From the September 20, 1885 issue of The New York Times:
Newburg, Sept. 19 -- A narrow escape from a serious railroad disaster occurred on the Erie Railroad within the city limits last evening at about 6 o'clock. Passenger train No. 169, from New York, due at Newburg at 5:48 p.m., was coming around by the docks and switches of the Pennsylvania Coal Company at a fair rate of speed when a part of the coal train, which had been making up to go to Port Jervis, was encountered. The locomotive of the passenger train, with Jehial Allen as engineer, and that of the coal train, came together head-on with a terrific crash. Two of the coal cars were derailed and thrown down the embankment about 50 feet. None of the cars of the passenger train was broken. The passengers were shaken up considerably, but none of them was injured.

The wreck was promptly reported at the Newburg train dispatcher's office, and an engine and coaches at once sent to the scene, and brought the passengers to the station after a delay of only a few moments. Wreckers were set at work clearing up the wreck, the work all being accomplished by 11 p.m. In the meantime all other trains were run around the wreck on the other track, with little detention. Engineer Hanners handled the throttle on the locomotive of the coal train.

The cause of the accident is still to be determined, and the blame for its occurence is yet to be placed. Evidently the responsibility rests between the engineer of the passenger train and the flagman of the coal train. The latter and the conductor of the same train declare that the coming train was signaled in time. The engineer of the other train asserts that he did not see any flag.

ENGINEER JAHIAL ALLEN.
From the September, 1910 issue of Erie Magazine:
Jahial Allen, of East Orange, N. J., who has located at Central Valley, N. Y., for a few months, furnishes an interesting and reminiscent story. Mr. Allen was the engineer of the first locomotive that ever passed over the Erie's Newburgh Short Cut, in the late sixties. He drove the engine of the inspection train, carrying the late Jay Gould, "Jim" Fisk and "Peter" Ward, the last-named, then mayor of Newburgh, N.Y.

Although Mr. Allen is now seventy-three, he remembers the occasion perfectly, for it marked an epoch in the history of the Erie Railroad, at that time. The train consisted of one coach, in addition to the engine and tender. According to Mr. Allen, the coach containing the notables was detached from train No. 1 at Turner. His fireman was William Kennedy, for many years afterwards a resident of Newburgh and lately deceased.

"I remember it was a great occasion," said Mr. Allen, speaking of the opening. "The engines were burning wood in those days -- that is before the coal burners were put in and I was ordered to go ahead at twenty-five miles an hour. I must have gone a little faster at Houghton Farm, for I remember they gave me the rope. We made stops at the different stations and I remember there were large crowds of people on hand. Jim Fisk sent the fireman and myself a bottle of champagne. At Newburgh, we stayed for four hours, until contractors, Ward and Larry, handed over the road, so to speak, to the officials I had on the train, for they represented the largest stock-holders of the Erie at the time. I afterwards took them back to Turner."

Mr. Allen drove an engine on the Short Cut for six years after that. Prior to that period he was, for twelve years, on the Newburgh branch, making trips to Greycourt, Middletown, Goshen and Warwick, and was a resident for eighteen years, of the last-named village. For thirteen years previous he had an engine on the main line, his trip being from Port Jervis to Jersey City. Altogether Mr. Allen served the Erie for thirty-one years, continuously, and afterwards was employed for eighteen years in the Rogers Locomotive Works, at Paterson, N. J.

These two concerns were the only employers he ever had. Engineer Allen was in an accident once, near Pine Hill, on the Newburgh branch. The rails spread, and, as his locomotive was about to run into a stone wall he jumped. The pile of lumber used for firing fell on top of him, but he escaped without further injury than the cutting of the tendons of the third finger of his right hand, which, to this day, is a little out of shape. His fireman, Charles Goodrich, had his leg caught, at the same time, between the engine and tender and cut off. An hour and fifty minutes elapsed before they could extricate him; nevertheless he lived and was for a great number of years afterward in the service of the Erie, in a semi-clerical capacity, at Newburgh.

It seems natural that Mr. Allen should have chosen Central Valley as his summer place of residence. The windows of his house command a view of the Short Cut tracks, as they pass the village and Highland Mills. He has been residing at East Orange for seven years and on June 1 removed to the summer home here.