Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-05
FLYER IS WRECKED HOT FIGHT IN
Royal Blue Train From Wash "Progressives" and 9
inyton Ditched. patters" Line Up Tue:
ENGINE GOES OVER BANK STATEWIDE PRIM
Fireman May Die But Engineer Has National Administration tt
Remarkable Escape Among Republicans.
PASSENGERS NOT INJURED SITUATION MUCH CoMPL
Coaches Stick to Rails-Train Prestige Cumins
Through a voved in the CarrollGarst
ington Priest Board. for Gubernatorial Nomin
Royal Blue Train From Wash
inyton Ditched.
ENGINE GOES OVER BANK
Fireman May Die, But Engineer Has
a Remarkable Escape.
PASSENGERS NOT INJURED
Coaches All Stick to Rails-Train
Runs Through Switch-Wash-
ington Priest on Board.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
WILMINGTON, Del. June 4-What
was probably one of the most remark
able accidents that ever occurred on the
Philadelphia division of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad occurred at Elsmere
Junction, two miles below here, at 1887
o'clock tonight. The engine of Royal
Blue express train No. 500, north bound
from Washington to New York, went
through a switch onto a "Y" and, rolling
down a deep embankment, overturned.
The baggage car also partially over
turned and was left hanging over the
embankment The other cars kept to the
tracks.
The fireman, A ]. Rubezsch of Balti-
more, was pinned beneath the overturned
engine for over two hours. He did not
lose consciousness, and bravely directed
his rescuers how to proceed to get him
out. He was removed to the Delaware
Hospital here. He will probably die.
The engineer Charles Smith, aged
ifty-five, OF 1888 Holland street. Balti-
more, sustained a broken rib and severe
decorations to the face. He will live, his
escape being miraculous.
Chopped Their Way Out.
J. r. Grayson, aged thirty-five. OF
Philadelphia, baggage master, and George
Rittenburg of Washington, express mes
senger. were both locked in the baggage
car They were tossed about like chips
and narrowly escaped being killed by
flying baggage and express matter. They
chopped their way out with axes. They
We're badly shocked. but were not injured.
The train consisted of q baggage car
three day coaches, awo parlor cars and
diner The passengers were jostled
about, but no one was injured severely.
OCCUPANTS of the dining car suddenly
found the dishes in their laps They were
then tossed in a heap with food all about
them.
The passengers in the other cars were
thrown from their seats. but no one
was badly hurt. The only car that left
the track was the baggage car
The train was running at the rate or
nearly fifty miles an hour when it reach
ed Elsmere Junction. There are myriad
of switches at that place. Suddenly the
engineer found he had left the main
northbound track or teastbound as 1t is
known on the Baltimore and Ohio and
was running on a '.Y''. He applied the
brakes. but when the train had run about
300 feet the engine struck a frog and
was derailed. 1t ran along the tracks
until an embankment twenty-five 1eet III
depth was reached. Then the locomotive
rolled down the incline and landed on
its side, complete wreck.
Stuck to His Post.
Engineer Smith remained at his post
until the engine started down the en-
bankment. He then jumped and saved
his life.
Fireman Rubezsch tried to jump at the
same time, but was caught. He was
pinned beneath the engine by the thighs.
AS the railroad men worked to get him
out. and subsequently when wreckins
crew arrived from Philadelphia, he re-
peated:
Get me out. I'm tired of lying here.
can hardly breathe"
Not once did he whimper or show
any signs of fear. The wrecked en-
CINE was throwing steam in all direc-
tions, but. luckily for the fireman, he
was not near the firebox. He was hur-
ried to the hospital in an automobile.
Engineer Smith said after the wreck
that the signal was clear. Leroy
Quickel, the switchman in the tower.
made a statement to the same effect.
They both declared the switch signal sys-
tenn which is operated by electricity, was
working properly This indicates that
the engine probably ran right through
the switch because Of it's high speed.
Late tonight the engineer announced
that he was running nearly fifty miles
an hour.
After a delay of two and a half hours
the remaining cars of the train were
backed from the ..Y'' and were taken to
their destination by another engine.
Rev. Father Kcarney of Washington,
who was on the train enroute for this
city, administered the last rites to the
fireman RubeZscl.