Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-12-21
6 Gard.


mon en-. ployed on the Virs ina Midia-d X. Il.
train which was wrecked on the morning Of
Dccember I, 1874, near Rapid Ann station, were
totally bereit of al sense OF duty, and had no
regard for the lives OF the passengers entrusted
to their care, BY the erroneous st"teAents made
in different journals. Therefore, we Zee! 1t oar
duty as portion OF the men employed on Saii
train, TO deny ali such charges, AID also 10 prove
satiSfact Drily that the statements made By Mr..
J. K. Kemp and n man named Spear are not
corr, CT. They claim 10 have stopped detached
portion of our train. So far MS heroiSn and de-
votion to duty is concerned, there s not u man
who WAS employed on that train that would not
have died Ut his post if by 20 doing he could
have been the means CT rendering the least ala
or protection TO the lives Of the passenger: or
! saved the property OF the company. We >hai!
endcavor to vlndicatc CUR course pursued after
we SAW that the collision could not be avert
ed, and prove further that had We sia'd we
would have been guilty o! suicide.
The engineer stopped the train 10 ascertain
the cause of his pumps not working. tie could
get no water in Ills engine, ard, besides, mad =
bursted hue If he had gone farther he would
have burned his engine, which is the greatest
disgrace an engineer can bring upon himself.
Now rs soon ~ the train was stopped the 1'g-
man STATED back with signals u stop the stock
train. The conductor, after satisfying himself
Lhst the iagman was performing MS duty, came
front 10 ascertain the cause Of the stoppasc ana
while there heard the stock train coming He
Immediately warned the engineer of the danger,
and directed him to go ahead. The engineer
jumped upon the engine as quick IL possible,
uulied back the throttle and tried 10 80 ahead,
but tefore the train could be started, the stock
train when was coming down The grade a! the
rate of Is miles per hour, struck our train aLd
telescoped it. with the exception OF the sleeping
car, which detached itself and teIescopcd with
the engine of the stock train. Our engineer dld
not leap from his engine but was thrown down
~, 4: hI. tI,,t b.prI be-
ing torn Away on which he stood. The other
portion of TIE train, consisting Of the ladies car,
smoking car, baggage car and engine, started
down TIE grade without single brake on or any
other means to stop it; but as the engine ma
but very little team on, with y bursted h"c.
and losing rapidly, il ran about =! miles and
s,opped on an up-grsde wltno, the assistance" OF
either Kemp or s,re'r. ~.
Up to within few seconds OF the COLLISION
two men remained on the trnin-one BRAKE
man. who was posted II the btmkcs with orders
to npply them in case the air should leak out OF
the pipes, and thereby prevent the tram from
running over the eng ineer, who WAS under h''
engine. When he saw the stock train coming
he stepped from the platform OF the car t" tnr
ground, for had he remained on the car II"
would have been torn IT, pieces. The other man
who had remained on the train was the bagSagc
master. who WIS in the car looking from u"
side door and seeing the accident Ms Incvltabir,
he waited until the stock tram was about c"F
length of, Ard knowing he could DO no good,
but probably lose his life by remaining, lett the
car which was filled with mail and baggage"
Had he stayed where he WAS he would have beet.
killed or morally wounded. as the smoking
car came in at one end and threw the DagS"S'
to the other ond of his car. Mr.. }. r. helnP
claims that he stopped " detached PORTION 81 lh'
train In the first place, the engine ma puI ~
pounds of steam up and with y bur$.rd tiue III"
water was running into the fire b(X e&t'n6u;'"I
ing the fire rapidly. Secondly. if the engine h'i
had ste IN sufficient TO stop tue cars ana mao ~
reversed her. rs he claims, ne wou'd nav" o.,
tached IL e train. TO snow Mr. h"mp guam
cations for running vi engine, ne remarked -
y solid gauge of water Now tho7" WAS no. :!
drop in the bottom gauge. He a!so remarked
81 have opened your cylinder heads. MF.SpH'
claims he stopped the detached portion OF u"
train by Supplying the tender brake: Inc "s
gage master arrived ri the cctached p'GtIH ~
the train five minutes after 1t had run ltsel VIII
and went 10 the engine IN order 20 try 70 S". w.
cars into the ,idclirg but found no steam Oh i"'
eng ne. and SAW that the tender brake WAS ''''
those on the cars, out OF use. We SlFc '!'.,'
gentlemen all the credi, due them lhe'F III,
tentions were no dou goo4. bat WY sh""..I
they make :ucn statement " 'h'{ H'I
only object apparently Is prove the emp!"y 9.
Of the train towards. Supp"'e the men hAt NJ
stayed or the train, the brakeman "0u hA'.
been killed on one platform, the conductor ~"
the othcr, and the baggage master IL Ms 60,
Would that have been herolsm On IL" s."@
nand if there had b, en- no likelihood o: et"''
Of them be; g hurt, wha, could they. hsve f. he
tow.rds syeTting the accident? With no.
single brake and no steam on the cngiH", i""
could they hav. stopped the detached = ,r:.'. d.,
the train had they been ABOARD oft? ms i =:
only case on recor! in which train after o''.'5
struck WAS not tnrowa oil he track.
+. \ HOWELL.
dec 2l-lt {. W. Dfh y. T.