Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-12-26
THE VIRGINIA BLIZZARD.

BLOCKADED AND A WRECK ON THE VAL
LEY BRANCH B. & o.
The heavy snow storm of last week
proved to be one ofthe deepest that mas
been known in Virginia for at least ten
years, and as it was accompanied Dy a
perfect blizzard south of this point the
tremendous drifts completely blocked all
railroad traffic for day OF two on all the
Virginia roads south and west OF here
All the country roads in this section were
badly obstructed for several days and the
few teams that started out had a rough
time getting along. The cross mails from
this place, with the exception OF the ST.
LIKE route. could not make their trips
from twenty-four to forty-eight hours,
and then only with the greatest difficulty.
A northbound freight train attempted to
leave Harrlsonburg on Wednesday morn
ing but ran off the track in deep drift
before it got outside of the town limits
Four engines that started out at different
times through the day TO the assistance
of the northbound mail which had been
stalled at point near Stanton since early
that morning, did not succeed in reaching
the train that day, and it did not reach
Harrisonburg until Thursday morning
even with the aid of four powerful en-
gines. At that place it was again stop
ped by the disastrous wreck that had
piled up three engines in a deep cut
north of there a few miles. The ac-
count of this disaster as given by pas
senger to a representative of the Rocking
ham Register, is as follows: "Mail train
ALI with Capt. Grumbine in charge, pail
ed by its own engine and freight engine
No. 224. which had been hooked on at
Edinburg, reached Broadway in the al
ternoon about thirty minutes late. Here
it found the local train due at Harrison
burg at 1924 (noon) showed up. The
passengers were transferred and a new
train made up which started south about
six o'clock, drawn by locomotives of three
trains. freight engine No. 224 IN front.
The run from Broadway to the deep cut
about two miles north of this place was
in fair time notwithstanding the heavy
snow drifts which covered the track at
intervals. The steep grade and heavy
drift in the cut held the train about half
an hour, After this time had been con-
sumed clearing the track tie train emery
ed from the cut at the rate of about fif-
teen miles an hour. What followed is
thus decribed by passenger.
There was a sudden jar and a ripping
sound at the side OF the car as if the train
had toppled over against the rocky sides
of the cut. A moment later the intense
glare of a locomotive headlight was shin
ing in our faces, and we could see that the
forward engine had been turned com
pletely around, end for end, and upside
down with the wheels in the air. There
was terrible rush of escaping steam for
a few minutes which melted the snow in
An acknowledgements all around us. The
second engine lay across the track at
right angles, and the third locomotive
crashed into and mounted the cab OF the
second, making an appalling picture OF
destruction. The coaches had been brought
to a sudden stop by the air brakes, and
did not leave the track. There must nave
been fifty or sixty passengers aboard, and
none of them received any injury II
was fully an hour and a-half before any
communication could be had with Ilar.
risonburg. In that time an engine and
several coaches were sent down, and We
we're brought mp to town, arriving abou'
midnight at the West market street cross
ing. A number of passengers remained
all night in the chair car"
1.-THE immediate cause OF the wreck II
thought to have been the dropping of the
pilot Of the forward engine between thu
rails. The momentum of the train forced
the other engines over the obstruction
thus created, and hurled them from tn
track in the manner described.
1.-THE most seriously injured of the TRAN
men are Henry jenkins, engineer of tn
forward engine, who IS badly cut ant
scalded about the back his fireman, Tin
Donavan, leg broken and otherwis
bruised. and William Kronk, freight con
ductor. who is badly scalded and Gu
about the head. Several other employe
we're less seriously injured. The fac
that there were two full crews on tn
train was n fortunate occurrence, as NOR
prompt and efficient care of the iniure
was thus made possible. Drs. Nef an
ZONES we're sent for soon after the accident
and took professional charge of tn
wounded"
A transfer was made at this point a
soon as possible, anu lho ""ih Va WV
ling mp the wreck was at once con
menced. This took many hours, the fir'
through trains from the south not reacf
ling here until Friday. The three broke
engines passed this place on Monday morI
ing on their way to the repair shops
The railroad management made eyer
effort to get their trains through and
have them running on their regular tin
as soon as possible. On the B. d o. K. h
all the trains west of Stanton were eitl
, or showed in or greatly delayed. III
snow was very deep at Roanoke and
far south as Danville, trains being bloc
ed on all the roads in those sections.
Roanoke the roof of the immense blac
smith shops of the locomotive works we
crushed in killing one man and badly l
hiring a number of Others.
Program for Week of Prayer.