When A Train Dumped a Load Of Chocolate In The River At Sunbury, 1925

On May 27th 1925, a freight train traveling from Tamaqua to Williamsport derailed while crossing the reading railroad bridge  in Sunbury.  One of the derailed cars was delivering Hersheys chocolate, which was spilled into the river.

"The fast freight, Williamsport bound, was crossing the river when a drawhead pulled out of the third boxcar from the locomotive, and caused the car to leave the rails. The following car buckled, and also left the rails.  The engineer then noticed the condition of the of his train and applied his air brakes, but now before the sills and side beams of the bridge for a distance of about 25 feet had been badly damaged."  - Mt Caramel Item

Hersheys Kisses came in buckets, in the 1920s

"The river below Sunbury must be very sweet today, for about 12,000 pounds of chocolate in various forms dropped into the river.  Chocolate bard, chocolate in buckets, and loose cocoa turned the water to a very chocolate color for the time."  - The Lewisburg Journal

Some newspapers reported it was 6 tons, others reported 12.  Two cars derailed, if they were both carrying 6 tons, that would equal 12.  

Six tons of chocolate bars from the Hershey Company were in one of the cars that derailed.

Crates were smashed open in the wreck, and "the surface of the river was a mass of floating sweets."

"Sunbury's small boys staged a treasure hunt in the Susquehanna River today, when a train wrecked." Altoona Tribune

"Theft losses are also running high, as the quantity of merchandise has been scattered along the right of way, and loose fingered individuals are helping themselves." - Mt Caramel Item.

No one was injured in the derailment.

Southbound traffic was detoured over the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge at Milton, and northbound traffic was switched over to the Pennsy at Hass siding east of Sunbury.

Wreck crews from West Milton and Tamaqua had the track cleared by 1 in the afternoon.

=============