Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-03
DASHED INTO A ,WASHOUT.
Fearful Wreck of Virginia Passen-
ger Train.
THIRTY SAID TO BE KILLED.
So Far the Wounded Number Over
Ninety-Thc Boiler Explodes, Set
ting Fire to the Debris
Several Crcmated.
A Railroad Horror.

LYNouBuRe July "A fearful accident,
by which several lives were lost aud large
number of people were injured, occurred on
the Norfolk & Western railroad this morn
ing one mile above Thaxtcn's switch and
three miles above this city, Rain had been
FALLING continually for twenty-four hours,
swelling the mountain streams greatly be-
= ond their normal state. Several trains had
passed over the road during the night,
aud 1t was thought 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 ad bed and caused q
wash-out about eighty feet long and fifty
feet wide. The water at this point was ten
feet deep Into this watery gulf the engines
made u frightful leap while running thirty
miles an hour, carrying with it the tender
and eight cars. AS the engine struck the
bottom the rushing of waver into the locomo-
tive exploded the boiler. This augmented
the catastrophe. The debris was thrown in
every direction by the force of the explosion,
injuring some of those on the train. Scat
tering fire brands ignlted the woodwork of
the coaches. The flames spread and de-
stroyed large amount of mail and express
matter and caused q panic among the al
ready terror-stricken passengers. 1t is sup
posed some of the passengers were unable to
extrcate themselves from the wreck
and were consumed in the flames. 1t
is impossible to state the number of persons
killed, but the most reliable estimates place
it at between twenty-five and thirty. The
number of wounded will be far in excess of
the number killed.
Thirty wounded have been taken to
Roanoke, thirteen to Bufordsville and fifty
to Liberty.
The adopted daughter of Mrs. Judge
Thompson, of Augusta county, was killed,
and Mrs. Thompson herself Is known to be
badly hurt.
Donovan, the engineer, with his fireman,
was scalded and burned to death by escaping
steam. TrBin Dispatcher Lipsey was also
burned to death. Among others who lost
their lives were j. j. Rose, postal clerk, of
Abingdon, Ia; John Kirkpatrick of Lynch
burg; w. @. Stead, and two children of a
passenger on the train whose name can not
| be learned Stead was an Englisman and
the agent of an Idaho hunting and fishing
expedition. He was on his way to England
for supplies.
Major Cassell, superintendent of the
Lynchburg division of the Norfolk Western,
was on the train ana is seriously injured, as
were also Baggage Master Ford and Captain
Johnson, who was IN charge of the train.
l.. b. Summers, postal clerk, was badly
burncd,.
Ihere IS no teleSrapnlc IacllltleS nearer
| the wreck than Liberty, and it is
hard to get information from there,
as tho Norfolk s. Western
| refused 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. A number
! of physicians went down on it to DO what
| they could to aid the injured.
| A dispatch received at II o'clock from the
| scene of the wreck, by way of Liberty, says
/ SIX dead bodies racOyprel Tho rail
| road company has brought large corps of
| physicians from Roanoke and Liberty and
| other points It is thought large number
| of bodies have burned in the confagration.