Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-23
DEATH IN A TUNNEL.
TWO TRAINS RUSH TOGETHER uN-
DeRGROUNO.
The Cars damned Into Mnss-rhe Added
Horror of Fire-Thc Killed
md Injured.
M ..,esr.nh 10 the pIspa.ch.l


volyed were FreightNo. %, north-boand,
aod Passenger No. 5, south-bound. No.
3 leaves Cincinnati at Z. Nj. Another
train leaves Cincinnati an
bour earlier. Both Of these were held at
Ky., two hours or more on
account OF freight wreck which had oc-
cnrred south of that place last night.
When the track was clear the foremost
Cincinnati train started ont from Somer-
set first and met and passed safely the
nortb-bound train. Then at a safe dis
tance behind il the fated No. 8 started
ont. Freight Train No. %, north-bound,
was side-tracked ut Sloans Valley
when the first Cincinnati train passed
south.
The crew OF the freight appear to
have overlooked the fact that No. . was
to follow, and they pulled out and start
ed porthward. Less than a quarter OF
mile away they entered the tunnel, which
is one sixth Of mile long. In the most
hopeless place that trainmen ever met
death the engines OF the two trains dash
ed into each other, and the cars follow
ing we're iammed into each other IN a
mass Then came the added horror OF
conhagration.
THE KILLED AND INJURED.
No description of the scene has yet
been received. Only the bare result mas
been telegraphed to the office OF the
road. They are that Firemen Gould and
Welsh, Brakeman John +. Montgomery,
Express Messenger Edward Rufiner, and
a maii-agent were killed. Engineer lay
lor, of the passenger train, and Pm
Lott, Of the freight train. were badly
burned. The baggage-master was IN.
jured. No passengers were killed. II
any are injured their names have not
been ascertaIned.
The burning of the trains in the tun-
mel renders it impossible to clear the
track as readily as it could be done on
open ground, the smoke and heat pre-
venting the men from entering. Trans
fers will be made until the tunnel can
be cleared. There were two mail-agents
on the train-J. l.. Gayle and Q. +. Doe
gan. Which one OF them IS killed is not
yet known. Edward Ruifner, messenger
OF the United States Express Company,
one OF the killed, was married man,
living at Bond Hill. near this city.
THE CAUSE ANOTHER WRECK.
The initial cause of the collision was a
wreck which occurred last nj hit mt Ellhu
station two miles below Somerset. A
mixed train was stopp ng to leave car
and had not yet got into motion when a
freight came up in the rear and struck
the rear car causing serious wreck.
Young Mr.. Payne, a commercial travel
Ter for the firm of Person a Clark, Lex
ington, Ky., had both legs crushed and
has since died. The delay to the passen-
ger trains by this wreck caused the mis-
take Of the engineer and conductor OF
freight train No. % by which the tunnel
collision occurred.
A LUCKY INCIDENT.
Fortunately the passenger train had
not entirely gone into the tunnel when
the crash came, and so three sleepers
which did not leave the tract served as 4
means of escape for the passengers.
These sleepers were detached and drawn
away from the burning train, but the
baggage-car, mail-car, and two coaches
were burned.
At IL o'clock to-day the heat and
smoke prevented anything being done
to clear the tunnel. General Manager
Carr left by this mornings train for the
scene and will personally direct what
ever is necessary to be done. The rail-
road officials have heard of but one
passenger injured. His name is not
given, but ne has been removed to
Somerset. The two engineers, Taylor
and Pimlott, are now reported as not
fatally injured.
THE MAIL AGENTS.
CINCINNArI. October 22.-Later adj
vices show that Mail-Agent Gayle is
living, but badly burned. Mail-Agent G..
l.. Dolgan is missing, and is supposed TO
have been burned to death. Both lived
in this city. Dolgan leaves large FAM
lily.
ENGINEER PIsILoTr DIES.
CIycINNATI, ONO, October 22.-En-
gineer John Pimlott died this afternoon,
making six victims of the tunnel COLI
sian on the Cincinnati Southern road, as
follows: John Pimlott, engineer, De-
troit, Mich. 4; Fireman Welsh, Somerset,
Ky. ; Fireman Gould, Ludlow, Ky
Brakeman John +. Montgomery, Alba
ny, n. Y. +; Postal-Clerk G. l.. Doegan,
Cincinnati Express-Messenger L. p.
Ruf'ner, Cincinnati.
The injured are Engineer Pat. Tay-
Tor, Somerset, KY, severely; Postal
Clerk j. G.. Gayle, Cincinnati, o., So
verely; Baggage-Master John K. Long,
Newport, Ky, severely. Passengers
w. ID. Wheeler, New Orleans, in charge
of the museum freak known as "Wild
Rose" both slightly injured Miss Ollie
Getty, Dayton, Tenn, slightly Archie
Murphy, Madison county, Ind, slightly.
The passengers were all able to walk
over the hill to train and to resume
their journey.
STORY OF HERoIsM. .
CIYcGNyATI, October 22.-There is q
story OF heroism that has not been told.
The hero's name EXpress-Messenger
Bremen had forgotten, but he was until
recently station-agent of the railroad al
Somerset, Ky. Well, this brave man
heard the cries of George Long in the
baggage car SEEING an axe he cut a
hole and drew him out.
In the express compartment OF the
same car the voice OF Ed. Ruffner, mes
senger of the United States Express
Company, was heard. Our hero, scorched
with the approaching flames, cut "a hole
inside of the car. Rufiner was walking
about unscathed, but in a death
prison. The brave rescuer, ready
to sacrifice bis own life in the
effort to save another, kept on
cutting away. his own clothing singed
by FIRE. the hot air consuming bis
strength, and his blows growing feebler
at every stroke. Ruffner, doomed in his
prison, shouted to him: $50 away
Save yourself while you can. j
am Ed p. Ruffner, OF Cincinnati.
My home is 40 west Fourth street.
Go and tell my family good-by. Tell
them that you did all that man could dc
to save my life. No, don't stay here
longer. Go, or you will burn up with the
rest OF u.s." The unnamed hero stag.
oara1 ont op1 aochrpn tho omar, oir Toll