August, 1907
The Washington Post
QUICK WIT SAVES TRAIN
Red Handkerchief Around a Lantern Signals Flyer
HALTS SIX FEET FROM DANGER
Horse, with Unconscious Driver, attempts to Cross Bridge Over Humphrey's Lake and Falls Through Ties. Salisbury Officer Stops Exposition Express from Plunging Into the Water.
Special to The Washington Post.
Salisbury, Md., Aug. 12.- With a red handkerchief held in front of an ordinary lantern, Officer James Crouch, of this city, held up the Exposition Flyer on the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad to-night and prevented a wreck on the long bridge over Humphrey's Lake, saving probably several hundred lives.
The officer was notified that a horse and buggy had attempted to cross over the bridge and the the horse had fallen between the ties.
Crouch realized that an awful accident would likely happen, as the express was due within a few minutes. He broke into the baggage room and secured a lantern. After lighting it he made his way up the railroad track to the bridge and found a horse and buggy about twelve feet from the end of the bridge.
The officer took his red handkerchief from his pocket, wrapped it around the lantern, and waved the signal before the approaching train, which by this time was coming rapidly toward him.
The engineer saw the signal, applied the emergency brakes and stopped the train within six feet of the horse and carriage. The train crew found Lemuel Brittingham, a resident of this city, in the carriage, and it was with difficulty that he was aroused and told of the dangerous position.
The position of the buggy and horse was such that would have caused almost certain derailment, and had such been the case the entire train, consisting of Pullman sleepers, would have fallen into the water, a distance of thirty-five feet below.
Footnote: Salisbury's Humphrey's Lake extended from just east of the Court House through what is now the City Park. The dam containing the lake burst in 1909, leaving a large swampy area. The dam originally had been constructed in connection with a grist mill operation.
April, 1870
(Maryland State Archives)
Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1870
AN ACT to change the name of the town of Sandy Hill, in the Eighth Election District of Worcester County, to the name of Stockton.
Name changed
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the town of Sandy Hill, in the Eighth Election District of Worcester County, is changed, and shall hereafter be known and called by the name of Stockton.
In force.
Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That this Act shall take effect from the date of its passage.
Approved. April 4, 1870.
February, 1914
The Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.)
The Pocomoke City National Bank has offered $90 to be divided Into three| prizes-$50, $25, $15-as an incentive to the boys of Accomac County, Virginia, and Worcester and Somerset Counties, Maryland, to join a Boy's Corn Club. The prizes are to be awarded tor the largest yield of ears per acre. The boy will be required to do all the work pertaining thereto, from the breaking up of the land to the husking of the corn. Mr. Chilton, Accomac County demonstrator, has visited ten schools in this county and has now a club membership of 100.
January, 1991
Bill Riordan, the former Salisbury businessman who became a well-known figure in the tennis world, died at the age of 71 in Naples, Fla. Riordan managed the early career of Jimmy Connors and was instrumental in bringing the men's National Indoor Tennis Championships to Salisbury from 1964-1976, as well as supporting youth tennis opportunities.
February, 1933
(Hattiesburg American- Hattiesburg, Miss.)
Mr. and Mrs. Linn Benton Hostetler announce the marriage of their daughter, Mary Lynn, to Mr. Verlin C. Krabill at Elkton, Md., February, 10, 1933. Mr. and Mrs. Krabill will make their home at Pocomoke City, Maryland, where Mr. Krabill is principal of the high school.
1943 (Time Machine archive)
As a young Navy pilot former President George H.W. Bush trained at the Chincoteague base. As reported in various published accounts he flew low over an area of Crisfield where a circus had setup nearby and a frightened elephant broke away, in turn frightening nearby residents. Reports were that Bush's low fly-over was an attempt to impress a young Crisfield woman he had met at a USO dance at Chincoteague.
Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about? It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!
"Somewhere over
the rainbow
Bluebirds fly..."
Flying on for JMMB
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