Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-06-22
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 18th.

ole accident had happened to train
No. - (the Louisville eXpress) on
the Y. VI. X. r 'Onr men, it was
at first reported, had been killed
outright and a number injured,
and those having relatives and
friends on the Inflated train were
thrown into paroXgsms of fright
and compelled to undergo terri.
bic ordeal OF anxiety until the
facts concerning the disaster could
be learned. When the truth had
been ascertained 10 was found that
the first rumOrs had in nOwise been
exaggerated, but that four Of onr
citizens had met horrible death
and that that number Of house.
holds had been thrown INTO the
| greatest sorrow.
The Louisville express train left
this city at 300 Saturday evening
as usual. in charge of Conductor
Henry 5. Pitts; Mr.. ward
Ilantzmon engineer, Mr. Lee Make.
~ fireman, and Mr.. John Poss bag.
gage master. Mr. &. W. Mayo, tel.
egraph operator IN the cOmpaDy's
office here. was on the engine, hay
ing determined TO spend Sunday
with his father, who lives at Char.
lOttesvile. The tram had not pro.
ceeded more than ten or twelve
miles when some portion Of the
automatic whistle of the locomotive
became deranged, and upon arriv.
ing at RavenswOrth a stop was
made. After about fifteen minutes
work the engineer succeeded in re
pairing whatever damage had 0c.
Cured and the train was again put
IN motion, the speed being some.
what accelerated in order TO make
mp the lost time. Fairfax was pass.
ed and the train sped on at lively
rate toward Clifton, and when two
miles this side of that place. about
one hundred yards from Pope's
Head bridge No. ., and where there
is a curve in the road, the engine
left the track dragging with it the
three forward cars. The rate of
speed was so great that the train
continued to tear along over the
ties for fully a hundred yards, and
stopped only when the engine dug
\ its head into the earth and rolled
over and down the embankment, a
distance Of abOut ten feet. The
baggage car also went down with
the engine, but the passenger cars
remained erect and the rear car,
one of the sleepers, did not leave
the rails. All the passengers were
thrown from their seats and some
Of them were knocked senseless.-
A scene of understandable confusion
followed as the crowd rushed from
the cars, but through the efforts OF
Conductor Pitts a degree Of order
was restored, and the men went to
work TO assist the injured.
Search was at once made for the
engineer and the men who were in
the baggage car. Engineer IIantz-
mon was found in the cab OF his
engine, horribly crushed and alive,
but he died about an hour after he.
ing removed. Baggage Master
Poss and Express Agent Hardy
were found in the wrecked baggage
car, the former with his chest crush.
ed IN and dead, while the latter was
badly injured. These were remoy.
ed, but Charles Mayo, the young
telegraph operator who was known
to have been on the engine, and
the fireman, Makelv, were missing.
Almost the whole night was spent
in searching for them, but at 8
o'clock no result was obtained, aud
the wrecking train returned to this
city with the bodies Of Hantzmon
and Poss on board, together with
Agent Hardy and few passen-
gers. The two bodies were taken
in charge by Undertaken Wheat
ley, after which Hardy was taken
to Washington. The work of re.
moving the wreck was then cOntin.
ued, and soon after daylight the
bodies of young Mayo and Fireman
Makely were found buried under a
car. When first discovered moth
ing could be seen Of them but their
hands. They were both so badly
crushed when they were finally dug
out that it was only by means OF a
ring on Mayo's finger and a glove on
the freman's hand that they were
identified. The two men had eyi.
IDENTIFY attempted to save their lives /
by jumping, and had been caught |
under the engine as it rolled down
the bank. The bodies were brought |
here last night, and taken to Tn. /
dertaker Demaine'S.
When those on the tram who es.
capped injury recovered from the
shock and began TO realize the ma.
ture of the accident. all hands start
ed to work manfuliy to extricate
the unfortunates and to alleviate
as much as possible tho pains of
the injured. Engineer Hantzm0n,
as stated, lived some time after the
accident, and his sullerings were
excruciating. a lady passenger on
the train had with her hyperder.
mic syringe and some morphine,
and being unable 10 find any male
person present who knew how TO
use the instrument, with her own
hands injected the drug into the
veins of the diving man. The effect
was instantaneous, tho gEoans
ceased and in a few minutes death
had relieved HIN from his suffer.
ings.
Ybe next enigma to be solved
was, how to inform the Alexandria
Office OF tho catastrophe! there be-
ing no telegraph Office nearer than
Burke's, about eight miles north.
east of the scene of the accident
Brakeman Arthur Penn was sent
back to that station and telegraph
cd tor assistance. 4 number of
passengers, among them Mr.. Worth
Huldsh, Of this city, volunteered to
90 to Manassas and telegraph here
Tor assistance. Upon reaching
Clifton they endeavored to procure
q vehicle IN order to facilitate their
progress. Failing, however, in
their endeavors, they pushed their
way on to Manassas and informed
the Office here of the disaster. The