Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-14

less thnn twenty minutes he was lying
d. ad on Il railroad track in the yard OF
the Danyille Company.
Monday night Mr. Blankepship vas at
work at lis Office until 10 o'clock. Yes
terdsy morning he left his home at s
O'Clock, eaclier than usual, and went to
his business. He stayed in his office
(Carv street between Virginia and Four
teenth street. a short while and then
started TO 90 TO the Danvilie depot to see
about getting some cars for shipment OF
nails. Joining friend who was going a
little distance down Fourteenth street,
Mr.. Blankenship proceeded on Lis way
in that direction.
~ THE YARD.
Deceased entered the Danville rail
road yard by the Fourteenth street gate
and there met and greeted Mr.. Branch
Fravser and then went on walking
briskly straight toward Captain Vests
Office. 70 do this he had to cross nu-
merous tracks. IT was a bitter cold
morning and he wore a closely-buttoned
overcoat and gloves aud stepped with
great briskncss. He had crossed numer-
ous tracks and was near his destination
when his path was stopped by shifting
engine drawing a train of nine empty
box cars. His evident purpose was TO
reach the track just in time to pass over
il in rear OF the last car OF the tram
but as he got close abreast OF the centre
part of the last car he fell forward and
tbe wheels of the rear truck passed over
him. He was picked up gosping and III
two minutes was dead.
THE INJURIES.
The truck was thrown from the rails,
but Mr.. Blaukenship's skin was hardly
broken. Ills heavy clothing and fatness
had protected him from that but never
theless several of his ribs had been
crushed into splinters Whether or not
the spinal column was broken could not
be ascor,ained, but probably it was.
DIS. Brock and Ross were sum
moned, and came promptly to the scene
of tine accident, but their services were
useless.
Coroner Taylor viewed the body, and
having ascerlained from an examination
of the only witness (as far as he could
learn who saw the accident that the rail
road company was in nowise responsible
for the sad occurrence he turned the body
over to the friends of deceased, who as
soon as possible removed 1t to deceased !
residence, at the northeast corner OF
third and Canal streets.
BOY AND MAN.
Mr.. Blankcnship was born in Rich.
mond. and after a good education i'll the
schools of this city preparatory to busi
ness. vas employed in the Office OF
General Bernard Peyton. commission
merchant. Here he stayed for year ol
two, and thence went as clerk and as
sistant bookkeeper into the office of Mr..
~. s. IIiplett. manager Of the RellC
Isle Nail-Works. This was about lS5I
or 1885. when he was about seventeen Oh
eighteen years of age. His promotion
was rapid. During the war, while still
serving the company and the Govern
ment at the Belle ] ' works, he became
a captain in the lota defence line, and
was at the front when Richmond was
evacuated. On the retreat he was cap
tured and taken to a northern prison.
After the war with ali bis might and
energy lie went to work to revive the
company and enlarge its operations, IN
both of which hc was successful, and
within a wear past he had established q
steel plant and had ustbegun the manu-
factllre of horseshoes IN addition to the
other specalties OF the company, which
included nails and bar-irOn. He was
president and commercial agent OF the
company and had supreme control Of It's
affairs. and without disregard to the
worth OF his able associates was often
called "the life of the concern.
lie was one of the charter members OF
the Chamber of Commerce and was fol
five years its president. lie WAS a
leading member of Lee Camp and va;
one of the Board of Governors of tho
Soldiers Home. He had pledged his
support to the Exposition scheme, anc
his last appearance in public Was at tic
hall os the House recently, when the
Agricultural Society was disbanded auC
the Exposition Association Organized
He was president of the Board Of Man.
ayers of the Retreat for the Sick anc
had long been a member Of the West
moreiand Club. lie was steadias
Democrat, aud when his services were
needed never failed.
THE ONLY EYEWITNESS.
The only person who saw the accident
so far as known, Is Mr.. John j. Monroe
car inspector. He was seen by i)'s
palch reporter at his home, in Manches
ter. Yesterday afternoon and asked th'
particulars OF the affair He said Mr.
Iiller, the engineer, was pulling The
train out of the yard on to the bridge
when Mr.. Blankeuship came towards 1t
All the cars had gone by him except tht
rear one, and the front truck OF that ont
he'd passed. l was standing about forty
or fifty feet away at tie time. lie wa
falling with his arms spread out, as if t
catch himself. As he fell under the car
face downwards, the last truck passeC
over his body. His body threw
the car OF the track. didn't know
Mr.. Blankenship, and had never seen hin
before that l know OF. I don't know
what made him fall. he may have
caught his foot in the switch which IS a
that point. he seemed to breath twice
after we got TO him and diedimmediately
lie did not speak and uttered no cry tha
/ know of when he fell. At first, wher
I saw him fall, / thought the gentlemaI
was Mr. Robinson, the conductor OF th'
freight train, but when | got up to mn
( saw that it was not. There were mn'
freight cars in the train, and they wer'
all empty"
TOGETHER AS BOYS.
A few hours after Captain Blanken
ship's death representative OF the Dis
Daich visited the company's works OF
Belle Isle and conversed with several .
the officials and employees who had beer
associated with the deceased since III
boyhOod.
Mr. John S. Bethel, a practical mailer
with several cutting machines under HI
immediate control, and who Is preslden
of the Common Council, says:
1.-THE blow was q very severe one u