The J.F. Murphy Carnival In Milton

 
J.F. Murphy Carnival on the Island at Milton Pa.

In 1920, the J.F. Murphy Carnival arrived in Milton mid June, with a parade through town, before setting up on the island.  The carnival remained for a week, going out with a literal bang on June 20th 1920, when their train was hit by another train at the siding near the canal on Broadway.  Carnival staff believed the crash was intentional, and a mob, including hundreds of spectators, chased Sunbury Engineer William Boyd.  Boyd raced through the car shops, and took refuge in a tower.  A freight train from Williamsport stopped and picked him up, taking him safely to Sunbury, while police dispersed the mob.

"Engineer William Boyd Of Sunbury narrowly escaped rough handling at the hand of a number of the employees attached to the J.F. Murphy Carnival Company, following an accident to the carnival train on the Pennsylvania Railroad canal siding at Broadway..."

Nine were injured when Engineer William Boyd backed into the show train on the siding at Broadway.  

"The engine backed into the rear draft of cars with such force that the wagons on the show cars were torn loose and occupants of the train were badly shaken up."  Wagons were jolted from cars, wagon bodies were torn from bases, and a wagon fell on two men, severely injuring them.

Several employees of the carnival thought that the engineer had intentionally caused the accident, and they set out to punish him.  According to the Miltonian, several hundred people, including a number of curious spectators, chased Boyd through the car shops.  Boyd eluded the crowd, taking refuge in one of the Pennsylvania Towers.  From the tower, he communicated with the train master at Williamsport, who had a freight train stop for him, taking him safely to Sunbury while  the "mob, lead by a few hotheads" was dispersed by state and local police.

Boyd stated that he had difficulty getting signals to members of the crew, because men employed by the carnival were crawling about the train, jumping on and off and waving to people on the tracks. He claims to have received conflicting signals, mistaking one of the showmen for his own crew and believing he was being signaled to come ahead.  

The engine backed into the rear draft of card with such force that the show cars were torn loose and the occupants of the train were badly shaken up.  None of the railroad cars were damaged.

Of those injured, most suffered minor cuts and bruises.  Two men, George McDonald and C.A. Hickman, had been sleeping under a wagon on one of the flat cars, and they were the most seriously injured.  Both  were taken to  Mary M. Packer hospital in Sunbury.  Hickman's leg had been broken, and McDonald suffered an injury to his shoulder.

Both men were expected to recover. The carnival went on from Milton to Nanticoke.

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