Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-06
3 KILLED, 6 HURT
/ in P. R. R. WRECK
Third Casualty in Ten Days
When Coal Freight Hits
Another Train
RAN PAST THE SIGN A l.
Accident Takes Place Below Nor
Observation-Disclosures
Among Victims

Three men were killed and six injured
IN the third wreck in ten days on the Pcur-
sylvania Railroad early today when an
outbound Philadelphia coal train ran past
o signal below Norristown and crashed into
q string of freight cars drawn by a yard
engine
one Phlladelphian lost his life and three
were hurt. All Of the dead and injured are
railroad employees.
The dead are.
KERT UiLBIG. twenty seven years old. 49,
North sixt'eth street, Philadelphia; Sat
brakeman.
r. n. GNOZN. twenty.seven years old. AZ
Dandy street. Norristown; freight fireman.
A. A. RECKLITIs. twenty-siS years oiu' ~"
Norwegian street, PottsviIlei freight brake
The injured vino we're taken to the Char
ity Hospital, Norrstown, are;
CHARLES MILLER. twenty Ave years old. i5so
Mitchell street. Ro>borough! freight brake
man; both legs injured serious.
BARRY HOUIT. thirty-One years old. l"'
Jamestown street. Mannyunk: freight conduc-
tor; cuts and bruises.
WILLIAM HELLER thirty years old '6lo
smIck street. Manayunk; freight engineer
slight injuries.
EDWARD 4. SCHULTZ. thirt,.ciEhi years od
.I5 West Airy street. Norristowu; freight CON
ductor; internally injured: serious.
W. ID. CHARLES. forty-si> years o'd. dos i'ar-
her street. rottsviIir; freight engineer
crushed abdomen; serious.
- wEIGHTMAN. ai3 Morgan street
rhoeni>yiiie; freight fireman slight Injuries,
EARLY-MORNING CRASH
Tho crash which buried llalbg and
Gfoza beneath the wreckage, killing them
Instantly occurred shortly after O'Clock
this morning. The lead" locomotive of
the coal train which was a 'double-header."
ran past n signal at Earnest station IN
the lower Norrstown freight yards, accord
ing to railroad officials. II crossed a
switch, smashing into the rear Of the other
train.
The locomotive was forced into tho string
of box cars crumplinE tho wooden caboose
and several cars, and mounting astride the
splintered wreckage.
The terrific force of the collision demol-
ished the first locomotive of the double
header" The second was not damaged
badly. but the freight car that followed it
was forced forward and passed over 1t like
an envelope. killing or njuring the men on
II, as well as the men who were on the first
locomotive. The men on the train which
the "double-header" struck were in tho
boose. which was reduced to kindlnE wood.
The wreckage thrown to the left and
forward, damaging the signal tower ~
this point
IL was HalbigS third and last wreck. lie
had been injured twice in smash-ups in his
brief two years a railroader.
His young wife, Mrs. Emily Halbig, whom
he married two years ago. was almost
overcome by grief when she was notified
of his death. She and her mother, Mrs.
Edward Hart, left for the scene of the
wreck at once
INJURED IN HOSPITAL.
Coroner McGlathery, of Montgomery
County, and an ambulance from the Charity
: Hospital hurried to the work of removing
the dead and caring for the injured Reck-
litis, fatally injured died shortly after
being taken to the hospital Schultz and
Charles are thought to be fatally injured.
Blame for the wreck is being Investigated
by Coroner McGlathery and railroad Off
cials. First accounts and examination of
the signal tower at til" point where the
wreck occurred indicate that Engineer
Charles, who was in the first locomotive Of
the double header with Gncza, did not see
warming signal. according to railroad
men. The heavy coal train was crossing
from the Schuylkill Valley division on to
the track leading to the Whitemarsh juno
tion of the Trenton Cutoff branch of the
Pennsylvania Railroad using an eastbound
track.