Pottsville Journal
June 3rd , 1915
“GHOST”
DELAYS P.R.R. TRAIN
Train No. 413 on the P.R.R., running from Phila. To Pottsville, was held up for about 10 minutes on Wednesday evening while the crew sought a “ghost” on the track along a big curve near Port Clinton. The train was making good time coming along the straight road and just as the curve was reached the brakes were applied and the speed reduced. After the curve had been almost passed the engineman J.A. Wells and fireman R. B. Schiottman noticed what looked to them like a man on the track swinging a lantern. Two passengers on the left side of the train also saw the light and jumped to the windows as the air was applied. The engineman, fireman and conductor Hugh O’Leary left the train to go ahead and they were unable to find anyone near. Then other members of the crew except the rear brakeman who went back to guard track searched the area and they were soon joined by some of the passengers. No one was visible and the crew are at a loss to know what the light was.
The “ghost” story at once arose and it fitted very well as the train in the morning going down struck Henry C. Reed some distance down and killed him outright. The crew say that as long as they have been employed on the railroad there has been nothing of the kind ever occurred to them and they are very nervous.
