Clifton Heights Carnegie Hero

Darby Creek in Clifton Heights a 100 year old view

 

 

NOTE: In 1904 Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate from Pittsburgh, created the Carnegie Hero Fund. The fund awards medals and cash to individual heroes who are nominated and approved. The fund still exists today.

 

  PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF CARNEGIE HERO MEDAL 

 Event Will Take Place Sunday Evening in the First Presbyterian Church at Clifton Heights

February 11, 1910

                There will be a service of great interest in the First Presbyterian church of Clifton Heights next Sabbath evening at 3 o’clock when the pastor, Rev. W. R. Huston, will tender to William C. Buley of Clifton Heights, the Carnegie Hero Medal recently awarded to him by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for saving of the life of Mrs. Hannah A. Lewis, wife of George D. Lewis, at Clifton Station, Aldan, April 16, 1908.

                The address will be made by V. Gilpin Robinson, Esq., the undistinguished attorney of Delaware County on “Christian Courage” and the choir will render special music.

                An invitation has been extended to both the local fire companies to attend this service and also to the community in general when all may fittingly recall the words of Jesus inscribed upon the medal, “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John XV.-13.

                Mr. Buley’s act in saving the life of Mrs. Lewis was one which at the time, attracted the attention of the whole community of Aldan, Clifton Heights and vicinity and called forth unstinted praise.  Mrs. Lewis, who lives in Germantown, has been on a visit to friends in Clifton Heights, and going to the train to return home crossed over the tracks of the Pennsylvania railroad from the Clifton Heights to the Aldan side by walking on the tracks over the Springfield Road bridge and around the end of the track fence rather than go down the steps and under the railroad.  While on the bridge on the Aldan side the train came around the curve behind her and she started to run, fell upon the bridge, arose, and ran forward only to fall again in front of the approaching train.  Mr. Buley was on the platform of the station waiting for the train and seeing the woman’s peril ran to her help, jumped down upon the track, seized her prostrate form and threw himself backward upon the station platform just in time to save both the woman and himself from a terrible death.  The rescue was so close that the engineer thought he had run over both of them.  Mrs. Lewis was slightly struck by the engine in passing.  Mr. Buley was unhurt.

                The tragedy of the occasion was greatly increased by the death of Mr. McCue, a young man employed by the Pennsylvania railroad, who was on the train which came to such a sudden and unexpected stop upon the Springfield Road Bridge.  In attempting to go forward to see the cause of the sudden stopping of the train, Mr. McCue stepped out from the train upon the railing of the bridge, which broke beneath his weight and he was thrown to the street below injuring his spine and causing his death a few days later.

                The attention of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission was called to the act of Mr. Buley by the pastor of the First Presbyterian church and that Commission, after careful investigation, examination of the conditions and hearing of the witnesses awarded to Mr. Buley a bronze medal and seventeen hundred and fifty dollars ($1750), a sum sufficient to cancel the mortgage upon his home.  Mr. Buley is married and has six children, and had his noble effort cost him his life their loss would have been irreparable.