The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-02-26
LOCAL E MATTERS.
An Accidens ON the fredericksburg
B 1safIroasi.. ono Paassnses' Ruled and


An aecfdent ON the fredericksburg
4 RafIroasi..0ne PASSENGER EtIleti and
Three vgounticsi.
~ Tile etnortnward- bound mail md passe1l-
Iger train on tile Richmond, fredericksburg
and Potomac railroad which left this city
i on Sunday night met Sith an accident near
lPenola stations by which four passengers
were injured-one subsequently dying from
j the effects OF injuries received. The cir
jeumstances were about as follows: Some
iwhereiin the neighborhood ofethe station
! referred to, Captain Birdsong, while seated
lin the second class car, noticed the bell-cord
Ishaking as though some one was pulling.it.
| He got UP quietly, and, taking his lantern,
/ went to the rear platform Of the .tirstrclass
1 or ladies' car, discovered thatthe two sleep
ling-cars / had become detached from the main
train, and he supposed that the shaking OF
the beli.cord was caused by some one who
i was endeayoring 10 strike the gong-bell in
| the engine with q view ofEstopping the
train. The Captain remained on the plat
] form some moments in the hope that the
motion of the two sleepers would soon be
spent, and he could then stop the train, 60
back, and pick up the lost portion OF his
train. Following strictly, Eowever, the
regulations for the running Of the train
Captain Birdsong keptshis place upon the
platform until the train passed through
Buck-Hole bridge, over the Mattaponl
river, when the draught Of air put ont
his lantern. He then went into the coach
again and gave his lamp to the porter to
4 light. After it was relighted he went
back upon the platform, Where.he had been
standing but moment when some one in
the other end OF the train struck the bell,
7oI fl,n h In ,fnry
| The train Stacked up, and finally came to 4
standstili. Captain Birdsong jumped down
upon the ground, land as he did so heard the
ring OF the wheels OF the TWO slcepers as
/ they rolled alcng upon the steel rails. Know
ing that the cars would be down upon him
very speedily, he signalledthe engineer to go
ahead. and them gotupon the cars again. The
train moved OIL, and was increasing its speed
momentarily, when the two sleepers, weigh
| ing probably 1851 ,0G0 pounds, coming down
the grade at rapid rate, struck the rear end
OF the first-class Car, smashing the bumpers
Of a!l Of the passenger coaches, and seriously
iniuring the following persons, who had
gone out upon the rear platform OF the Sc
cond-class car, next to the forward end OF
the tirst-class coach, to see what was the.
cause OF the stoppage Of the train:
W. q. Mainwaring, Of Baltimore, private
/
president OF the road, injured probably on
the back Of the head, and arm and fingers
broken, from the effect Of which he died
shortly after the accident.
Frederick Faulkner, Of Richmond, leg
broken below the knee.
l.. L. Donnelly, OF Charleston, West Va,
both legs broken.
John w. Aldridge, Of Fredericksburg,
character OF injuries not ascertained.
Major z. II. D. Myers, engineer and SUI
perintcndent OF the road, was one OF the
passengers, and just before the accident
had been sitting with Mr. Mainwaring in
the smoking-car BY his direction the in
iured passengers were taken to Milford
depot, distant about two and Il half miles,
where they received every attention posi-
BILE.
About O'Clock yesterday mornings sDo-
cial train was made up here, and, with Col
onel Robinson and DR.. J. 5. D. Cullen,
went out to the relief OF the injured pas
sengers and to take the place Of the disabled
train.
The surgeons from Richmond, Bowling
Green, and Fredericksburg deemed it ne
cessary to amputate Mr.. Faulkner's leg, rs
we'll as both of Mr.. Donnelly's legs, they
having been broken by the accident.
The train which was sent up at O'Clock
Yesterday morning took the place OF the
disabled train and proceeded north.
Senators Fulkerson and Wood, of the
| Virginia State Senate, were among the pas
sengers on the train. bound to Washington.
They give a graphic account OF the unfor-
tunate accident. Both occupied seats in the
second-class or smoking-car, and as soon as
the seepers ran into the train they, together
with the forty or fifty passenger on the cars,
got out and aided in relieving the unfortu-
! nate situation in which some of the injured
passengers were placed. Senator Wood was
doing upon his seat, having failed to Sc
cure compartments in the Baltimore sleeper,
but was reused when the cars came together.
| Indeed, all the vacant places in the sleeper
were occupied by the Oates Opera Troupe,
whose members were passengers on the
train. Both senators represent the excite
| ment among the passengers rs being very
great, but speak in complimentary terms Of
the GOODNESS and conduct OF the conductor,
who took in the situation at once, rs he stood
upon the platform OF the car hoping that
the train could reach Milford and get out OF
the way before the sleepers came along.
Mr. Fuikersoa says Mr.. Donnelly occupied
umost distressing position. the ladies' car
having come upon the platform OF the car
| on which he was standing and caught and
crushed his leg and held him there securely,
while the blood streamed from his wound;
and it seemed as though he would bleed TO
death. The officers OF the road and pas
seLgers were using their best endeavors to
relieve him, but the cars were so tightly
locked that it was not until an engine had
been brought into requisition and chain
attached to the coach and the car pulled of,
that he could be taken out he bore his
dreadful suffering as well as he could, but
his situation was painful indeed.
hir. Faulkner is very well known in this
CITY, and has many friends who will regret
his injury. He is the well-llnown contrac-
tor for furnishing the City Gas-W Works with
coal, and is the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
road Company's agent at Frederick (named
for Mr. Faulkner), in Fayette county, West
Va. Mr.. Faulkner arrived yesterday after
noon and was taken to his residence, No.
800 Leigh street.
MIR. Donnelly, who is we'll advanced in
years, was also brought down yesterday
afternoon, and now occupies comfortable
quarters at the Retreat for the Sick.
MI. Mainwaring's' body was also brought
to Richmond to await arrangements for the
| funeral.
The accident was one OF those unfortu-
nate things which could hardly have been
avoided, but one for which the company is
in no way responsible. Indeed, the Frede-
ricksburg road is generally free from acci-
dents, and it has been many years since
death has occurred on that road from this
cause.
Police CoURT.-Acting-Justice Crutch-
/ Al qell