The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-03-16
THE NARROW PASSAGE DISASTER.

THE NARROW PASSAGE DISASTER.
THE CORoNER'S JuRY-EvIDENCE PRO AMI
/ CoN-sURNIsEs AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE
4 AccIDENT--IND1GNATIoN OF THE cITI
ZENs. AGAINST THE COMPANY, ETC.
On Thursday last Jury of Inquest, with j
1 Fl. Grabill as Coroner, was empanneled ant
4 sworn to inquire into the cause of the late fear
full railgoad disaster at Rarrow Passage Bridge
in Shenandoah county. Numbers Of witnesses
have been examined, among chem expert bridge
builders and architects, and with the eXcep
ton of the employees Of the company, all have
testified to the total unftness Of the bridge fol
the purposes for which it was used. Some state
that the tlmbers are almost entirely rotten,
there beifc only q su.l-baked crust on the ont
side aud few sound ibers to keep them to-
gether. A scaiold was erected to assist in the
erection of the piers, now in the course of con-
struct,on, but they do not see any additional
supports to the bridge. On the other hand,
he SUPERB ntendent Of Bridges, Thomas Hes
kett. testifes as follows:
Marrow Passage bridge is under my control
foot truss put in that part Of the bridge which
spanned the new piers; in the last eighteen
months great deal of new timber has been put
in this bridge and strengthened up regarded
this bridge safe for the time intended to remain,
rs by the first OF August next we expected
to replace it with new bridge, and thought
it sufficiently strong for the engine we used to
pass over it: considered the weight of the
engine and cars attached in making my esti-
mate of strength OF bridges. My impression
is that it was broken wheel or axle that fell
through and came In contact with one of the
bents or trestles that knocked it ont OF its prop
er position and caused the rail ioists to give
way, and Of course the engine had to go
through. From the manner in which the en-
CINE fell form the opinion, and think the bro
ken wl.eel was of the tender or first car attach
ed, or may have been a chain Or something
that pulled the trestles in repairing the bridge.
used all new tim Der, and when we leave old
timber we leave only that we know is strong,
and take it out us it becomes necessary
o. S. Kemp testified:
81 reside ut Harpers Ferry. and am bridge
foreman OF the Baltimore and Ohio Company
under Mr. IIeskett; have been acting foreman
about twelve years; when first came on this
branch of the road was assistant to Mr.. Hes
kett, and merely went over the road to examine
bridges and work; inspected this bridge about
three months ago; there was some ROTTEN tim
Der about the bridge, but did not apprehend
any immediate danger; considered it safe for
the trains we were passing ovpr.it; think the
bridge broke in about thirty feet from the new
pier i'll the second span; my impression is a
broken axle or something about the truck
caused the accident, and my reason for
thinking so is that ties found in the wreck were
marked with the fiange Of the wheels"
John L. Wilson deposed as follows:
Ia
Of road for Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany, and have charge OF railway and bridges
and general supervision Of them. Thomas N.
Heskett is superintendent Of the Valley Branch
and reports to me. He never reported the
Narrow Passage bridge unsafe. We consider
ed it one of the strongest bridges on this line.
am directly responsible for the condition OF
roads.''
J. T.. Randolph testified:
Il eside in Martinsburg. W. Va, and am
6 civil engineer. have to-day examined Mar
row Passage bri lge, and particularly the place
where the iron truss had been, and iron rods
and timbers OF the truss were shown ne. The
plans OF the bridge shown me were correct. =
From them calculated the weight it ought to
bear, and found it ought to bear tWo CT three
times the weight OF that engine without strain
ing The iron more than one-sixth OF its strength
as established BY experiments. The timber in
could DC brought on it. | do not think the
truss hroke until it fell.
Great indignation is manifested by the Cit
zens against the company forwhat they regard
as its criminal negligence and parsimony.--
There never has been a very kindly feeling be-
tween them in consequence OF the action Of
the company i'll its arrangements in that Sec
ton OF the country.
we have no disi.ooition to anticipate TIE yer.
dict OF the jury; with al the evidence before il
and, composed as it is OF Intelligent country
men " lio will fearlessiy discharge their duty
we may readily accept their decision as entire
ly warranted by the testimony and the facts o.
the case. lit should transpira that the con
pany has been negligent and wanting in pre-
caution, thus risking the lives OF men and the
safety OF property, we trust that the most rig
id ard exact justice may be melted out to it
and il be hello accountable to the very extrem
ity of the law. Nothing can excuse or palliatt
such recklessness should It be proven that tie
bridge was even suspected Of being unsafe by
the company's employees.
1t is stated that the representatives Of Il {
company have expressed their intention to Of
fer 5000 to tie families respectively OF each
victim. This will hardly be accepted by any
After the Jerry's Run disasterin 1870 the Leg
islature passed law making railroad compa
MES responsible to the representatives of the
parties killed by accident. This law allows
$4,000, and if it is shown that the accident
was caused by negligence on the part OF tx
company, it will doubtless be compelled to pay
that amount in each case.
From the position in which Messrs. Noel
HamTon and Wood were found, the fact tina
they hal pulled off their boots, and the testi
} mony Of Mr.. Bird, it is certain that they were
asleep, and were most probably instantly kill
ed, without even moments consciousness o
: their (langer. Tie other passengers realized i
for one horrible moment only. Mr.. Wight
man had just left Mr.. Birds side to 90 to an
other seat. Mr.. Quartz and he lived shor
time, the former quietly, the latter in mos
fearful agony. One Of the bfakemen jumped
from the car just before reaching the ground
and probably saved his life, though his recov
cry is doubtful. Engineer Donovan was fount
with his hand on the throttle, but completed!
covered with the wreck. The Whole debris
the remains OF the engine, tender and eighteen