The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1949-07-14
RAIL WASHOUT
ON 17-MILE GRADE
CAUSESBIG DAMAGE
Trains Delayed Twenty-fOur
HOurs-Engineer Narrowly
Escapes Death

Railroad crews are still working
steadily on the 17-mile grade east of
Swanton to open the westbound track
of the Baltimore and Ohio that was
washed out by heavy rains of Tues
day. The railroad experienced some
of the worst water damage in the
company's history, with approx
mately 500 feet of area either
washed out or covered by tons of dirt.
The first train in "a hours went
over the eastbound track yesterday
afternoon but it will be some time
before the westbound track is open
to traffic, according to X. A. J. Nor
rison, superintendent of the Cum
berland division. He said trains were
running over the route but behind
schedule.
An engineer of helper engine, r.
C. Feathers, narrowly escaped death
when his locomotive was almost
caught in a huge slide. He and his
fireman, Don Smith, were making an
inspection of the tracks after they
were halted by falling debris when
washout almost carried Feathers over
the embankment into the Savage
river He suffered several broken
ribs. In the meantime another slide
had cut off the men from their en-
CINE. They managed to get back, how
ever, and made the return trip to
Altamont. Feathers later was taken
to Potomac Valley hospital in Key
ser.
Buses and taxicabs were hired to
carry passengers back and forth from
points on both sides of the slide,
while three of the passenger trains
were rerouted over 100 miles of rail-
road track to reach their destination.
The Cncinnatian was turned back
Tuesday afternoon and its passengers
taken to Cumberland by bus. Pas
sengers travelling west by the Ma
tional Limited also were transported
to a point beyond the slide by bus.
The washouts, caused by surface
water roaring down the mountain
side extended from Bloomington to
Strickers. Morrison said one 30-foot
deep washout extended for so yards
and was the main cause of continued
delay in repair. Carloads of cinders
and ballast have been used already to
fill the gap.
The westbound track was the hard
est hit and was still not repaired but
both east and westbound traffic were
using the one temporary track that
has been opened.
The deepest washout occurred at
Bear Hill, according to officials, al
though "washouts were too numer-
Gus to count all along the stretch"
Actual damage estimated could not
be determined Immediately but Of
ficials said it would require several
days of work to restore tracks to
normal.
The westbound Cincinnatian was
the first to come through Oakland
Wednesday afternoon, after lapse
of twenty-four hours and was fol-
lowed soon by train No. II. Oakland
was without mail from the east for
an entire day, newspapers were sent
by truck.
Rainfall Reaches 2.93 Inches
Rain fell steadily in Garrett county
all day Tuesday, causing streams to
rise and give concern about floods.
Wilson creek in Oakland was tapping
the tops of the banks and the Little
Youghiogheny was overrunning into
the lowlands. The rain caused con-
siderable damage in Allegany county.
The Weber weather station re-
ported a rainfall Of 2.93 inches dur
ing three days, most of it coming
down on Tuesday. High of the week
was 80 degrees on the 10th, while
the mercury dropped to 81 on the
18th for the lowest point.