The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-08
DISASTROUS COLLISION.
TRAINS COME TOGETHER ON THE
BALTIMORE &c OHIO.
Three Mer Killed and Several Injured
Cars ed on Top of One An
other--Au Overworked Train Crew
Fell Asleep.

WASHINGTON, Oct THE Cincinnati
and st. Louis passenger train collied with
freight train near DickeBon, on the Bal
timore q Ohio road, killing three train
men and injuring six others. By almost
miracle the passengers all escaped unin-
jured. A mile west OF Dickerson station
the road makes a sharp turn and then
goes down heavy grade in deep cut,
the banks being twenty feet or more above
the level OF the tracks. Around this curve
the train dashed just before midnight and
began its descent, gathering momentum
each second. The freight train, which
had orders TO remain on switch ut Tus-
caroora, one mile beyond, until the ex.
press passed, had few minutes before left
tho switch and was slowly toiling up grade.
Suddenly there was flash Of headlight,
and the trainmen on the two engines saw
that nothing could be done and IL was
useless to apply the brakes. "Jump,
boys!" shouted Engineer j. L. Wel2h. OF
the freight train, as he sprang from his
cabin TO the side OF the track, but the
fireman had no time 10 get away and
George kidebnugh, brakeman, who was
also on tho freight was so paralyzed with
fear that ho was unable TO heed the en-
gineeTs warning j. ". Hand, fireman
OF the passenger train jumped and escaped
uniniurcd. In an instant the two engines
came together with such force that they
stood locked together on the track and
formed base upon Which was piled in
confusion a pyramid twenty feet high,
consisting OF three wrecked freight cars,
two express cars, the mail car and n bag
gage car. These cars acted rs u buffer for
the passenger coaches attached the west.
ern bound express, and tn ugh the passen-
gas were Violently thrown forward, they
all csc ped MI IA ed.
ius passengers immediately set TO work
to extricate the trainmen from the debris
and wrecking train, arriving few hours
later assisted in the work.
At o'clock this afternoon the track was
not yet clear OF debris, although all tho
men had been taken out.
The killed are: VIM. =. Wiley, n postal
clerk, OF Paramount, w. Va; John Casey,
postal clerk, OF Washington, and George
Ridenbaugh, brakeman, OF Perrin, Nd.
The injured are: Engineer Joseph JEFF
ireys, OF the express train; j. X. Virts,
fireman OF the freight; Thomas Landon,
conductor OF the press train; A. q.
Crook, postal clerk; j. w. Gordon, ex.
piess messenger, and H. NJ. Jackson, pos.
tai clerk. The bodies OF the killed were
brought TO this city and those OF Wiley
and Ridcnbauyh were subsequently
shipped TO their late homes. The injured
men were conveyed 10 their homes in Bal
timore, with the exception Of A. G. Crook,
who lives in Washington.
II is not thought that any Of them arc
badly injured except Nirts, who was much
bruised, and Engineer JeiIrcys, who was
severely scalded about the head and neck,
and may die.
The accident was due 10 n mistake on
the part Of the freight train men. They
say they had orders TO lay on the switch at
Tuscaroora and wait for two sections or
the Pit,sburg express, and the express
train which caused the collision, 70 pass
through. They had been on duty con,in.
uously thlrty-six hours, they say, and
after seeing the iirst section OF the Pitts
burg express pass, had gune 90 sleep at
their posts 10 secure little rest They
awOke rs the second section Numbered by,
and, rs II was on the schedule time Of tho
Cincinnati and St. Louis express, they
thought Il was the train which had Just
passed, aud therefore pulled out Of the
siding aud came down the single track.
Senator Voorhees, and Postmaster Dial.
ton, Of the House Of Representatives, wcro
in the train on their way 10 Indiana.