OBIT: Samuel E. HYLE, Jr., Francis M. McCUE, Jr., 1919, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ THREE KILLED IN WRECK OF TRAIN NO. 18 CHICAGO MAIL ENGINE DOWN 40-FOOT BANK INTO JUNIATA S. E. Hyle, Jr., 327 Howard Avenue, Special Duty Man; F. M. McCue, 204 Walnut Avenue, Fireman; Engineer J. L. Sandoe, Harrisburg, Meet Death in Accident Near Birmingham All the Dead Aboard Locomotive and Killed Instantly - One Woman Passenger Slightly Injured - Seven Cars Derailed, Blocking All Tracks - Freight Train Had Three Cars Wrecked About Same Time and Theory Is That Mail Ran Into the Debris The men were instantly killed, and a woman passenger was hurt slightly when Chicago Mail, No. 18, leaving this city at 8:40 p.m. was wrecked a mile east of Birmingham, last night at 9:14 o'clock, and the engine went over a 40-foot embankment into Juniata river. A dual accident occurred, and officials were endeavoring to determine early this morning whether a west-bound freight train, which had three cars wrecked on an adjoining track, was involved first and the mail train ran into the debris, or if the freight wreck was due to No. 18's accident. The dead are: J. L. SANDOE, aged 61, No. 24 North Fifth street, Harrisburg, engineer. Francis M. McCUE, Jr., aged 22, 204 Walnut avenue, fireman. SAMUEL E. HYLE, Jr., aged 28, 321 ? Howard avenue, special duty man. TRAIN NINE MINUTES LATE. Train 18 left this city about nine minutes behind its schedule last night. It was in charge of a Harrisburg crew, including Conductor E. L. Shields. Fireman McCue and Hyle, working as a fireman's instructor, supplemented the regular fireman. The Mail was speeding eastward below Birmingham, when the locomotive, No. 3380 leaped from the track and hurtled the embankment, crashing into the river. The first seven cars, the train being composed of fourteen mail, and express cars, and a day coach in the rear, were derailed badly, except the seventh car. Only the first truck of the latter left the rails. Three cars of the freight train were wrecked on the next track. The debris of both wrecks was scattered over three tracks, completely blocking traffic for several hours, and necessitating the detouring of four passenger trains over the Petersburg branch. OFFICIALS GO TO SCENE. News of the accidents reached the city a few minutes before 9:30 p.m. and local officials, including General Superintendent N. W. Smith, Superintendent J. C. Johnson and others, left for the scene on a special train at 10:05 o'clock. Altoona and Huntingdon wreck forces were called. At 12:04 a.m. No. 3 track had been cleared and was opened to traffic a short time later. Prior to that trains 33, 47 and 31, west-bound, were brought to the city via the Petersburg and Hollidaysburg branches. Train No. 6 was sent east by the same diverted route. It was stated this morning that serious impediment to the freight and passenger traffic on the Middle division had resulted. The detention would probably continue until this forenoon, it was predicted. MEN KILLED INSTANTLY. Members of the Mail crew reaching the passenger locomotive, found it overturned in the river. The enginemen had met death instantly. Their bodies were comparatively slightly mutilated, it was announced. The Altoonans' corpses were brought to this city early today and sent to local morgues. That of Engineer Sandoe was sent to Harrisburg. While mail clerks, express messengers and trainmen aboard the Mail were considerably shaken up, none suffered any severe injury. A woman passenger bound for an eastern city claimed she had been injured. She suffered in the general shakeup but was able to continue eastward. None of the express or mail cars were overturned, but all save the seventh car were badly displaced. CAUSE UNDETERMINED. Because of the peculiar nature of the double accident, officials encountered much difficulty in determining which accident occurred primarily and which was responsible for the second. The task of raising the wrecked locomotive will give the wreckers ample work, by reason of the weight of the engine and its location in the river. Tracks are on a straight line at this point for some distance but the embankment inclines steeply toward the river, so that nothing could save the locomotive from toppling into the river, forty feet below the track. FIREMAN'S CAREER SHORT. Francis McCue, the dead fireman, had been in the service of the Pennsy about a year. He was widely known. The accident claimed two Seventh ward residents, the Hyle and McCue families residing within a radius of a few squares. McCue was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Francis McCue, sr. He was born in this city, April 10th, 1896. He was single. His parents survive with two brothers, John and Richard, and two sisters, Irene and Inez, all at home. His father has been ill for some time, and a physician had to be summoned for him last evening after news of the son's death had been given the family. HYLE WORKED DECADE. Samuel Earl Hyle, jr., was employed by the Pennsy for the last ten years. He formerly resided at 1604 Third street, but during the last year made his home with his mother at 327 Howard avenue. He was the son of Samuel E., jr., and Sarah S. Hyle, and was born in this city, October 2nd, 1899. He wedded Miss Ethel Bowen, this city, on January 15th, 1913 [sic]. She survives with his parents and three brothers, Fred L., with a motor mechanics' company, American Expeditionary forces, France; Lewis C. and Ralph M., both at home. He was a member of the Trinity Reformed church. He was at first employed by the Pennsy as a fireman and lately was doing special duty. The body will be prepared for burial by Funeral Director Gilden. No arrangements for either funeral are perfected. Announcement will be made later. ENGINEER WELL KNOWN. Engineer Sandow [sic] was one of the best known engineers on the middle division. He was born at Mifflintown, Pa., on August 16, 1847, and had been in the Pennsy service many years. His body was brought here first to the railroad morgue and later taken to Harrisburg. Engineer G. E. Knisely and Conductor T. C. Cummings were in charge of the wrecked freight train. Both are Harrisburgers. Shortly before 3 o'clock this morning No. 2 track had been opened and was ready for service. Altoona Tribune, Wednesday, February 5, 1919, page 1, 10 NOTE: 1910 Census of Harrisburg, Dauphin County: John L. Sandoe, 1319 State Street.