Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-27
TELLS OF
DESPERATE EFFORT
CONTINUED From First Pagel

waved the red lamp many times. The
engineer on the freight train gave no
signal that he saw me- When the
train came closer / realized that ii
was too late to prevent an accident
and 1 jumped down the embankment
TO save my life.
The freight train was running
about 90 miles an hour. 1t was foggy.
but l could see the engine headlight.
Had the engineer seen my signal he
could have stopped in time to prevent
a collision. After the crash l talked
10 the fireman on the freight engine,
and to one of the brakemen on the
engine. Both told me they called to
the engineer to stop as a flagman had
signalled. He gave no attention to
the calls and the fireman and brake
when they realized it was too late to
prevent n wreck.
Il also asked the fireman and
brakeman whether they had called the
signals when their train came on the
block. They said they had and that
the engineer called back white
meaning he had a clear track.
Conductor Stewrat's Story
Conductor William w. Stewart, 1904
State street, who was in charge of the
passenger train, said I'VE were run
ming late Our time at Mt. Union is
1854. We arrived at 1902. Three
minutes later signals were given TO
move. There was trouble in getting
started. l thought it was due to the
heavy train. When several unsuccess-
full attempts were made to get away
made an investigation and found air.
brake trouble on the first mail car.
sent Brakeman Baird back to tell
the fiagman to go back with his lamps,
and noticed that he had already start
ed.
In the meantime 1 made an inves-
tigation of the trouble with the air and
found what we term a kicker was
holding the brakes. l had just loosed
the brakes when the crash came. The
passenger train was knocked ahead
three car lengths. l Immediately went
back and found that a freight train
had crashed into the rear of my train.
The second car from the rear OF the
train was telescoped into the last car.
The passengers in the last cars were
unable to get out and / was told later
they all had heen killed.
LAS soon as possible officials at AL
toona and Harrisburg were notified.
The weather was hazy, but l could see
the signal. / questioned the engineer
about his injuries and he said his foot
was hurt. and that otherwise he was
all right. l was told by F1agman ia
cobs what the fireman and brakeman
had told him"
Brakeman sCorroboratcs
Brakeman Baird corroborated what
Conductor Stewart said and also ex-
planned how he went back to notify
Flagman Jacobs to go back. He was
at the front car of the passenger train
when the crash came, having returned
from notifying the fiagman. Baird
said he found two sleeping cars tele-
scoped. After the injured part of the
train had been moved away from the
wrecked cars all passengers were ques-
toned and not one said he had been
hurt. Some were knocked from their
seats and two were thrown out OF
berths in another sleepin gear
MIR. Whitemnn Mt Wreck
TrainmasteT Wniteman. WHO was
called to the scene of the wreck. re-
turned to Harrisburg at 10 o'clock
to-day. He said it was impossible to
describe the wreck. He many times had
seen cars piled up. he said, and recalled
the Lochiel wreck, but for a complete
telescoping of cars the wreck last night
surpassed all. He remained at Mount
Union until two tracks had been
cleared Asked about the causes that
lead up to the collision. the trainmaster
said;
Il am not in a position to say any
thing about the cause of the wreck.
/ The two sleeping cars were telescoped
completely and looked like one car.
One would suppose the passengers in
| the Pullman next TO the rear car would
| have suffered most. but 1t was just the
other way. No one can account for it.
l was told the freight train was max
| ing fast time.
THE passengers who were killed were
all sleeping. according, TO reports. There
may have been one or two up. They