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A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE, A Collector of the Long Island ial road Tossed by an Engine—in His De scent We Catches Bold of the Klag gtati—It Breaks, but in Sliding Down, the Cowcatcher Sticks Fast between the Ears and Saves the Man’s Life. Another was nearly added to the already long list of the victims of the Long Island Railroad, in East New York, last evening, and it was only by great presence of mind that a fatal termination to the acci dent was avoided. The unfortunate man was William G. Howard, one of the collectors of the rapid transit section of the Long Island Railroad. He is a very careful man generally, is very courageous, and has the faculty of keeping cool in the greatest excitement. This was evinced a few months ago, when, at the risk of his own life, he caught hold of a passenger who, in jumping on the train after it was moving, sipped and fell between the two cars, and held on to him for over two blocks before the con ductor became aware of the dangerous position he was in and stopped the train. Howard, on his eight o’clock trip, left his train at the Howard House, to go to his residence over the rail road office on Atlantic avenue, between Alabama and Williams avenues, to see his wife, who was in a very precarious condition, and not expected to live through the night. He remained with her until the last moment, and then he rushed out of the house to catch his train, which was just returning from Van Wicklen station on the west trip to Flatbush avenue. In his hurry and excitement he ran across the avenue without looking about him, and as he reached the third in the series of tracks which entirely occupy the avenue, he was struck by motor 109, which was go ing east under the charge of Engineer Daniel Wolcott. The cowcatcher tossed Howard into the air, and as he came down he seized one of the flag poles in the front part of the engine, but so violently did he strike it that it broke off at the base. The hickory stick as it slid down the cowcatcher caught between the barn and held fast, Howard's fingers were closed around it in a death grip, and he clung to it until the engineer had stopped the engine. The train when Howard was struck was moving at a very moderate rate of speed, due nothing would have saved him. The accidentia but so repetition of the ones which but about three weeks ago resulted in the death of Captain John ©. E. Hinrichs. Flagman have been placed there since, but the oft repeated ad monition of coroner's juries to fence in the road have not been heeded, and in consequence accidents are con stanty occurring. Howard was carried into his real dance and Dr. A. A. Wormell was called to attend him. The injuries about the lege and hips were very cerious, but the physician does not fear 4 fatal termination.
Newspaper Details
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Brooklyn, New York, US
Mon, Jun 28, 1880
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Tyler W.
