The times., 1889-07-12

A Passenger Train Goes Through
q Washed-Out CulverS.
Thirty Lives Said to Have becn Lost
While Greater Number of Persons
Were Badly IpJured-Story
of the Disaster.
aREAr LOSS OF LrrE.

GREAT LOSS OF LrFE.
LyNcHBuRo, VA, July Y "A fearful acci-
dent, by which maay i!,es were lost and
large number OF people injured, occurred
on the Norfolk & Western railroad at 2;3o
o'cloch Tuesday morning one mile above
Thaxton's switch and thirty -one miles above
the city. Rain had been falling almost
continuously and at times very heavily
for twenty -four hours, swelling the mount
ain streams greatly beyond their nor
NAL state. Several trains had passed
over the road during the night, and it
was thought that the line was safe for
traffic, Notwithstanding the rains, and that
no danger need be apprehended. At the
place of the accident, however, the water
had undermined the road-bed and caused a
washout about eighty feet long and hfty
feet wide. The water at this point
was eight to ten feet deep Into
this watery gulch 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
fact greatly augmented the catastro-
phe. Debris was thrown in every
direction by the force OF the explo-
sion, injuring some of those on the
firebrands which ignited the woodwork of
the coaches. The flames spread and de-
stroyed 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 themselves
from the wreck and were consumed
in the flames, but it is difficult
to get accurate information, as the
employees of the Norfolk & Western railroad
refuse to give any information to the pub
lie. 1t is impossible to state the number of
persons killed, but the most reliable esbi-
mates place it at between twenty five and
thirty. The number OF wounded will be
far in excess of the number killed Thirty
of the wounded have been taken to Roa-
noke, thirteen to Bufordsville and fifty to
Liberty. Among those who are known to
have lost their lives are:
Charles Bruce, of Lynchburg, fireman, scald-
ed to death; Nathan Cohen, OF Roanoke, en-
route for Germany via New York; Patrick
Donovan, of Lynchburg, engineer; A. S. Fran
els, OF Marion, mail agent; A M. James,
of Roanoke, travelling engineer OF the
road; j. w. Livsay, OF Roanoke, train dis
patcher; Dennis Melon, janitor OF the railroad
offices, en- route to New York to be
married; W. c. Stead, OF Cleveland, Tenn;
q stranger, bound for Paris via New York; l..
b. Summers, c. Abington, Va, mail agent; Il
little giri supposed to be the adopted daughter
of Mrs. Judge Thompson, OF Staunton, Va; ].
w. Dubarry, superintendent OF the Eastern di.
vision; j. j. Rose, postal clerk, OF Abingdon, Va;
John Kirkpatrick, of Lynchbuig; the husband
and two children of n lady passenger on the
train whose name can not be learned.
Mr.. Stead was an Englishman and was
agent of an Idaho hunting and fishing ex-
pedition. He was on his way to England
for supplies when he met his death On
his person was found package containing
$4,000
Conductor Johnson, Bishop Wilson, Ex-
press Messenger Ashmere, Mrs. Judge
Thompson, Major j. G. Cassel superin-
tendent of the road, and Baggage-master
Ford are among those most badly hurt A
number of others. including several ladies
from Texas, are slightly injured