New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-03
NEARLY FORTY KILLED.
DISASTROUS ACCIDENT ON THE NORFOLK
AND WESTERN, NEAR LYNCHBURG, VA.
JURED-THE TRAIN PLUNGEs INTO A WASH.
OIrT Ann THE wpPCK CATCHES FIRE

JURED-THE TRAIN PLUNGES INTO A WASH.
OUT, AND THE WRECK CATCHES FIRE.
IDY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEl
Petersburg, Va. July "A fearful catastrophe
occurred about a mile west of Thaxton at 30
o'clock this morning, by which about forty per-
sons were killed, and many others were injured.
ThaxtOn is on the Western Division of the Nor
folk and Western Railroad. about thirty miles
west of Lynchburg. Rain had been falling al
most continuously, and at times heavily, for
twenty-four hours swelling the mountain streams
greatly beyond their normal state. Several
trains had passed over the road during the night,
and IL 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 roadbed, and
bad caused washout about eighty feet long and
fifty feet wide. The water at this point was
eight to ten feet deep. Into this watery gulch
the engine made frghtful leap, while running at
the rate of thirty miles an hour, carrying with it
the tender and train.
AS the engine struck bottom, the rushing Of the
water into the locomotive exploded the boiler.
This fact greatly augmented the catastrophe.
Debris was thrown in every direction by the force
injured By the flying fragments, and firebrands
being scattered, which ignited the woodwork of
the coaches.
The train was composed OF locomotive tender,
mail car, express car, two Pullman coaches and
three slee pers All of the train, with the ex-
ception of the last sleeper, which did not leave
the track, was burned up. As soon as the news
of the accident became known at Lynchburg, a
inn, MIL f,,l Of
was sent to the scene of the wreck. The work
of getting out the dead bodies was begun and
carried on as rapidly as possible but the task is
necessarily slow. Many of the bodies were
burned and others are under the water, so that it
is impossible to tell who all the dead are.
Among those known to have been killed are
J. F. Lifeseay train dispatcher of the Norfolk
and Western road; Alvin Jones, OF
Petersburg, road foreman of engines for
the Lynchburg Division Pat Donovan,
the engineer, and John Bruce, his fireman; ex-
press messenger Ashmore, of Messy Creek, Tenn. ;
and Conductor Rowland Johnston, of Glade
Springs, Va. Captain Scott of Norfolk, is missing.
l.. B. Summers, of Abingdon, Va, postal clerk,
was badly bruised; the other postal clerk j. j..
Rose, of Abingdon was killed. Major J. G.
Cassell, superintendent of the Lynchburg Division,
was on the ill-fated train, and was badly, but
not fatally injured.
The adopted daughter Of Mrs. Thompson, of
Augusta County was killed, and Mrs. Thompson
herself is known TO be badly hurt. Among the
Others who lost their lives were w. G. Stead, and
the husband and two children of q woman pas.
senger on the train, whose name cannot be
learned Mr.. Stead was an Engishman, and was
agent of Idaho hunting and fishing eXpedi-
tion. lie was on his way to England for sup
plies when he met his death.
Thirty the wounded have been taken TO
Roanoke, thirteen to Bufordsville, and fifty to
Liberty ,
There is no telegnphic communication nearer the
wreck than Liberty, and IL is hard to get informa-
ton from there as the Norfolk and Western re-
fused to permit reporters TO go on the rehef train
which went to the scene of the accident, and sew
eral who got on, despite orders to the contrary,
were put Off