Roadmas-
s ter Kiersted, Interlocking Foreman
Morrison. with several lesser lights.