The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-11-23
How Two Trains Met.
THE DISASTROUS COLLISION NEAR TIE WHITE
srLPHrR-A BRAKEMAN DROWNED N WIS
KEY-KNEE DEEP N FLOUR.
l. --...lo.no Of 1hc Richnnnd Dlenlich.I


sULPHUE--A BRAKEMAN DROWNED ~ N"l~
KEY-KNEE DEEP N FLOUR.
urorrcspondcnce of the Richmond DispatchI
CLIFTON FORGE. VA"
November -, 1852.
"Ircckon am. lust about The best fire
man ON fine Chesapcakc and Omo,' said
John Evans. the fireman OF captain ian;
U,vur,', freight train. - hC shOYclled coal
into the fiery furnace on one oi the huge
combination engines n she bOWlcd along
through the moonlight near the ME sui
phur last saturday night. "llere', oid 10
with heavy load getting mp the grade H.
teen miles an hour. and she'll make her
time TO Clifton Forge Tonight. too
Just then Frank Weaver, The engineer,
caught SIGHT OF a bright headlight Just
turned a curve and coming down on them
at The rate OF twenty miles IN hour.
"Whars that. john" called the engineer
to hi, fireman. Evans took one quick.
earnest look ahead: at, the tiurd 3:
there, man ont here in the Held want,
to see me right now; and the active hrr-
man leaped from the train. liz upon hi-
feet. and ran for hi, life from the collision
he saw was unavoidable. Weaver reversed
hi, engine, bringing up hi- long. heavy
train with q jar. and he, too, jumped and
took 10 the field at right angles from the
impending crash.
The train rushing down with Irresistible
impetus upon them was Captain Chld
third section Of No. . freight, and carried
forty complies" three boN-car, laden with
merchandise neNtthc tender. and one with
pig-iron. The engineer harley Divine
and hi, fireman Jumped successfully, A. did
alt the brakcmcn. and ran from the track
except one green hand. who stayed by TO see
the crash. and a great crash il was.
The engines Icaped upon each other like
wild beasts, the iron casing, were broken,
and great volumes Of fire shot in the air.
while the steam Kissed and boiled and
,hrickcd like forty tends turned loose.
The great heavy engine OF the eaot-bound
train kept the track and held il long train
Of loaded coal-cars in place; but The ears
Of the other train coming down the grade
piled upon each other with q long, ratlling
crash that lasted about half a minute, and
thousands OF dollars went like a pun OF
smoke. The first hOX-car, loaded Withmc
chandi,e, mounted the tender. the floor
tearing OF. the good, all pouring ont on the
Ground: the second bON-car mounted on
top of the first. also losing it, floor. and
piline it, goods with the other, and the
third mounted on the TWO others IN the
same way, the fronts OF Them standing
high i'm the air, while the rear ends rested
on the ground. The following empty coal
ears jumped upon each other 20 high that
one Jimmy in making the climb caught the
tclcgraph-Wirc and brought that down too
in the general wreck.
~ soon a. things got quiet The train
men ran back TO the wreck, the engineers
>oothcd down their snorting iron ,tecG~.
and the lrakcmcn li>hcd ont their com
r,dc from re~Iilr "sOur mash - of
'.,,...t-- ''in-N'l 'D"rrol- fIn w. held
down b. piece OF Il car Whilc'thc wins
key had poured into his eyes and ears and
mouth. and soaked hi, clothc, and settled
in hl> shoes, but happily escaping with
only 4 broken nose. he VIZ >ct upon the
bank TO dry. and was soon IL drunk "a, a
fiddler ut Christmas.
The dfbri> around the merchandise car,
was IN uncommon sight. Flour knee deep
made into dough with Whi,kcy. and fine
hat stuck in the mess like plumbs i'm "a
dumping; toilet soap. hahing-poWd
backing, strawberry icllic,. hay0ring en-
tracts. pickles. and mu,lard,-all mixed
together on the ground. and mashed
among black broken boards. greasy aNlos.
aud rusty iron. while a splendid crystal
gla>> showcase lay shattered around in
shining ,plinler..
II was strange scene that the moon
looked down on upon that quiet road. But
not quiet long. Runners were speedily
started both ways to ilae approaching
train, and to telegraph Tor help. while
the men who stayed hy the wreck
went heartily TO work to ave " hat they
could from the ruin. Long before morn
ing Wrecking force from Anderson. under
charge OF Mr.. l.. :. Alley. was on the
ground hard at work clearing the track.
Owing TO the break in the telegraph line
the force from Clifton forge was later get
ting upon the ground. but that was there
by daylight, and it va, marvellous 10 see
how rapidly the pOndcrou> ruin was moved
IRON the track by these experienced men
with their powerful wrccking apparatus.
BY o'clock the way was clear. the track
Strengthened, and the waiting trains passed
on. and the uHobScryant passenger had
nothing to remind him OF the frightful col
lision except strange comminglcd odor
OF Whi>kcy, essence OF lemon. and bouquet
soap, with faint strawberry aroma which
waited in through the car window IL he
sped over the spot. +. VI.