Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-02-05
Fatal Night Collision.


ONE NAN KILLED AND FOUR WOUNDED.
The Chesapeake & Ohio road enters
Staunton on the east with mile of steep
down grade. which, after getting within
two or three hundred yards of the depot,
changes to stiff up grade. The westward
heavy freights run down the incline with 8
rush to get impetus for the rise. The pas
senger trains also run down the incline fast.
Viewed from the depot, the track east
looks like line with a sag IN it. Fifty
yards after striking the up grade. going
west, there is the switch of a siding. 1t Is
close against high hill, and on it the
freights gather to wait for the passenger
runs into it hood is put on it's engine
light, that the meeting train may know
the main track is clear. The switch is
then set for the coming train to keep on
the main track. Monday night, about mid
night, Conductor Blker's east-b1un
freight went on the siding and her head
light was hooded. The west bound fast
express was expected in a few MINUTES
On its engine were Geo. ". Ettinger.
master mechanic of the company, riding
on it, because it was just out of his shops
at Richmond and he wanted to see how it
worked; Ezekiel Lowry, OF Richmond,
engineer, large and stout man, and H.
Ii. Cuttings, of Richmond, fireman. The
onn6nofor 70 Con
Conductor Baker, of the freight, told
Samuel Via of Staunton, one of his brake
men, to go to the front of his train and as
soon as the express passed, to open the
switch and let his train out. Via, who it
is stated was half asleep, misunderstood
the order and thought it was to go ahead
and open the switch. He did 80 and left
the track open for the express to dash into
his own train. In a few minutes 1t did so.
The two engines were driven so fast to-
gether as to look like they were one The
tender of the express reared on top of its
engine. instantly crushing fireman Henry
II. Cuttings to death. His arm was torn
off and was found long before bis body
was; when found his other hand was on
the bell-rope and his face was roasted
against the boiler. Engineer Lowry had
, his head damned through the cab- window,
had two bad cuts about the throat near
the Jaw from the broken glass, and was so
badly scalded on one of his legs that when
the clothing was taken off some of the
skin came off with it. When he was found
he was standing up on his engine, leaning
ever AMI bleeding profusely. He got off
his engine unaided and walked down the
track. He was taken to the Virginia
Hotel. Mr.. Ettinger was thrown out of
the engine on the hill side and had his right
leg and arm both broken and his head bad
ly cut. He was found sitting on plank,
with his feet hanging down in the water
and nearly frozen. He was taken to the
Hale House. On the freight train Charles
Smailes, the engineer, was thrown from
his engine by the shock, but very little
hurt. A number of persons were imme-
diately On the spot but in the debris of the
wrecked engines, and the volume of steam
that poured around everything, it was
hard to find OR help the wounded. Every
aid was promptly given and among those
who were active in helping, were the
members of the Rhea Dramatic company
who had just come from the theatre to
their hotel, the Aale House.
None of the passengers on the express
train was seriously Injured. though DR..
Lsfferty of Richmond, who was on his
way to deliver lecture for the Methodist
church at Greenville, was bruised slightly,
and Mr.. Jonas Hageman, who was warm
ing his hands, was thrown forward en-
the hot stove and burned them severely.
Df. Patterson, DR.. Butler, DR.. Reese,
DIR. Getzendanner, DIR. Fred Henkel. and
DIR. Phillips, were all on the spot, having
been sent for.
Mr.. Ettinger was formerly connected
with the Stanton Iron Works. Mayor
Gordon went around to the depot to ar
range for having jury sit in the case of
Cuttings, but the railroad authorities had
already sent the body away. It is proba-
bic that the grand jury will make inquisi-
| ton into the responsibility of Via, the
brakeman. whose mistake brought on the
| disaster.
Chancellor Commander c. G. Wheat, of
the knights of Pythias here, being tele-
graphed from Richmond that Engineer
Lowry was knight of the order, at once
visited him and rendered the good offices
of the Staunton Lodge in the name of the