Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-07-18
A Terrible Railroad Accident.

A collision between two Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad passenger trains occurred
&. Washington on Saturday evening at
$40 o'clock, by which ali engineer and
fireman were killed, and eight or more
persons were injured. The two engines
were totally wrecked, and the destruction
of rolling stock was complete. The acct
dent occurred ut the innction OF tho Met
ropolitan Branch OF the Baltimore and
Ohio, which goes in to Washington city
OF, First street northeast, and the Wash
ington Branch, which goes in by way OF
Delaware avenue and | street. At this
point there Is y switch to turn trains,
so that they may be backed into the depot,
few hundred yards away. Train No. II
from Baltimore to Pittsburg, drawn by
engine sol, Amos Ward conductor, Absa-
lom Englas engineer, and George Orem
fireman, arrived OIL time, and as stated,
white light Of safety bsing shown at the
Y. il turned into the Eirst-street switch to
reverse. Just then train No. z, from Mar
tinsburg, which should have passed the
switch 90 minutes bnfore, entered the
switch from the Metropolitan branch.
Under tho rule rcd light should have
been showing 1T the north end of this
switch 10 warn the belated train, and it
remains 10 be settled whether or not this
signal was displayed Train No. Z, called
H., hN-o
CINE 623, a. j. Mossburg conductor, NJ.
J. Riley engineer, and Solomon Il. Fogler
firoman. The street through which the
road runs is built up, and men, women
ard children stood beside tho tracks, some
dazed with sudden fright and others
screaming with fright as tho two locomo-
tives dashed against each other. Before
4 man had timo to leap or oven think, they
crashed into each othor, and were piled in
a mass OF ruins, out Of which hot steam
burst in volumes. Then came cries and
groans from the people on the trains.
Standing straight, wedged in between the
timbcrs, was engineer Riley, the steam
literally cooking the flesh on his bones MS
he stood. Fogler, his fireman, lay inn
prisoncd beneath. The unhurt passcn-
gers lCaped from the broken cars, and the
people Of the neighborhood ran to help
them. An alarm brought four companies
OF firemen and Captain Vernon with de-
tachment of police. The lines were form
cd, and the help work went on systemat-
ically and speedily. A stream of water
was thrown on the hot timbers and Riley
was taken out, but he died shortly alter
The cabooso Of the other engine WAS forced
open and Englas and Orem were released.
Fogler was found with one leg torn oil
and his intcstincs protruding, and he soon
died Two hours were occupied in reless-
ing the persons who were imprisoned in
the wreck.
The tracks were cleared Of the wreck
by daylight Sunday. The engine OF the
Martihsburg train was found driven into
the other engine and partly mounted upon
it. The baggage and smoking cars wero
forced almost on top Of ghe tender, while
the tender OF 623 was mashed into its bag
gage car, and for a hundred feet on each
side OF the road was filed with debris
The loss TO the railroad company is heavy.
Riley, the engineer who was killed, had
been in the employ Of the company 90
years.