Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-10-08
A RasLEoaa WroolI.

WASHINGTON, d q. Oct THE Gin
cinnau and ct. L uis express, which left
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad station
in this city 1T 1O45 O'Clock last night,
WhiTled past Dickereon Station, thirty
seven miles from here, on the Metropoli-
tan branch Of the railroad, shortly before
midnight at lightning speed, ran sharply
around a curve about a mile west Of the
station, and with accelerated speed ran
down heavy grade and collided, with
hardly a moments warning and with
tarful force with an east-bouud freight
train from MsrtiushurV, W. Va, Xii ing
three trainmen and injuriDg six Others
By almost miracle all the passengers
escaped uniHiursd
Toe express left Washington on time,
but lost time owing to trouble with The
engine short distance out OF the city,
and then ran ahead ct speed Of forty
miles an hour TO catch up A mile west
Of Dickerson station the road makes
sharp turn and the lie heavy grade in
a deep cut, he banbs being tweuty feet
or more above n level Of the tracks. The
freight train, which had orders to remain
on switch at Tuscan "a, one mile be-
yoDd, until the express paBsed, had few
minutes before left tue switch, and was
bAOh'J tOAluB UP Biaub
THE TRAISMRE's PERIL,
Suddenly there was fash OF head.
lights, and the tralumen on the two en-
gines were appalled, at the coming disas
ter, which they Immediately saw could
not be avoided. The two engines were
almost upon each othe and the engineers
saw that nothing could be done, aud that
it was useless TO apply the brakes.
Jump, boyGW shouted Engineer ]. z.
WEIGH Of the freight train, as he sprang
from his cab TO the eide OF the track; but
his fireman, ] d. Yirts, had no tune to
get from b plaza at the fu mace, and
George RidenbAngh, q brakeman, wh3
was also on the engine, waa so DarAlyzei
with fear that he was unable 10 heed the
engineers edmonton, ]. ". C. Hand
fireman Of the passenger train, jumped
and oscar uuinj ured.
u an instant the TWO engines came to-
Igether " tn such fearful force that they
stood locked together on the
track, and rmed a base upon which
was piled In confusion u pyramid tWeut
feet high, consisting Of three wrecked
freight cars, two expiets cars, the mail
car and baggage car. These cars acted
as a butler for tue passenger coaches at
tached 20 the western bound express,
and though the passengers were violent y
tn own forward they all escaped unin.
Ijured The passengers Immediately set
to WORK to txtricAte the trail men from
the debris, and wrecking train which
arrived few hours later assisted 10
the work. At 8 O'Clock this afternoon
the track was not yet free from the
debris. althoug all the men had been got
IOut.
The excitement was due to a mistake
on the part OF the freight train men.
They say they had orders TO remain on
the switch at Tuscarora and wait for two
sections of the Pittsburg express and the
Iezpress train which caused the collision
to pass. They had been on duty con
tinuousy for thirty-Bix hours, they saw.
and after seeing the first section Of the
PittsbuTR express pass had gone to sleep
az their posts 10 secure a little rest
They awoke as the second section
thundrtd by. and as 10 was running on
the schedule time OF the Oinclnna and
st. Louis express they thought that train
mad passed, and therefore pulled out Of
the siding and came down the single