Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-04
a VIEW OF THE WRECK.
A Scene That Beggared DescriPtion-Re-
covering the Bodies.

Especial telegram 20 the Dispatch.l
IYSCHBURG, Va. July 3.-Interest in the
terrible disaster has not abated one whit,
and eager crowds seem to devOur every
stem Of news that can possibly be- obtain
cd from the scene Of the fearful wreck
One Of the party from this city who went
10 the scene last night on the relief train
and returned to-day said 10 your CORE
epOndent: The scene beggars descrIp-
ton. and half will never be known. When
our train arrived the scene was pitlful and
Bickening The long film had been com
lletely washed out, and in the bottom lay
What remained Of the passenger train,
&round which were pools Of blood. charred
f0ncs. water, and mud, through which the
dthef party sent from Roanoke piled their
work removing the debr1S and searching for
She bodies of the victims. The df b,1S left
faowcd not more than enough sphntered
wood 10 make up one car, and the IRON
work was twisted and wrenched into every
conceivable shape
WIDE OPEN.
Upon uncoverlng portion Of the engine
the position of the throttle showed that
Engineer Donovan, thoughtless of any
danger. bad his engine wide open and was
running at "a rapid rate OF speed. and was
eudcNOriug 10 carry hls passengers TO
shcir destination rs quickly as possible
Iiis body was found under the wreck an
almost unacceptable mass, and but for
his watch would have probably not been
identified at all The other bodies had
been SO completely dismembered and
burned that It was impossible 10 tell who
they were or whether they were white or
colorcd male or female. Along with the
si<by7s and victims of tins disaster said my
informant. nearly every vestlge of the
mails and express and baggage were COM
lletcly consumed and viii never be ac-
counted for.
THE CAUSE.
The general impression Of the people in
Nhc neLghborhoOd Is that water-spOUt or
cloud burst caused the washing away of
ghe film. as 1t stood for a number of years
and had never been affected by high water
and heavy rains before, and the culvert
underneath the ombankment had been
found capable Of draining of all the water
that had ever falleu since its erection.
J. r. Hatcher. of this city, who went up
a. the wreck from this city IN response to
"A TELEGRAM from Cleveland, Tenn, request
snp him 10 look after three young men
from that place who We're "a route To
che Paris Exposition, returned this
morning He learned that the body of
Will Stead one Of his friends, had
been recovered from the wreck, but the
bodies ui the others, John IiaTdwick aud
William Marshall, are supposed TO have
been consumed by the ire. A gentleman
who was in the sleeper with Stead says he
was restless. and when the train went
down the unfortunate man attempted to
escape, but his legs were caught between
some of the tlmbers and be was drowned.
His informant escaped by climbing out of
II widow. as did about thirteen others in
the sleeper Stead's body was the first
taken out by the resculng party before the
wreck caught fire. When Mr.. Hatcher
reached the scene all that remained OF the
long train were a number Of small pieces OF
chafrcd wood, the wrecked engine, and IN
Vulnerable pieces of iron twisted IN every
imaginable shape by the intense heat
caused by the burning cars.
TAKEN OUT.
Portions OF eight bodies have been taken
out. and il is believed that fully fifteen
more were entirely consumed by fire. The
persons accounted for left about that num-
ber. and there was not enough dsbrts TO
cover the other bodies. survivor told
MIR. Hatcher that the scene was the most
horrible be had ever witnessed. After the
ire started cries for help could be heard
from all portions Of the wreck, and those
left alive were pOwerleSs 10 render them
assistance.
Some Of the women who managed TO es
cape las about on on the damp ground sui
fering from their injuries until daybreak,
aud Others walked some distance TO farm
houses. The few passengers and tralnmen
Ieft uniniured did all that was possible for
the uufortunates, but were unable TO be OF
much service 10 them. Mr.. Hatcher iden-
tilted the body OF his friend by descrlp
tiOn OF his watch and clothing.
WHAT RAILRoAD-MEN SAY.
The disaster is attributed by railroad-men
10 an accumulation of driftwoOd carried
from the mountaiu-side, which stopped up
the cuvert The engine was gong at such
a rapid rate Of speed that II jumped clear
10 the opposite side Of tae gap and turned
a conpiete sofnersault The water soon
subsided. however. and leaving the cars
clear they caught ire from the engine and
burned rapidly IL is believed that most
81 the victims were drowned before the fire
reached them The body Of young Stead
was taken 10 Thaxton's aud from that point
shipped 10 Cleveland.
The remains of Patrick Donovan arrived
ON the Richmon1 and Alleghany railroad
this afternoon. coming around from koa-
poke 10 Loeb Lard Ga the Shenandoah
Valley railroad. They were met at the
dep6t by a large party of relatives ana
friends and taken 10 the Church Of the
Holy Cross, where the funeral services took
place.
ysTIaELY CONSUMED.
John kirkpatrick. of this city, was en- |
iirely consumed by fire and no trace OF his !
BODY can be found. One Of the many re- |
ports In circulation is that portions OF "A |
humber Of victims were placed ~ box py /
parties working for the railroad company
~ as ~ create tho impression that DUH
few lives were lost.
Tho railroad company are makins every