Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-01-27

PIE were khIeo anu tWtNe oauly Injured.
Shortly after midnight the overland
express by the Southern Pacific stopped
near Tehaehapi Station 10 cut out au
extra engine taken on at Sumner to as
sist in pulling up the Tehaehapi grade.
When the train stopped the air brakes
were applied. On detaehing the ell
CINE the brakes relaxed, and the hand
brakes were either left open or were
not strong enough to hold the train
The movement may have been helped
ny the strong gale blowing. The train
got away aud started back northward
down grade of l2O feet I" the mile.
The train consisted of two engines, ex
press, mail aud baggage cars, TWO sleep
ers, one coach aud smoker. 1t went
down The grade at II irigL,tnl speed Tor
about tour miles, when the hiudermost
Q erper jumped the track and went over
an elnbankment about 10 feet high,
carr, ing wilE It the other sleeper aud
mail, baggage and expless cars, which
We're piled ia a shattered heap. They
coach and smoker kept OF down the
grade and were stopped without Ieav-
nag the track about two miles further
Oh. All on board the latter were un-
Injured. The s:ene following the
wreck was terrible. A number VI pet
sons were ,jammed amid the ruins Of
the train, aud roasted to death before
the eyes OF those h, lpless 10 save them.
AT the time the train broke loose and
ran down the grade the air brakes haG
been taken off, and he men who tend
ed the handbrakes were away from
their posts, one attending to switching
the eugin+, aud The other relishling his
extlngushcd lamp, The train gathered
Roadway quickly, and was soon dash
ing down the grade at the rate OF a
mile minute. AT sharp curve Of the
road the coach aud smoker, which were
ahead, broke the coupling and separated
from the rest of the train, making the
turn safely The sleepers aud the mail
express aud baggage cars were dashed
against a high bank and then thrown
back, rolling down an embankment.
The lamps and stoves at once set lire TO
the wreck, which was instantly in a
blaze. Harry Connors, news agent,
who was sleeping in the baggage car,
was awakened by the movement OF the
car aud aroused James Woodruff, bag
gage master, just AS the cars made the
jump. The root OF the car was split
open ami both men were thrown ont
aud severely bruised Connurs, while
lying on the ground, unable 10 render
any assistance, saw the train cnveloped
in flames, aud heard the shrieks of the
dying victims, aud saw them vainly Ell
deavoring to struggle from the burning
ruins. Porter Ashe and wife, who oc-
cuped drawing room Of one OF the
sleepers, were awakened by the crash.
They succeeded in getting ont without
injury. Out of sixteen other occupants
OF the car not one is believed 10 have
escaped. Meantime the occupants OF
the coach which kept on the down
grade succeeded in stopping ii, ;heleby
saving the lives of some forty occupants
OF that aud the smoking Car. They i'm
mediately walked back to the scene OF
the accident, but found only the smoul-
deriug remains OF the train aud the few
who had escaped with their lives, lying
bruised aud bleeding in the darkness,
shivering IN the piercing cold night AIR,
or rendering assistance 10 each other.
Relief soon arrived from Tehich;pa, four
miles distant, and, as soon AS possible,
medical attendance was sent from Sum
ner and Bakersfield, and subsequently,
from Los Angeles. y search tor The
dead soon showed that II persons had
persisted. Eleven were beyond all rec-
ognilIon.
The burned body Of Mrs. Downey
has been found, and was recognized by
her jewelry. All the bodies aud fray
menlS OF bodies were placed in cotfnS.
The wounded were removed to the bag,
gage car, and Oh the arrival of the re-
lief train from Los Angeles were sent To
Tint city. Or the dead Wright, color
crushed; Express Messenger Charles
PlerSon had his head shattered, aud the
following five were burned, but not be-
yond recognition: Miss NJ. X. Qnirres.
Mrs. III. y. Oliver, Mrs Downey, Mrs
James Cassel and Levin Welherrd
Two men, names unknown, but sup.
posed to he discharged soldiers, were
found dead, but not burned. One other
body, OF a large man. badly chMred,
was found, aud is supposed to be that
OF Colonel Larrabee, rx-Congressman
irom Wisconsin. Elk Gov. Downcy
says Mr.. Larrab,e was on the train, aud
has been missing since the accident.
The remaining eleven bodies are still
unidentified