The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-03
AFast Express Rushes Into a Washout
While Moving Thirty Miles an Hour.
The Boiler Of the Locomotive Explodes and
Several of the Splintered Cars Catch Fire
from Broken Kerosene Lamp.
About Thirty Persons Killed and Ninety
to One Hundred Others Injured.
Mail and Express Matter Burned, and Some of
the Unfortunate Travellers Are Supposed
to Have Perished in the Flames.
INTO A wATERY GULF.

INTO A wATERY GULF.
Twenty-Five or Thirty Persons Killed and
Nearly One Hundred Injured.
LYNcHBURG, Va, July "A fearful ac-
cident by which many lives were lost, and
alarge number of people injured occurred on
the Norfolk g. Western railroad at $50
o'clock this morning, a mile above Thaalton's
Switch. and thirty-one miles above the
city. Rain had been falling almost con-
tinuOusly and at times very heavily for
twenty-four hours, swelling the mountain
streams greatly beyond their normal state.
Several trains had passed over the road dur
ing the night, and it was thought that the
line was safe for traffic, notwithstanding
the rains, and that no danger need be appre-
hended. At the place of the accident, how
ever, the water had undermined the road
bed. This caused washout about eighty
feet long and fifty feet wide. The water
at this point was eight to ten feet deep.
Into this watery gulf the engine
made frightful leap while running
at the rate of thirty miles an hour,
carrying with it the tender and eight cars.
As the engine struck bottom the rushing of
the water into the locomotive exploded the
boiler This greatly augmented the catas-
trophe.
Debris was thrown in every direction by
the force of the explosion, injuring some of
those on the train by the flying fragments
and scattering irebrands, which ignited
the wood work of the coaches. The flames
spread, and destroyed large amount of
mail and express matter, besides spreading
panic among the already terror-stricken
passengers. 1t is supposed that some of the
passengers were unable to extricate them
selves from the wreck. and were consumed
in the flames, but it is difficult to get accu-
rate information, as the employees of the
information to the public.
1t is impossible to state the number
killed, but the most reliable estimate
places it at between twenty-five and thirty.
The number wounded will be far in excess
of that. Thirty injured have been taken
to Roanoke, thirteen to Bufordsville, and
fifty to Liberty.
The adopted daughter of Mrs. Judge
Thomson, of Augusta county, was killed, and
Mrs. Thompson herself is known to be very
badly hurt. Pat Donovan, the engineer,
with his fireman, man named Bruce, was
scalded and burned to death by escaping
steam. Train dispatcher Lipsey was also
burned to death.
Among the others who lost their lives
were j. j. Rose, postal clerk, of Abingdon.
Va; John Kirkpatrick. of Lynchburg w.
G. Stead, and the husband and two children
of lady passenger on the train. whose
name cannot be learned. Mr.. Stead was an
Englishman, and was agent of an Idaho
hunting and fishing expedition. He was on
his way to England for supplies when he
met his death.
Mai. j. c. Cassel, superintendent of the
Lynchburg division of the Norfolk g. West
ern, was on the train, and was seriously in
jured. as were also baggage-master Ford
and Capt. Rowland Johnston, who was in
charge of the train. 1t was thought that
Captain Johnston was fatally wounded.
but later report says that his condition
and that of baggage-master Ford is some
what improved. l.. b. Summers, a postal
clerk, of Abingdon. Va, was badly bruised,
but fortunately escaped the fate of his run
ming mate Rose.
There is no telegraph communication
nearer the wreck than Liberty, and it is
hard to get information from there as the
railroad people refuse to permit reporters
| to go on the train which went there.
| A relief train was made up at Lynchburg
| late in the afternoon, to go to the scene of
the wreck, and q number of physicians
went down ON it to do what they could to
aid the wounded. The Norfolk & Western
people absolutely refused to allow any
newspaper men to board the train. and
several who got on, despite orders to the
contrary, were put off. The railroad men
also refused to give out any information in
regard to the wreck.
A special dispatch received about II
! o'clock from the scene of the wreck, by way
of Liberty, says: "Six dead bodies have
been recovered. The bodies of the engineer
and POSTAL clerk Rose were recognized. The
| others are not known. Superintendent
Cassell, although badly hurt, is on the
ground and doing everything possible for
the wounded. The railroad company has
taken large corps of physicians to the
scene of the wreck from Roanoke, Liberty
and other points. 1t is thought a large
number of bodies were burned in the con-
fagration."
The Dead and Injured.
| Special to the Indianapolis Journal
ROANOKE, Va, July 2.-The east-bound
passenger train on the Norfolk e. Western
railroad. which left here at 1905 A. NJ, was
wrecked at Phaxton's, twenty-five miles