“ACCIDENT NEAR MILLERSBURG: A rear end collision occurred last Sunday morning, about four o’clock, one mile south of Millersburg, when Erie Mail No. 3 north bound ran into the caboose and several cars of a freight train. The conductor and flagman of the freight, and the fireman of No. 3 were killed, and the engineman of the passenger [train] was cut and bruised about the head. The accident happened during a dense fog and while the train was rounding Berries Mountain. Flagman Peters on Erie Mail succeeded in stopping the Fast Train No. 14, thus averting a second and more serious calamity.” [From: Elizabethville Echo, October 12, 1905].
The story is told here in more detail through newspapers of the day.
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From the Sunbury Daily Item, October 9, 1905:
ANOTHER TERRIBLE RAILROAD WRECK
Three Men Killed on the Pennsy in a Collision Near Millersburg Sunday Morning
Passenger Train Crashed into the Read End of a Freight Train – Caboose and One Car Became Separated From Balance of the Train Which the Engineer of the Passenger Train Was Unable to See in Time to prevent a Collision Owing to a dense Fog — Charles Berry, of Sunbury, and Theodore Scott and Ralph Hendershott of Northumberland Met a Horrible Death – A Second Wreck Was Narrowly Averted by Presence of Mind of Engineer Lesh and Fireman Peters.
Three men were killed and another injured Sunday morning one mile south of Millersburg, on the Northern Central railroad, when the Northern Accommodation, P. and E. Railroad train known as No. 3, had a rear-end collision with a freight train.
The dead were all members of the crews of the two trains. They are:
Conductor Charles E. Berry, of Sunbury; Fireman Theodore Scott and Brakeman Ralph Hendershott, of Northumberland. The injured: Engineer Julius Lesh, of Sunbury.
Freight Train Departed.
The wreck occurred at 4:19 o’clock at the curve around a mountain just south of Millersburg. The freight train was running to get to a side track in order to allow the accommodation train to pass when the cabin and one freight car loaded with coal broke away from the train. Beefore the detached part of the freight train had come to a stop and its occupants, Brakeman Ralph Herndershott and Fireman Theodore Scott, had had time to realize what had happened, the passenger train came along at a rapid rate. There was thick fog at the time.
The freight men in the cabin never knew of the approaching danger and it was not until but a few yards separate the engine and the freight cabin that the men on the engine saw their peril. Scott, the engine’s fireman, jumped just as the collision came. Lesh stuck by his post and tried to stop his train.
Engine Ploughes Into Train.
The engine ploughed her way through the cabin, splintering it to bits and nosed its way into the car of coal. Then it fell on its left side, crushing the fireman underneath. The two men who had been seated in the cabin were buried beneath the remnants of their car and the body of the fireman was hid by the engine. The fires gained rapid progress among the kindling wood of the cars and were almost instantly beyond all human control.
Passengers Not Hurt.
Although the engine was almost a total wreck and was turned over on the side, the passenger train was not injured. There were two hundred passengers on the mail express, but none was hurt. A number were thrown into a panic until the full extent of the accident was known. During the excitement scores climbed through windows, fearing that they would be blown up and hurried into the Susquehanna River, along which the railroad lies.
At the rear of the accommodation was a Pullman and its occupants did not know that a wreck had occurred, for the sudden application of the brakes by the engineer just a few moments before had brought the train to a slower motion with a jolt, and a repetition of the jarring was not thought to be of serious consequence. The baggage car at the head of the train of passenger cars was very slightly damaged and all of the other cars escaped without a scratch.
While the freight train was pulling in on the siding, the flagman of the crew, Harry Ruch, of Sunbury, left the cabin and started back along the track. He had hot gone very far when the passenger train came into view. Owing to the dense fog, Engineer Lesh was able to see only a short distance ahead and noticed Flagman Ruch and the cabin of the freight train both about the same time, too late to present a collision.
Second Wreck Prevented.
Only for the rare presence of mind displayed by Engineer Lesh and the prompt action of Herbert Peters, of Harrisburg, flagman on the passenger train, another terrible calamity would have occurred. Among the first to alight from the passenger train was Peters who ran ahead to the engine. The first person he saw was Engineer Lesh who was pinned fast in the wreckage. He was cut about the head, his right shoulder was scalded from the escaping steam and he was held fast by his leg becoming wedged in the machinery of the engine. When Peters started to rescue him from his perilous position, as the wrecked cabin and car had started to turn, forgetting his own danger for the time being, taking his watch from his pocket he realized that the passenger train running into Harrisburg was due, and calling to Peters, told him to run as fast as he could and stop the approaching train. Taking his lantern Peters ran up the track and had gone only a short distance when he faintly when he faintly heard in the distance the oncoming express. He waved the lantern and through the fog the engineer as he passed Peters saw the danger signal and brought the train to a stop, only about a distance of two or three car lengths from the wreck. The leas delay would have caused the train to be hurled into the wreck at the rate of nearly fisty miles and hour and more lives would have been sacrificed. Both passenger trains pass at LV Tower below Millersburg, and but for the fact that the down train was two or three minutes late nothing could have prevented a second terrible wreck.
Escaped Terrible Death.
During this time the debris was fiercely burning and as the fire drew closer to him Engineer Lesh buried his face in the wet coal dirt. Realizing that extreme measures would be necessary to save himself from a most horrible death he had just decided that as a last resort he would take his pocket knife and cut off his leg above where it was held fast. As he was about to do this he was rescued. Hurrying to where Fireman Scott was lying he found that although badly crushed and injured he was yet alive. He asked him if he had any word to send home to his family but Scott was unable to reply and lapsed into unconsciousness dying about one hour after the time of the accident.
Burned To Death.
Conductor Berry and Brakeman Hendershott were buried under the wrecked cabin and car and every effort was made to save them before they would be burned up. It is believed that Hendershott was instantly killed but Berry was still alive. A rope was thrown to him in an effort to drag his body from the wreckage but by this time he was past all means of trying to aid in his rescue and so rapidly did the flames spread that the rescuers were unable to reach his body.
Later when the bodies of Berry and Hendershott were found they presented a terrible sight which caused even the most brave man to turn away in horror. Both bodies had ben burned to a crisp and all that remained of them was a part of each trunk, with head, arms and legs burned away, the burned and charred parts of the bodies found showed not the least resemblance to a human body. As the clothing had been burned from the the bodies it was a difficult matter to identify them as to which one was Berry and which one was Hendershott, but later after a closer examination a piece of woolen jacket was found on one of the bodies and by this means the body of Hendershorr was identified as it was known he was wearing a woolen jacket at the time of the collision.
Officials Notified.
As soon as possible after the wreck occurred the railroad officials in this place were notified and a call was sent to Harrisburg asking for fire apparatus. Fire Chief Garverch, of Harrisburg, immediately came to the scene of the wreck but the city in the mean time had been notified that the fire engines were not necessary.
Physicians were sent from Harrisburg, it being believed that many persons had been hurt.
The wreck force from Sunbury made a record run to the place of collision. On this train was Dr. F. E. Drumheller. When the medical men arrived all they could do was to attend to the injuries of Engineer Lesh and place the bodies of the dead men on the train.
News of the wreck soon spread in Sunbury and Northumberland and when the special train arrived with the charred remains of Berry and Hendershott and the body of Shott the entire community was plunged into grief over the sad fate of the wreck victims, and many sad hearts beat in sympathy with the bereaved families in their inconsolable sorrow. A pall of grief and sadness has bee thrown over both towns.
Engineer Lesh was taken to the hospital and when an examination showed that he was not seriously injured he was taken to his home on Eighth Street. So powerful was the force of the collision that the wrecked engine went down over the embankment and turned with front pointing toward Harrisburg.
Charles E. Berry was aged 38 years and is survived by his wife and two children, a boy and a girl. Almost everybody in Sunbury knew “Charly” Berry who by his kind and genial disposition made every one who knew him his friend. Always attentive to his duties on the railroad he was a trusted employee of the company and at home a kind and loving husband and father. He was a brother of Tax Collector William H. Berry and his mother and a number of brothers and sisters also survive. He entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company on the 17th of October, 1886. he was promoted from a brakeman to flagman on February 18, 1892. Due to faithful performance of duty he was promoted to be a conductor on December 13, 1902. Funeral Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock.
Theodore Scott or “Day,” he was familiarly called, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Scott, of Chulasky and was aged about 27 years. During his residence in Northumberland he made man friends who learned of his untimely death with deep sorrow and regret. Besides his parents and several brothers and sisters he leaves a young wife and a little daughter about 8 months of age. His wife was formerly Miss Alberta Martin, of Bloomsburg. Scott has been engaged in firing about four years. Particularly sad is the death of ralph Hendershott, the dead brakeman, as he was married about one year ago to Miss Margaret Kelly of Northumberland, who is now left a widow with a babe but ten days old. Mrs. Hendershott’s condition was serious before the wreck and her husband’s death has made her condition critical. Hendershott was the son of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Hendershott and was a model young man beloved by all who knew him. He was aged 21 years….
Both Scott and Herdershott were members of the Northumberland Hook and Ladder Company and were members respectively of the Methodist and St. John’s Lutheran Church. The remains of Scott will be taken to Bloomsburg Wednesday morning for interment. Rev. J. D. Thomas, the pastor who officiated at the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Scott, and at the baptism of their child, will conduct the funeral service of the husband and father.
Berry was a member of the Brotherhood of Trainmen and also the Relief Department. Hendershott was also a member of the Trainmen and the Relief Department. Scott only belonged to the Relief.
Monday morning the officials of the company at Williamsport came to Sunbury and met the Coroner of Dauphin County. The statements of the railroad men were taken concerning the wreck.
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From the Punxsutawney News, October 12, 1905:
FIVE MEN WERE KILLED [includes 2 men who were killed in another wreck].
Fatal Disaster Results from Railway Collision
RACE HORSES HAD TO BE SHOT
Animals Belonged to Eastern Men and Were Being Taken to the Bloomsburg Fair
Three men were killed and one injured and a carload of race hoses killed or maimed in a wreck on the Northern Central Railway one mile below Millersburg, Pennsylvania. A northbound freight train parted and the cabin and the horse car fell behind and were run into by a passenger train known as the Northern Accommodation. James Scott, fireman of Sunbury, jumped from the engine when he saw it was impossible to avoid a collision. He was caught under the wreckage and was crushed to death. Julius Leist, the engineer, of Sunbury, remained at his post and escaped with slight injuries. Charles Berry, conductor, and J. Heungershot, brakeman of the freight train, who were in the cabin, were killed. The wreckage took fire and their bodies were consumed by flames.
The horses belonged to several eastern dealers and were on their way to the Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, Fair. Most of the animals that were not killed outright in the collision were so badly maimed that they will have to be shot. Harry peters, of Harrisburg, flagman of the passenger train, ran back as soon as the collision occurred and flagged a fast express train before it was due at the scene of the wreck. The dead were taken to Sunbury….
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, October 9, 1905:
ROASTED ALIVE IN RAILROAD WRECK
Northern Accommodation Strikes Detached Freight Train
JULIUS LEISH’S HEROISM
Although Injured His First Thought Was for Others’ Safety
Colliding with a caboose and several cars which had become detached from a freight train, west-bound, Northern accommodation train No. 3, on the Northern Central Railroad, was wrecked early yesterday morning and three of the railroad men were burned alive in the wreckage near Millersburg.
The dead are:
Charles E. Berry, Sunbury, aged 38 years, married, conductor of freight train, burned beyond recognition.
Ralph Henngershot, Sunbury, aged 28 years, married, brakeman of freight train, burned beyond recognition.
Theodore Scott, Northumberland, married, fireman of passenger train, crushed and burned to death.
The heroism of Engineer Julius Leish, of the passenger train, prevented a more disastrous wreck. After being released from his engine, which had ploughed into the read of the caboose and splintered several of the freight cars and then toppled over on its side stripped of cab, headlight, bell and every other part of its outer mechanism, and although badly injured about the head and shoulders, reached for his watch. Finding by the time recorded that Washington Night Express, east-bount, was about due at that point, he scrambled to the passenger train and ordered Herbert A. Peters, the flagman, of 317 Chestnut Street, to proceed along the tracks and warn the on-coming passenger train. Flagman Peters had gotten but a short distance ahead when this train, heavily loaded with passengers, was stopped.
Behind the engine of the Northern Accommodation train was a car loaded with valuable race horses bound for the Bloomsburg Fair. This car was considerably wrecked and most of the horses were so badly crippled that they had to be shot.
The separation of the freight train which caused the wreck had not been noticed by the conductor and brakeman who were in the cabin. After the detached portion of the freight rain had slowed down almost to a stop the passenger train came along at a rapid rate of speed and at a curve and in a dense fog crashed into the rear of the caboose. The caboose and two of the freight cars were crushed to kindling wood and in an instant set on fire from the passenger locomotive. The wrecked cars were ablaze before any of the passengers of the rear train were aware of a wreck.
Engineer Leish had applied his air brakes almost simultaneous with the crash and this averted a more disastrous calamity.
The railroad officials at Sunbury went for Dr. E. H. James and Dr. H. B. Walter and Fire Chief Charles A. Garverich, of this city [Harrisburg]. Dr. F. E. Drumheller, of Sunbury, was also dispatched to the scene of the wreck. The services of these men were not needed as none of the passengers were injured. Only the charred trunks of the three dead men were removed from the wreckage after the fire had been extinguished.
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Articles from Newspapers.com.
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