Evening journal., 1914-04-29
killed
when Locomotive
Turtles IN PARK
contInued dom FIrst Page.


not travelling at excessive speed. It
had been slowed down because Of
the grade crossing at the north end
Of the Van Buren street bridge and
the engine had gone about two car
lengths beyond the crossing when it
left the rails.
The locomotive continued to run
along on the cross ties, dragging the
tender and one freight car after it,
and when it had gone about three
car lengths beyond the point where it
jumped the locomotive sweryed to-
ward the Brandywine creek and ran
off into the meadow land along the
tracks The forward trucks went deep
/ into the soft water-soaked soil and
the engine keeled far over on one
side toward the tracks. After 1t
/ had plowed its way for a full length
through the mud It buried its nose
deep in the ground, and then the
heavy freight cars back of it ran in
to the rear end of the locomotive
and the momentum threw it over on
its side.
The tender and first freight car
run at least three full car lengths
over cross ties before topping over
into the field. Engineer Gregg and
Fireman Irelan stuck to their posts,
however. Irelan was caught under
the end of the boiler and his body
literally ground to pieces and badly
scalded by escaping steam. One leg
was torn off and thrown five yards
from the body which was covered
with the mass of steel and iron. The
body was covered with a blanket to
hide it from the gaze of the curious
crowds that quickly collected, and
Immediately after the wrecking crew
arrived the body was taken out ano
sent to the morgue in the police pa
trol.
Engineer Gregg also went dowr
with the engine and his escape from
death is almost a miracle. He crawlet
from the window a few moments af
ter the engine was piled up in the
field, and was able to go to his home
Flagman Minker was riding on tn,
pilot in front of the locomotive wher
the accident occurred and was hurled
into the air and fell on one side oi
the tracks. Bradford, who was OF
the rear of the train, escaped with
shaking up.
Albert Stetser, of No. 1O2 Ashton
street, and Frank Lindsay, of No. 7O'
West Nineteenth street, we're among
the witnesses to the accident, anC
| aided Minker to the Homeopathic
Hospital.
Word of the accident was sent t
the railroad company's offices and il
short time the wrecking train will
Wrecking Master Harry Van Gaskel
in charge, was on the scene. Th'
first thing done was to lift the en-
CINE so Ireland's body could be takel
b out. Later the debris was cleared ul
after an extra track had been lai'
near the wreckage. The road wa
opened at o'clock this morning, bu
the ditched locomotive was not right
! ed until noon.
Irelan had been in the employ O
the railroad company about fiv
years. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs
Alfred d. Irelan, of Fifth and Mon
roe streets. He had been engaged L
be married about four years. Las
l. evening, when supper time came an
ut udu hol AtAuiutu uOults MIS- Ire
Ian became anxioi and telephone
several times to the railroad office
to learn where he was. There wa
no information could be given he
then Tor nothing definite was know
of the wreck.
l The first news of his death wa
conveyed to her by reporter. ant
she was overcome with grief upol
learning the truth.
. A crowd quickly collected ant
, several thousand persons watche,
, the operations of the wrecking en-
gine last evening. The railroad of
% ficials are investigating the case, bu
- SC far have not determined just wha
caused the accident The funeral o
Irelan will take place from his lat
home tomorrow afternoon, with in
terment in Silverbrook cemetery.