OBIT: William F. SCHANDELMEIER, 1922, Altoona, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Norma Sturm Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ Dec. 6, 1922 William F. Schandelmeier, assistant freight trainmaster of the Middle division of the Pennsylvania railroad and residing in the Blumenthal apartments at 1204 Fourteenth avenue was instantly killed in the Harrisburg yard at 9:45 o'clock this morning, when he was struck by the engine hauling train No. 20 the Keystone express, which leaves Altoona at 6:08 o'clock. Mr. Schandelmeier had been at Harrisburg since Monday morning on special work pertaining to the freight movements and yesterday afternoon he was at Vandyke assisting in the work of clearing the tracks after a wreck which had occurred there shortly after noon. During the morning today he was at the Middle division office at Maclay street and he left there about 9 o'clock to go to the Division street, which is a mile or more west of the Harrisburg station. He rode Division street by street car and then went into the yard, his destination in the yard being FI tower. STEAM OBSTRUCTS HIS VIEW As he passed through the yard the view was obstructed by steam from passing engines and he failed to see No. 20 as it bore down the track toward the station. Engineer John Keiser was at the throttle and he saw Mr. Schandelmeier a moment before the engine struck him and sounded the alarm with his whistle, but it was too late and Mr. Schandelmeier was struck and killed. The body was badly used up. He was identified by his pass case and the body was taken in charge by Coroner J. H. Kreider, and prepared for burial by Undertaker Rudolph K. Spicer. The news of the tragedy soon reached the office of the middle division in this city and the members of the family were notified of Mr. Schandelmeier's death He was one of the best known railroad men in the city and was regarded in official circles. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - RAIL OFFICIAL MEETS DEATH The body of William F. Schandelmeier, assistant freight trainmaster of the Middle division, who was killed yesterday morning when struck by an engine in the Harrisburg yard, was brought to Altoona last night in the private car of Superintendent William Elmer attached to train No 21. The remains were taken temporarily to the funeral establishment of Lafferty & Tobias. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon in the Second Lutheran Church with George N. Lauffer, pastor officiating. Dr. A. E. Wagner, of Gettysburg, former pastor, will assist. Interment will be made in Oak Ridge cemetery. Services at the home will be private. Deep regret over the fatal accident was expressed last night by high railroad officials, who declared that Mr. Schandelmeier was one of the most widely liked as well as one of the most efficient of the men on the division. During the war and since he has been assigned to numerous important special duty tasks. The assistant trainmaster had been in Harrisburg since Monday morning doing special work on freight movement. At 9 o'clock yesterday morning he left the offices and took a street car to Division street about a mile west. Alighting, he began to walk across the track to FI tower. It is believed that the official failed to note the approach of train No. 20 because of a cloud of steam and though Engineer John Keiser saw him just a moment before the accident and threw on the brakes, Mr. Schandelmeier was struck by the pilot. He was dead when the engine crew reached his side. The deceased has been a resident of this city all his life, being born here January 31, 1878. His father John Schandelmeier is still living at 308 First avenue, but is critically ill and has not been told of his son's death. Mr. Schandelmeier attended the local public schools, graduating from the High school in 1898 in the same class as Miss Carrie Burket, whom he married in 1900. He entered the employ of the railroad in 1899 as a clerk, being promoted to assistant trainmaster in 1908.