The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-04-05
Crash on Switch Here,l
but Big Wreck Is (
AVerted.
BRAKEMAN SAVES SCORES u
In CENTRAL EXPRESS
Joseph P. Heckelmann Is Badly
Injured and Taken to i
Hospital.
WAS IN CAR WHEN
THE COLLISION CAME
About to Leave Work to Attend
the Funeral of His
Baby. 4

TWO men were injured, one Of them
seriously, when brakeman threw a
switch today which, while it caused =
crash between coal train and two
freight cars, precipitating one OF the
cars into the street from q trestle. pre-
vented collision with an express
train that would have resulted in loss
of life.
The accident occurred shortly before
s o'clock on the Newark and New York
branch of the Central Railroad of New
Jersey, at point near where Market
and Frederick streets intersect.
The injured men were Joseph p
Heckelmann. 26 years old, of I'll South
Orange avenue, and Frank Fabianno.
| of 91 Eighth avenue.
Heckelmann was hurt about the face
and hands and had to be removed to
st. Jamess Hospital He is a married
man and two-weeks-old baby girl
of his which died on Saturday was to
have been buried at II o'clock this
morning
Fabianno's injuries were SO slight
that he was able to continue at his
work
Crash on Switch.
The crash occurred on switch in the
rear of the Hill Bread Company, Mar
ket and Frederick streets, which con-
meets with the main line OF the Cen
| trail. There were two freight cars
standing on this siding and Heckel-
! mann and Fabianno, both of whom are
| employed in the bakery, were unload
| 1f
| AS the two workmen were carrying
the heavy bags from one Of the cars
to the plant drill engine drawing
six cars, each containing fifty tons of
| coal, was coming down an inclined
siding 400 feet away, which also con-
meets with the CentraPs main line.
The coal train was going to take the
west bound track and a brakeman was
standing at this switch ready to pass
| it over
! Suddenly he screech of a train rose.
above the dil and clatter of the rapif
| ly moving coal train. The brakeman
! turned his head and saw an express
| train racing down the line. The drill
engine with the six cars was then
within a few feet of the switch; the
! passenger was less than IA hundred
yards away. Three seconds and there
would have been a crash between the
two which would have pitched both
over the embankment.
Quick Action.
| But in those three seconds the brake
man displayed such presence Of mind
that great catastrophe was avoided,
though a minor smash occurred. He
had his switching iron in his hand.
and in an instant brought it into play,
throwing the switch so that the coal
train glided past the main line,
SKINNED the express and crashed on
into the two freight cars in the rear OF
the bakery.
The driver of the fast express
leaned perilously out of his cab and his
face was blanched and frightened. He
watched the coal train speed down the
siding and saw 1t bang into the two
lone cars. And then he saw the latter
bang each other as they were hit and
careel drunkenly down the line. They
smashed into a butting block and one
of them stopped. But the first ran
clear through the barrier and dropped
into the street, one end hanging onto
the rails, the other resting in Frederick
street at an angle of As degrees.
Taken to Hospital.
Heckelmann was in this car when the
crash occurred, and he was carried
along with it and knocked around in
it when it fell. He was barely con-
scious when found, and was instantly
removed to the hospital.
Fabianno was more fortunate.l He
had just left the car. carrying two bags
over his shoulder. He was struck by
corner of the car and knocked on his
face. The bags burst and the -four
spilled, covering him with a coating of
white.
Heckelmann is a confectioner by trade.
but has long been out of employment,
and was temporarily working for the
bread company. He was married
They had two babies, Marian. 16
months old, and Edna, weeks old
Edna died Saturday. and her little body
is at the morgue. The burial was to
have taken place at IL o'clock today,
and because he was in want and need
ed every penny, Heckslmann went to
work this morning. He was going to
get off at 10 o'clock and he was going
home, first to join his wife. and then
to lay his little daughter in her last
earthly resting place.
A STAR reporter broke the news OF
the accident to Mrs. Hckelmann. She
cried piteouslys and said that she did