Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-12-09
LOCAL NEWS.

THE LATE RAILROAD ACCIDENT. line lol-
lowing description of the late accident on the
Midland Railroad, correct account OF Wnlcn
was published 10 yesterday S Gazette, is taken
from the Washington Republican
"a railroad accident occurred yesterday morn
ing on the Virginia Midland, formerly the
Orange railroad, which, although not ATTENDED
by fatal results caused number OF ugly bruises
and long and tiresome delay to the passen-
gers, The train, consisting of baggage, two
passenger cars and one Pullman sleeper, lett
Richmond at the usual hour the previous night,
having on board, among other passengers, the
District Knights Templar, who were returning
from their visit to New Orleans. After being
on the road for some time, the engineer, Mr
Charles Demaiue, discovered that has force
nnmn was out of order. He continued on,
however, until about o. clock, at which time
he was within mile of Rapidau station. Here
he stopped the train, and with the fireman
alighted and attempted to repair the damage.
"This spot one OF the worst on the road, Is
known as the S5-toot grade from the fact that
within short space of four or five miles the
grade is very heavy Near by it, too, is an
ugly curve through deep cut. The train had
not been standing long when the engineer
heard the whistle Of IN approaching freight
train through the gap. He states that he al;
once sprang on his engine and opened the
Unbelievable for the purpose OF attempting to
escape by flight, but he was too late. Before
he got under woy the engine OF the other traln
was half way through the Pullman sleeper, aud
the other ears were so mlxcd up that one .coulu
hardly have known 10 which Car they were.
| The passengers who had been slccplug peace
fully were awakened by the cuncusslon and
thrown from their berthe TO the 1oor, many OF
them wounded aud bleeding. Iakltg In the
situation Ut a glance, most OF them attemptcd
at cuce to exricate themselves, ana 5000 all
were on the ground. Now COMES 4 curious
and thrilling pOruon OF the story.
1.-The conclusion had entirely broken the
platform off the car next the sleeper, and they
were consequently detached. Aud 1t had also,
50 he alleges, thrown the engineer from his po-
stiou down astcep enbankmeut, not, however,
before the train was 10 motion, with the throt-
lie valve open and full head ct steam, and Oh
went the unwrcckcd portion faster aud faster.
Astounded and brwdcrcd at this, the passed.
gers at once began to pull the bell roap, but
to their frauic efforts there Was no response,
and on went the runaway. Luckily for all con.
cerned among the passengers Was Nr. JameS
kamp. an crgiuccr of the Baltimore aud ONO
Railroad, and he, divining that the engineer
had been killed, left his seat, ciawlcd through
and over cars until be had reached aud stopped
the runaway engine after 1t had travelled about
FIVE miles, and with 1t returned TO The station.
Three of the cars Of the freight train were up
set. and three b1cves killed. The village was
soon appriscd Of the fact and helping hands
were soon about mlulsterlng TO the needs OF
the wounded Among the more noticeable OF
these good Samaritans were DIR. &C. Conway,
of Rapdan, who dressed all the wounde with
out charge; and Mrs. Cobcll, of the same vii.
lage, who kindly and generously furnished
them with meals.
Help was soon secured and the work OF clear
ing the wreck entered upon, but it was > D. u.
when the party sore aud excited, reached this
city, thankful, however, it was no worse.
The casualties are reported as follows: Z.
NJ. Payne, Of Tennaliytnwn, three cuts 10 the
head aud back; MIR. j. ". Bowers, oil Baltimore
cut in the forehead over left eye; II. ID. Bote-
Ter, of this city, badly bruised IN several places;
Thomas l.. Titus. of Philipsburg, n. j., hurt
iuwardly; Phil Wilson, Of Washington, bruised
in the neck and shoulders; James Howard, of
Washington, badly hurt in the back; ). \.
Potts oil Washington, cut in the forehead aud
beautiful black eye.
mir. Charles Shatfer of Richmond, was the
ously wounded about the head and face. This
gentleman was on his bridal tour, but luckily
his wife escaped without Injury.
"rhe engineer of the stock train, Mr.. George
NJ KEYS, says that as suon as he noticed the train
ahead of his own he reversed his engine, but it
was too late to do any good. He, however,
stood to bis post aud after the accident did all
in his power to aid the others
The Washington correspondent of the Ba!ll-
more Sun writes: The passenger train bound
uor,h, under charge Of Capt. John Fossett,
had been detained some time, near Gordons-
vile, on account OF an accident to the eccentric
of the engine. Running out of time Orange
Court House was reached, when the machinery
again got out Of fix, aud another stop was made
to repair damages. Just at this time stock
train, which had been ordered to follow in the
wake of the passenger train, made Its appear
ance around a sharp curve in the road and de-
spite the efforts Of the engineer MS engine ran
into the sleeping coach OF the passenger train
with great force One passenger was knocked
through the window of the car and landed on
terra hrma some ten feet Off The car was a
complete wreck. The occupants Of the car
were principally Knights Tcnpar from Bos
ton, New York, Philadelphia and other North
ern cities, with several from Baltimore. After
the sleeping coach had been detached the re-
mainder of the passenger train started down
grade of seventy feet to the mile towards Rapi-
dan Station, and the engineer, after having
put on steam, for sonic cause jumped from the
speeding train, followed closely by the fireman:
At this juucturc two brave young men, named
Spears aud Kemp, crawled through the bag
gage car and over the tender to the engineer $
cab, and shut off the steam, by which means
the train was brought to q halt, after running
six miles. 10 all some forty persons we're more
or less Injured. The passengers unite IN exon
Grating Capt. Fossett FROM any derilectioD of
duty, but are of opinion that there was want
of proper precaution somewhere. Nearly all
the male passengers wounded we're Knights
Tempar, returning from the ,riennial conven-
ton at New Orleans Their injuries amounted
chiefly to scratches and bruises"
US Courts = In the u. S. Circuit Court
Judge Hughes presiding, to-day, in the case of
Turnbu & Co. vs.. A. Thomas; IN chancery;
decree determined upon, and to be entered to-
morrow.
Tn tha District (I,urt ,Tu1pe Huuhes nre-