Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-07
AN UNsvNo HERO
He Saved q Train Just 40 His Duty
Dlreeted-samueI Harden Church,
Observation-Disclosures Leldy's Work
for the John Marshall Memorial
BY GEORGE NOx NfcCAIN

by GEORGE NOx Mccain
CAMUEL HARDEN CHURCH is best
~ known to the world Of literature as an
author and historian. ~.
His outstanding work as bockmaker IL
his "Oliver CROMWELL a historical work
Of careful research and rare worth.
He is also a most entertaining after.
dinner speaker. -s
In the workaday world Mr.. Church is as.
sistant secretary Of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road system, with Offices in Pittsburgh. .
With his multifarious duties he is busy
man and tireless worker.
mention these facts for the reason that
In the first issue OF Pennsylvania News
Samuel II. Church figures in a new role.
DENNSYLvANIA NEWS is the latest
L luminary on the horizon Of Keystone
journalism. ,........
It is a four.page illustrated bi monthly
newspaper by and for Pennsylvania Railroad
employees of the Central Division. .''''''''
1ts editors. specialists, correspondents, re.
porters, artists, sports writer's and cartoon:
ISIS are railroad men Of the track, yard and
Office.
It's compelling publication. '.'''''''
1t compels ar,p even % case hardened ,d news VS.
Of venture. judged by it's makeup and
contents, that is headed for success.
Samuel Harden Church. in Its columns,
emerges again as historian.
He inaugurates q series Of articles on the
'Early Beginnings of Railroads in the
United States,' with special reference to
the Pennsy wanna system.
It's railroad history written by rail.
road man who is also q power in the world
of letters.
The one fault Of Pennsylvania News is
the modesty that causes its editors to con-
ceal their identity behind list Of names Of
division correspondents.
snitch and retell this dramatic little
gem from Its first page:
w T. McLA1N is station agent at Portage.
W.. His ear. by long practice, is attuned
to the varied sounds Of safety and danger
in traffic movement.
One. night recently-it was 2 80 A. NJ
though sound sleeper, he was awakened by
an ''Ominous series Of loud bangs instead
Of the usual clicks of trucks passing over
They were danger signals, spelling wreck
He was out Of bed and "into his clothes
Grabbing. lantern he hustled out to
the tracks," as the story ran.
There, sure enough, was q rail in No. 3
track on the bridge at the station subway
broken at the joint for about six inches.
CGet the intimate detail by the railroad
man who wrote the account
Just as he made this discovery he heard
approaching train No. 80, due at Portage
at 2;47 a. NJ:
'Mr. McLain swung his lantern, the en-
gineer applied the emergency and the train
came to u stop few yards from the broken
rail"
TJHAT was all.
1 No dramatics, no red fire, no hand
shaking, no cheers, no sob stuff.
1t was railroad story told by one rail.
road man about another in blunt railroad
fashion.
w. T. McLan saved train 80, due at
Portage at 2:47" from disaster.
Not q word Of explanation as to the char.
%. aster and = nake;vp AXE of train 80, due at
ewpsits wsstnes seinx 1t wes west freight passenger
After I had read that Unconditional little
paragraph I looked it up in the time tables.
No. 80 is The Clevelander," one Of the
finest and fastest trains on the system.
carrying hundreds of passengers, that makes
but two stops between North Philadelphia
and Pittsburgh.
Finis:
Mr.. McLain was Commended" by his
superiors.
DHILIP LUDWIG LEIDl, of the Phil.
L adelphia bar. is receiving subscriptions
to Virginia memorial enterprise that is
unique.
II is associated. too. with one of the most
unusual episodes in Philadelphia history.
John Marshall. venerated as the greatest
| Chief Justice Of the United States Supreme
| Court. died in this city, although his home
It was on July 9, 1885, and on the 9Th
his remains we're borne to Virginia for
burial.
great concourse of citizens to do him anal
| honor.
Bishop White. with tottering steps which
eighty .eight-headed the mournful march ''
He was the first chaplain to the Assem- .
bly, Of Pennsylvania and to the Congress- OF
| the Revolution.
the Liberty Bell, while being slowly toiled
suddenly cracked and was stlled forever.
! 1t was fifty nine years to day after n
had penled forth the tidngs of the sipninc
of the Declaration OF Independence.
NHIEF JUSTICE JOHN MARsHALI,s
~ home in Richmond has been preserved
as n place or national interest by the Asso
citation for the Preservation Of Vireinia
| Antiquities.
Now it Is proposed to raise an endowmen,
fund of 100000 to perpetuate this work
The income will suffice for expenses q,
custodian. fuel. light and insurance. "
The bar associations of six other Stotss
have signifed u desire to subscribe.
Mr.. I.eidy whose appeal is to the Stat,
Bar Association, Is Pennsylvania chairman
| 1t Is singulary appropriate that Penn
sylvania should lead In this work.