Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-08-05
LOCAL Z T d M 9 =.

Explosion OF A LOCOMOTIVE Precisely
at 5:45 D, m. yesterday, the freight engine Au.
eusta, belonging to the Washington, A|exan'
dria and Georgetown Railroad Company, ex.
nloded, at the corner of Duke and Henry sts..
severely ipjuring two colored people-a man
named John Field, a prominent member OF the
| Radical party, and for whose election as night
Waterman nine votes were cast in the City
Council-and an unknown coored woman
fracturing the leg of a son of Mr.. VIM. Jasper,
and slightly iDjuriDg several other persons.
Considering the attending circumstances, a
| miraculous interposition could alone have pre-
| vented an increase of the damage sustained
and of the injuries inflicted. w
The train on the Orange, Alexandria and
Manassas Railroad had just arrived from
Lynchburg, and the crowd of passengers, por,
ters drivers, railroad employees and spectators
always present on the arrival of trains, was
even larger than usual, and was collected in
the immediate vicinity of the scene Of the &C
cident; and the CONSERVATION caused by the re-
port-which was as loud as that made by the
explosion of bombshell-by the descending
fragments that filed the air, by the sight of the
damaged houses and debris of the il-fated
engine, and by tbs appearance aud cries OF the
wounded, can be better imagined than de-
scribed. ,.r .,9 ..s. sr -.
The scene, as witnessed Immediately after
the shock Of the report, was exactly like the
wood cuts in the pictorial newspapers repre-
senting similar accidents, and sight Of one of
those pictures will convey better idea OF the
appearance Of things at that time at the depot
than can be obtained by any verbal description.
The engine, which was waiting the departure
of the passenger train for the North, in order
to follow it with the freight, was reduced to a
complete wreck, and portions oft were thrown
distance of at least two squares-the whistle
being found this morning in the lot ofMr Wall,
on Patrick street.
The engineer, Charles r. Joyce, and the
firemen, John Robey, were both on the engine
but fortunately escaped with but slight Injuries
John Field, mentioned above, was walking
up Duke street when he was struck in the
face with piece of the boiler, and so severely
wounded that his lie was at the time despaired
of, but is reported as likely to recover.
The unknown colored woman, also mentioned
above, was found among the ruins Of Mr.
O'Neals house, badly scalded and bruised, and
with her clothes torn from her. She, too is now
reported to be in a favorable condition.
The child of Mr.. Jasper, about twelve years
old, was between the engine and Mr.. o. Meals
house, when he was struck, and had his right
leg broken, above tho knee He is doing as
we'll as could be expected j..
Mr.. George McBurney, who was standing in
his store door, was struck on the head with a
bolt, and slightly wounded, and a rivet from the
boiler traversed his store. !u
One of Mr.. O'Neaps children, an infant, was
lying asleep in the house at the time Of the &C.
cident, with its aunt sitting near it, and dog
between the two. The dog was killed, but the
child and its aunt were dragged from the debris
unhurt Another child of Mr.. O'Neal was in
q child carriage, near the side of the engine
The carriage was broken into splinters, but the
child was rescued unframed from beneath the
engine, where it had been drawn by the current
of air filling the vacuum, occasioned by the
explosion. .H.'--
The rear portion of Mr.. O'Nears house,
was entirely demolished and its weather board
ing scattered in every direction. Mr.. Patrick
Keagan's house, about fifty yards off, had its
entire corner knocked away by the dome Of the
engine, which had been thrown against it, and
all the houses in the vicinity were moro or less
injured by the flying fragments.
The conclusion was so great that nearly all
the windows 10 Grace Church, square off,
were shivered. ..........s.f
The railroad track was torn up and tbs de-
parture of the passenger train delayed for
about fifteen minutes, but not too long to pre-
vent the Northern connection.
Surgical assistance was Immediately rendered
the wounded by Drs. Lewis, Murphy and
Staber. ...s,.a. . T.. .s1.a...E..- ..,...t
The walters in the Railroad Saloon we're 50
alarmed at the noise and confusion attending
the accident that they with one accord darted
under the tables they were serving in the din
ing room; and many Of the passengers and by
ISLANDERS broke for shelter towards the round
house. .... . Z IL. T.. ........
MAYFIELD STONE COMPANY 1.-The Mayfeld
Brown Stone Company, whose quarry is located
on the Orange, Alexandria and Manassas Rail
road, twenty-six miles from this city, is now
prosecuting operations vigorously. The first
| cargo of stone was received in Washington last