Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-07-12
ANOTHER TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.
A Passenger Train on the Virginia
Midland Railway PIunges Through
n Bridge-Five Persons Killed Out
right and Thirty-Eive Injured.

AS Virginia Midland train No. so. the
south -bouud express. which left this city
last night at 11:25 was passing over
"Fat Nancy" trestle. two miles south
of Orange, about go 8. M, one of the
coaches broke down, causing the trestle
to give way. preciplatipg the train in the
ravine, about forty feet below, and instant
ly killing three passengers, one of the mail
clerks and the newsboy, and iniuripg be-
tween so and So passengers, several of them
it is feared fatally. The train was composed
of an engine, baggage, postal and express
cara, two passenger coaches and two sleep
ers, ard was In charge of Conductor @. T.
Taylor. Engineer J. 81. Watkins, Fireman
J. W. Kelley, Baggage Master James Good.
win and Brakemen NJ. II. Matter and
O'Neal.
Mail agent Wilmington, Of North Caro-
lima; Mr.. Cornelius Cox, of this city, the
assistant engineer of the company the
uewsboy, who lives in Washington. and two
passengers named J. N. Terrence, of Blacks
S. c., and MIR. Hunter, OF Scotland, were
killed Engineer Jno. b. Watkins YVES
slightly hurt, Fireman J. Kelley badly hurt,
Baggage Master Goodwin and Brakeman
O'Neal badly hurt, Conductor Taylor slight
ly injured, and between 80 and 80 paFsen,,
gers, more or less, injured. The injured
were sent to Charlottesville except Messrs
O'Neal, Taylor and Watkins, who were
brought to this city about one o'clock In
charge of Dr. Powell, who went up the road
this morning to relieve the doctors who hao
been summoned from the neighborhood.
As above stated the accident was caused
BY the breaking down of one OF the coaches
and the middle of the irain went down first,
while the engine was the last to follow.
The engine, postal, baggage car, two coach
es, and a sleeping car went through to the
bottom, distance Of forty feet. The en-
CINE is not much hurt. but the cars are con.
feet of the trestle is gone, leaving the two
is seid to have been fearful. Soon after
its occurrence one of the train men was sent
back to Orange and the news of the wreck
was teegraphed to THE city. Early this
morning Superintendent Andrews and
Train Master Peyton boarded wreckng
train and left here with large crew for the
scene of the accident, and on their arrival
went promptly to work doing oil in their
power to aid the sufferers A number OF
physicians in the neighborhood had already
teen summoned and they too were indefati-
gable in rendering all possible assistance.
The other trains on the road were sent from
Charlottesville to Gordonsvile via Z. q ..
r. W. and Gordonsvile 10 Orange, and
thence TO Alexandria. This causes delay
Of about two hours.
The bodies of Mr.. Wilmington and Mr.
Terrence were brought here about O'Clock
to day and taken to Mr.. VIM. Demaine'5 un
dertaker's establishment, where they were
prepared for burial. Mr. Terrence who was
magni6cently proportional man, weighed
about $50 pounds, and had one leg broken
and severe bruise on his left side. In bis
pocket was found gold watch which was
running Mr.. Wilmington was a delicate man,
very slim, aud the only thing OF value found
on him was a gold ling. The body OF
Mr. Cox had not been taken from the wreck
at u o'clock nor had that of the newsboy,
Mr.. Cox was well known in this city, hav-
ing resided here nearly all his life. He had
adopted civil engineering as profession
and had served on some of the principal
roads in the country, and for some time was
10 engineering in Costa Rica. He
was recently elected City Surveyor,
but resigned to accept position in the en-.
cheering department OF the Virginia Mid
land Railroad, where ne possessed in the
highest degree the confidence and esteem OF
his employers. He was man noted for
strict integrity Of character, and had wide
circle of friends to whom Ills excellent traits
had endeared him.
This is the fret time in the history of this
road that q passenger has been killed on 1t,
frequent accidents have &C.
Cured, and this is decidedly the most seri-
Gus one.
Be Telegraph
CHARLOTTESVILLE Va, July 12.-Express
train No. 50, left Orange G. H., south bound
on time at 1.50 this morning. About two
miles south of Orange is trestle As feet
high. The train was moving at speed of
six miles crossing the trestle, under regular
orders The engine bad passed safely over
most of the trestle when the smoker, mail,
baggage, and express care went down with
great crash, dragging down the engine
aud tender and two passenger coaches.
Two sleepers remained on the trestle. The
engine went down pilot end foremost, thus
communicating no fire to the wreck. All
lights were extingushed in the fall. AS
soon az the accident occurred the engineer,
who was but slightly injured, walked back
to Orange and telegraphed for assistance.
Dr.. W. C.N. Randolph and therphysicians
left here on special train for the wreck.
The dead and some of the wounded were
taken to Orange while the more seriously
hurt were brought to Charlottesville and
placed in the Cottage Hospital, hotels and
the homes of friends. AS far as can be now
ascertained FIVE were killed. Cornelius Cox,
of Alexandria, was instantly killed 81.
T. Wilmington, of Greensboro, N. O.. post
al clerk, lived ten minutes II. G.
postal clerk, of Prospect Prince Ed