Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-02-21

red on that line This is an error which no
doubt has arisen from the fact that ono OF
the trains (the passengerl was the tram
which arrived ia Alexandria on that night
over the Virginia Midland Railway from
Danville. The accident occurred on the
Alexandria and Washington Railroad, at
Four-mile run about three miles north of
Alexandria, just where the tracks of the
Alexandria and Washington Railroad pass
under the trunk of the Alexandra
Canal The Alexandria aud Washing
ton Railroad is virtually owned by the
Pennsylvania Railroad, by which line it
is operated and makes up part of its line
between Washington city and Quantico,
Va, where the Pennsylvania Railroad has
it's southern terminus. The Virginia Mid
land Railway commences in Alexandria
aud extends to Danville. Under an agree
ment with the Pennsylvania Railroad the
passenger trains of the Virginia Midland
Railway are taken into Washington and
are started from that city. The service done
BY these Virginia Midland trains between
Alexandria and Washington is done over
the tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
and is done under charge of the officials OF
the Pennsylvania Railroad and such trains
are considered to be Pennsylvania trains
and are published in official schedules of
the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad as Pennsy lvania
trains.
The cars and engines are tho property of the
Virginia Midland Railway, and the passengers
thereon are either to or from the Virginia Mid
land Railway. but the trains are moved between
Alexandria and Washington as Pennsylvania
trains under the charge Of officials Of that com
pany appointed to do this service.
For lnstanra, passenger train No. 81 OF tho
Virginia Midland Railway reacheS Alexandria
from the S0u;h at 10 p. IN, daily. That train
cannot move QUE foot towards Washington until
a conductor or pilot furnished ny tbs tennsylva-
mia ka,road takes charge Thi employee oil the
Penrsylvania ad assumes fun charge OF tbls
tgai,i. and It DIS lot move except BY his ori'rs:
-. rs,ca;vcs his orders from The proper officials at
the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad AMI runs the tram 10
Washington according to the running rules OF
tha; lir" 4, such instructions rs he may receive
from the officials If The Pennsylvapia Company.
This train then becomes frst-class train OF that
lire, AMI IN ho Pennsylvania schedule IS denoteo
a, Train No 10t. So it viii be seen that this
train, Though arriving in Alexandria over the
Virginia Midland hallway becomes. when u leaves
for Washington. Peunsy vanis Train No. lu4, III
charge Of tho conductor or pilot OF that line
rryniuq uIou orders from the ficials Of that
line passing over the Pennsylvania's tracks and
il every way Frat class train of the PennSylva
na Rgilrnsd.
Such was the c.ze with the passenger train
which lef. Alexani ria for Washington on Thurs
day night. aud on its way met with the accident
Conductor Bennett All employee OF the Penn
evlvania Railroad, was at the Virginia Midland
dept in Alexandria, upon the arrival of tho
train from the South, and "a pilot assumed charge
of it tn take it to Washington by orders OF tho
Pennsylvania Railroad. The only orders or In
s,ructipns which he would obey came from the
same official of the Pennsylvania Railroad who
gave the orders to the freght train which collided
with the passenger train.
The train left Alexandria as Pennsylvania train
No. 1O4 in charge of Pennsylvania Conductor
Bennett, and upon passing under the canal aud
while on the tracks Of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
collided with Pennsylvania freight train No.
2,,5 with the results heretofore given.
The direct responsibility for this accident is
not here referred to, as the above statement of
ftc,s is only given to show that these two trains
were under full control and direction of the
Pennsylvania Railroad and that the accident oe
Cured on that line snd not on the Virginia Mid
land Railway as reported by most of the news
papers"
We think this statement due to the Virginia
Midland Railway which was in no wise RESPONSE
BILE for the movement or control of these trains