Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-01-22
RAILROAD ACCIDENTS.


San Francisco Friday was wrecked near
Iehaehapi early Saturday morning. TWEEN
ty people were killed and twelve badly in
Jured. Shortly after midnight the overland
express by the Southern Pacifcstopped near
lehaehapl Station to cut out an extra en-
glne taken on at Sumner to assist in pulling
up the Tehaehapi grade When the train
stopped the air brakes were applied. On
detachins the engine the brakes relaxed,
and the hand brakes were either left open
or were not strong enough to hold the train.
Inc movement may have been helped by
the strong gale blowing. The train got
away and started northward down a grade
OF i2o feet to the mile. The train consisted
OF TWO engines, express, mail and baggage
cars, TWO sleepcrs, one coach and a smoker.
IL went down the grade alta frightfulspeed
lof ABOUT Jour miles, when the hind
crlhost sleeper jumped the track and went
over an embankment about Is feet high.
carrying with 1t the other sleeper and mail,
baggage and express cars, which were piled
IN shattered heap. They then took fire
and were consumed. The coach and smok
CT kept on down the grade and were stoned
without leaving the track about two miles
further on All on board the lattcrwere
unlhlured. The scene following the wreck
was terrible. A number OF persons were
damned amid the ruins of the train. and
roasted to death before the eyes of those
helpless to save them.
Az the time the train broke loose the air
brakes had been taken of, and the men who
tended the handbrakes were away from
thclr posts, one attending to switching the
engine; and the other rclightug his extin-
@u!sncd lamp. The train gathered Roadway
quickly. ana was soon dashing down the
grade III the rate of q mile Il minute. At a
sharp curve OF the road the coach and smo-
ker Whlch were ahead, broke the coupling
and separated from the rest of the train
,h inc TURN safely; The sleepers and
the mail express and baggage cars were
dashed against high bank and then thrown
pack, rolling down an embankment. The
lamps and stoves at once set fire TO Tie
wreck, which was instantly in a blaze
Harry Connors, news agent, who was slecn.
ing III the baggage car, was awakened by
the movement of the car and aroused bag.
gage master, just as the cars made the iump.
ne ROOT OF the car was split open and
noln men were thrown out and severely
bruised. Connors, while lying on the
ground, unable to render any assistance,
saw lne tram envelored in flames. and
heard the shrieks Of the dying victims, and
saw them vainly cndcayoring to struggle
from the burning ruins Out of sixteen oc
cnpants of sleeping car not one is be-
lieved 10 have escaped.
y search for the dead showed that TWEEN.
tty-onc persons had persisted. Eleven were
beyond all recognition.
Col. Larrabee, u victim Of the disaster,
was born i'll Wisconsin, and served for a
number OF years in the United States army.
For the last ten years he had lived in Wash
ington Territory. His only daughter mar
red Capt. Burton, L. $. A. He was a law
yer OF prominence, and member of the
last constitutional convention in Washing
ton Territory.
An Albuquerque special says: Thurs
gay evening an engine on the Atlantic and
Iacihc road, while making an effort to force
inc blockade ofsno between Coolidge and
Fort Nlngate jumped the track. A second
engine IN the vicinity came to the rescue
out not being able to render needed assist
ahee: TWO more engines were telegraphed
Tor from Coolidge. These started for the
scene CT The accident ut full speed, and in
| W.: N''"S "no" slofin nothlnS was seen
III the way. when suddenly tremendous
cr.sh and The fragments of four sixtv-ton
engines were piled up on the road bed. An
engineer and fireman were seriously bruis-
eu and several others were slightly injured.
The next afternoon the men working on the
wreck being exhausted from fetigue and
cold, Coolidge was again asked for assist
;'nce, when two more engines with way
car loaded with workmen started for the
scene OF the accident. The snow was bliud-
ing and the wind blew so terrifcally that
NJ" object could be seen ahead, and the res
c"lh@ train sweeping along the track went
crashing INTO the wreck Of the other four
engines, adding tenfold to the confusion al-
ready existing Both engine and wav car
were completely wrecked, but no one was
seriously hurt.