Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-03-11
Shocking Railroad Disaster.
Elerea Persons Killed and Serea founded.
Accident on the Harper's Ferry and
Valley Branch, ID. and o. II. r.
rRenorle1 for the Baltimore San.l

Reported for the Baltimore SaH.]
An appalling disaster occurred Monday
night, about twelve O'Clock, on the Harper's
Ferry and Valley branch Of the Baltimore aud
Ohio railroad, at the Narrow Passage bridge,
sixty-three miles southwest Of larper'S Ferry
and the same distance southeast of Staunton,
by which a train comprising eleven loaded cat
tie cars, five freight cars and one passenger
coach was wrecked. Eleven lives were lost
ADD seven persons wounded The train was
precipitated through the middle span Of
wooden bridge Il ii feet to the rocky bottom of
a small streaT. The cars and their contents
Of eighteen human beings, l2j head of cattle,
sheep aud hogs, were dashed to pieces and
piled up in shapeless mass, 10 which rafIerS,
rails, machinery and manglcd flesh and blood
were mixed in inextricable confusion. There
were fourteen passengers in the passenger
coach, eight Of whom we're killed. Three
train hands were also of the killed, aud no
one on the train escaped unhurt, the majority
Of them seriously, and some fatally.
THE FATAL BRIDGE.
The bridge at which the accident occurred
is midway between Woodstock and Edinburg,
in Shenandoah county, Va. 1t is ia feet
high at the centre span aud about 200 feet
long rJSSiug a deep, narrow ravne formed by
two steep precipiceS, at the bottom Of which
runs a small stream known as Narrow Passage
creek This portion Of the Valley road is
part Of old Manassas Gap railroad.
The original bridge was burnt by Gen.
/ Turner Ashley, in March 1862, when Stone
/ wall jackson made his first retreat up the
/ Valley from Winchester t. Rude's Hill. in
/ front of Gen Shields. 1t was rebuilt IN 1865,
/ at the close of tie war, 10y the Manassas Gap
/ road. bat not in a very substantial manner, Of
/ trcStlework When the Baltimore aud Ohio
/ Railroad Company came in possession OF the
road, several years since, the bridge was great
| ~ strengthened and last summer the com
pauy built two heavy stone piers, with view
/ to erecting new bridge with three spans, two
/ Of which had been put IN place, and the third,
/ or middle span, over the deepest part OF the
raviue, was being constructed in the pla Of
/ the old span at the time Of the accident. In
/ building the new bridge the old timbers were
/ taken down, So as not to stop travel. Til
was the portion Of the bridge that ga,,c way
7 aud caused TIC accident
KILLED.
I /, IS certainly known that eleven persons
were killed aud seven wounded. The follow
ing is a list Of the killed:
W. 4. Wigh,man, Edinburg, Va; Charles
/ L. Noel, Shenandoah county Va Reuben +.
Harmon, Shenandoah county, Va; L. l..
Wood, Alexandria, Va; 9. II llodsson
Berkeley Springs, W. Va, editor Of the Kor-
gan Mercury; J. \. Baldwin, Baltimore, Md
Henry Q Quantz, blacksmith, Winchester
4 - II o.,,,,-,r,,, R,lti,rnra.
Nd. T. Donovan, engineer, Sandy Hook, Md;
J. Chapman, brakeman, Manchester; Z. jeff
crsop, brakeman, Winchester
WOUNDED.
Julius S.bert New Market, arm broken and
bruised
Jacob Hahn, Of Shenandoah, injured about
the head severely, hut it is thought not NOR
tally.
H. c. Baker Of Baltimore, thigh fractured
Bernard Hughes, oil Fox Lake, Lodge coun-
ty, Wis, fractured leg and clavicle
Jas. Russell, conductor, badly cut on the
head.
7. Cunningham, fireman, arms broken and
badly scalded. His injuries, it is feared are Of
very serious character.
2. NJ. 5 Bird, Of Nj Jackson, slightly
wounded about the head The two men sit
ting on the seat in front Of him and one sitting
10 the same seat were killed. His was truly
a wonderful escape.
2. NJ. S Bird Of Mount Jackson, Va, who
was ca the train and fortunately escaped with
injuries that are rot considered very serious
states that the passenger car was the last one
in the train, and he with others were seated, a
few awake, others doing, but the greatest
number asleep lie was near the rear end Of
the car, aud at the moment Of the accident
heard The wheels of the car make rough
grating noise, as if running over ties instead Of
rails. aud the next inmate there was crosh
and q terrible shock.
As soon as he could collect himself he look
ell around and found hc was in an aperture
about four feet square, seated on the floor a.
lougsde the seat he had occupied. lie was
wedscd in on al sides, above and below, and
there was no apparent way Of getting out
lie could hear SubdueA croans, but they came
from parts of the wreck divided from him by
masses of timber, irons, &c. lie shouted, aud
after probably an hour. which seemed a CEN
fury, De was extiicatei. The escape of Mr.
Bird was almost miraculous. an Yesterday
afternoon he was the only passenger able t,
make any statement regarding the occurrence
The Baltimore Sun, which rarely II evel
makes an unfair OF unreasonable statement
olj,oraly. says:
Formerly the bridge over Narrow Passage
was an Insecure aud exceedingly dangerous
affair, but after that portion Of tie Manassas
Gap railroad between S'rashurg and Harrison
burg. aud upon wi ich this bridge was located
passed into the hands Of the Baltimore and
Ohio Rdlroad. the hest engineering shilI was
brought into requisj'j"n and the bridge was
placed ia Sugha condition rs was supposed
would meet ID" requirements of the heavier
engines and cars which were placed upon the
road So i- ury re concluded TINT the acct
dent WAS n.. which che most careful manage
ment failed q. l,reut The place Of disaster
is decidedly ucmo.t dangerous point on the
road aud thar auv of the passengers escaped
instant death after being hurled a distance Of
one hundred ani fourteen feet into the abyss
beneath, is a subject oi wonder