The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-16
FEARFUL ACCIDENT
ON THE VIRGINIA MIDLAND RAIL
ROAD YESTERDAY.
Collision pstween Freight Trains-Two
Men Killed and Several Iniured-A
sce,e that Beggars Description Lease
OF the Fbbitt Iiou-e-Personal.


ALEXANDRIA. November l5.-. special. -
There was n freight smash-up on the Mid
land between and o'clock this morning.
Two men were killed. five or six. or more,
were seriously. il not fatally injured. Both
engines were wrecked several hundred
cattle were manned and killed: upwards Of
a score Of cars were demolished. several OF
which contained merchandise. which was
scattered over the road.
THE ACCIDENT
occurred twenty-five miles up the road. at
Rushby Branch. about two and "A half miles
south of clifton, and bordering on the old
Bull Run battle-ground.
THE SCENE
beggars description. Every aid was sent
out by daylight, and crowds have swarmed
about the depot here since noon. No trains
had come up Mt > o'clock.
THE COLLISION
was between train No. 81 and second sec
ton Of 2l. One was nOrth-bOund the other
south-b0und. and Loing at the usual rate OF
speed. II is said that the train dispatcher
gave the u wrong order or the tranmen
misunderstood him. The opinion is mixed.
They came tegether with a crash, whose
echo was the moaning Of the cattle.
TIE KILLED AND lNJl hfDs
Fireman James Murphy. Of Fairfax, and
Brakeman Charles r. Estes. Of Orange. on
the south bound train, were killed outright.
Engineer Fitzgerald. Of the norih-oound
train: Fireman Frank Evans. tattle-Ship-
per IlgginbOtham. and Brakeman Edgar
Payne. badly injured as i also I'd. Kemp,
Of this city. fireman of the south-b0und train.
Mr.. John :. b. Thompson, superintendent
Of the company. was soon al the scene with
DIR. OF 'Bricn and others. The work of clear
ing the track began ut once, but all trains
have been delayed.
Anxious crowd, have been hanging about
the depot here all day. i - bad smash
up and there Is considerable gossip.
rANDEMONIUM.
Few got hold Of the facts until the noon
train came up. They said that the fright
ened and wounded cattle had 10 be left TO
take care of themselves. The bodies Of the
dead ones strewed the track for consider
able distance and formed, with. the wreck
age. horrible. bloody mass in the muddy
,wamp AT each side. \ small stream flows
through the swamp. and this was choked
hy the bodies Of the cattle and Wreckage OF
the cars. The two engines were Knocked
alms>t out Of all semblance 10 their former
appearance and the track was considerably
damaged.
The noise and frightened believing Of the
panic-stricken cattle mingled with the din
Of escaping steam, made "a horrible pandc-
monium Of din.
TIE BODIES OF ESTES AND MI RPHN
came up on the first train Of to-day. which
has lust (G:3O reached here. \ great crowd
was at the depot and many followed the ~
mains 10 the estab ishmcnt Of the undertaken
who will prepare them for burial. ALTHOUGH
the men do not le0ng here they are we'll
known
THE EBBnr HOUSE LEASED.
Mr.. Caleb {. willard. Of Washington.
having decided 10 retire from the hotel busi-
ness. offers the fine hotel property, known
ms the Ebbitt House. 20 a syndicate consist
ing Of several old cOnnectises and Messr-.
". ID. Ruddy. T.. j. Siellwagen and Thomas
Gale. II being stock company. charter
had 10 be- granted IL, and they came down
here 10 judge Norton. a. other Nashngto-
mans do. The capital stock is put down at
100000 with the shares at $500 each.
The hotel is the army and navy headquar-
quarters and one OF the best in Washington.
The retirement Of Colonel Willard is regret
t,sl by hosts Of people. with whom he was
exceedingly popular. According 10 the
terms of the lease the stock company VIII
have control Of the Ebbitt for period of ten
year, and six months commencing NoNein-
ber a. l,s9. at an annual rental Of S2i.wp.
The price paid for the furniture and other
appurtenances of the Ebbitt was SlOo,OOO
In his effort % acquire property on ;
street. Mr.. Willard has succeeded IN OBJ
tanning some Of the most desirable pieces OF
real estate on the north and south sides. be-
tween Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets,
aud he has found that it will take AL his
time TO manage his extensive holdings.
This il the sole cause for his retirement
from the Ebbitt. and his successor VII have
advantages Of wears OF training under ON,
Of the most conscientious and popular hotel
men in this country.
The fir-effe's Washington letter says
m It Colonel Larry Boyce. of Clarke county
Va. when here day or two ago said thai
ex-senator Riddleberger voted the straight
Democratic ticket al the recent election
" sislatiye ~ well ~ state. and stated ht
always had been Democrat. Ihe Co.one
is of the opinion that the ex-senator ha'
come back 10 the Democratic party 10 stay
NO less than four cX-COntederate genert ti'
were nj the Metropolitan Hotel YESTERDAY
msrning. Field. Payne, ROsser and LomaX
senator Daniel is expected here to-day.