The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-03-09
H0RRIBLE!
The Narrow Passage Disaster.

AND SEVEN BADLY INJURED-ENGlNE
CARS AND FREIGHT A sHAPELESS MASS
OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF THE AC-
CIDENT.
The mixed train Of the Valley Branch OF the
Baltimore and Ohio r. R., which connects at
Harrisonburg with the evening accommoda-
ton from this city, met with fearful accident
on Monday night last, at Marrow Passage
Bridge, between Ednburg and Woodstock, by
which eleven persons were killed and seven
badly wounded. The train consisted OF seven
teen cars loaded with flour. pig iron and live
stock, was drawn by a heavy freight engine.
and as it was passing over tho tfestle brldge,at
Narrow Passage, crushed through the tmbers
and was precipitated l IA feet to the rocky bed
of the stream below. Men, CATTLE freight and
cars were all jammed into one horrible mass.
which sickened the strongest heart to behold.
| THE TRAIN
left Harrisonburg on time In the evening. and
was i'm charge of James Russell as conductor,
with Florence Donovan, engineer, L. Cum
ming, fireman, and j. Chapman and Thos. JET
ferson, brakemen. Most of the freight had
been gathered between Harrsonburg and the
scene of the disaster, the stock having been
loaded at Edinburg. When the train had
reached the centre span OF the bridge, which
was a superstructure Of trestle work 200 feet
long, spanning chasm OF ia in depth, the
timbering gave way, hurting the engine and
train headlong into the abyss below. Fortu-
nately, the passengers were all in the rear
coach. which alone accounts for the escape of
few from instant death.
THE NEWS
spread like wild-fire through the surrounding
country, and in short tine hundreds of help
els were at the scene, using every effort to eX
tricate the the dead and dying from the fear
full mass, while the physicians and surgeons
from Woodstock and Edinburg, did all that
medical skill could suggest to relieved the suffer-
ings of those who were taken oat alive. A
number Ct road hands quartered near the
bridge. who had been engaged in repairing it,
were first on the spot, and worked nobly.
KILLED.
The following is list of the killed.
w, A. Wightman, Edinburgh, Va; Charles
L. Noel, Shenandoah county, Va; Reuben E.
Hannah. Shenandoah county. Va; r. L.
Wood, Alexandria, Va; C. Fl. Hodgson, Berke-
ley Springs. w. Va; j. A. Baldwin, Balti-
more, Nd; Henry @. Quantz, blacksmith,
Winchester; A. S. Bower, commercial travel
er, Baltimore, Nd; F. Donovan. engineer. San
ly Hook, Nd; J. Chapman and Il. Jefferson:
brakemen, Winchester.
Mr.. Wightman was resident of Edinburg.
ne had been Justice of the Peace for number
Of years and was highly esteemed. He leaves
a family When taken from the wreck he was
conscious, and spoke to the gentleman who
carried him. He lived about ten minutes.
Mr.. G.. l.. Noel was an extensive cattle deal
er of Shenandoah and very we'll known and
Tspected. He was unmarried.
| Mr.. Hannah was also a cattle dealer from
Shenandoah and greatly respected. He leaves
family.
r. t. Wood was for many years q merchant
of Alexandria, and q member of Alexandria
Washington Lodge of masons, and member
of the southern methodist church. His body
and the effects found on His person were taken
in charge by the Masons of Edinburg. He
wore the jewel of a Royal Arch Mason, lead
ing to his identity. He has OF late been in
business in Washington, D. G., though still
living in Alexandria.
Mr. c. II. Holgson was the editor Of the
Morgan Mercury Morgan county, w. Va.
and was clerk to one Of the committees OF the
West Virginia Legislature. He was in Staui-
ton OH Monday morning, and visited the Vir-
gina Female Institute, where he witnessed the
exercises of the Calesthenic class, and was so
much pleased that lie entered his dau Glitter for
the next session.
J. A. Baldwin. was a travelling sale:man for
NJ. w. Wolf & Co. Was unmarried.
II. @. Quantz. was u worthy citizen Of Win
chester. blacksmith by trade.
A. S. Bower. was travelling salesman for
S. W. Webb & Co., cigar-dealcrs, Baltimore.
He was unmarried.
F. Donnovon, the engineer was from San
dy Hook, Maryland. His father and brother
reached the scene OF the disaster about nIEe
O'Clock a. m. The poor father was almost fran
tic about his dead son and had to be removed
by his friends from the sickcEing mass.
J. Chapman and j. jefferson were both
young men of Winchester.
WOUNDED.
Julius Sibert New Market, arm broken and
bruised.
Jacob Hahn, of Shenandoah county, injured
about The head severely, but it is thought not
MORALLY.
II. c. Baker, Baltimore, thigh fractured.
Bernard Hughes of Fox Lake, Lodge coun-
ty. Wis, fractured leg and cavicle.
Jas. Russell, conductor, badly cut on the
head.
T.. Cunningham, fireman, arms broken and
badly scaded. His injuries, it is feared, are OF
Il very serious character
p. NJ. s. Bird, of Mt. Jackson, slightly
wounded about the head. The two men sit
ting on the seat i'll front of him and one sitting
in the same seat were killed. His was truly Il
wonderful escape.
STATEMENT OF A PASSENGER.
Mr. Bird, whose escape was almost miracle,
was the only one from whom any statement
could be gotten. He states thai the passenger
car was the last one in tie train, and he WIFI
others were seated. few awake, others doing,
but the greatest number asleep. He was near
the rear end of the car, and at the moment OF
the accident heard the wheels OF the car make
a rough, grating noise, as il running over ties
instead Of rails, and the next minute there was
a crash and a terrible shock. AS soon as he
could collect himself, he looked around and
found he was in an aperture about four feet
square, seated on the floor alongside the seat
he had occupied. He WAS wedgcd in on all
sides, above and below, and there was no appa-
rent way of getting out. He could hear sub
dued groans, but they came from parts OF the
wreck divided from him by masses OF timber,
irons, sc. He shouted, and after probably an
hour, which seemed a century. he was extrl-
Gated.
AN EYE WITNESS.
This catastrophe was witnessed by Mr.. Fans
Ter, a young man who lives on the pike, in
full view Of the bridge. 1t was a bri sht, moon
light night, and he distinctly saw one car after
another as with their living freight they plum
ged down distance of about 80 feet, and set
tied almost into solid body, composed OF
dead and dying men. cattle, hogs, sheep EN-
gine, cars and broken bridge timbers. The