Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-15
A TERRIBLE CRASH.
TWO FRsIGhT-gNolNss COME HEAD
TOGETHER ON THE N. & w. r. r.
Total Destructton Of the LOGON otives-Six-
teen Freight-Cars Deraficd and Piled
Oae Killed and Five Injured.
rcorrn.ponaenca Of ,ne Rlchmoud DIspstch. !

Correspondence Of the Richmond Bispstch.l
PETERSBURG, VA, Nov. II, 1890.
A collisionof very serious Character
occurred on the Norfolk and Western
railroad, near Ford's Depot, in dinwid-
die county. at an early hour this morn
ing. In point of damage it is reported
to have been one Of the most serious
that has occurred in recent years on
this road. The scene OF the accident
was near the ninety-eighth mile-post,
about two miles east of Ford's station,
at o point where there is @ curve and q
descending grade on either side. The
trains were two freights-the regular
going west and special coming east in
charge respectively Of Engineers Gins
Akers and Stillman Cannon, and
the engines were of the largest class
used on this division of the road, being
ten-wheel engines. The engines came
together IN direct head collision with a
terrible crash, and the result was the de-
railment OF sixteen of the freight-cars
and the almost total destruction of the
two engines, which are broken and piled
up the one on top of the other The en-
gIneers and firemen jumped when they
saw that tho collision was inevitable and
escaped without injury.
THg KILLED AND INJURED.
Three of the colored train-hands were
injured. George Beckham. o resident
Of this city. was buried beneath tho
wreck and killed. His body has not yet
been found. Two other train-hands
we're severely but not fatally hurt. Their
names could not be learned. One OF
them in jumping broke one of his legs.
The telegraph wires along the line were
broken by the collision and no definite
particulars OF the accident could be OBJ
tanned here, The road is so efIeCtually
blockaded that some time will be re-
CURED TO clear it OF the distractions.
The passenger trains east and west
which meet at the scene Of the wreck
have to make transfers, and OF course
the freight trains are temporarily sus-
pended.
MISLEADING ORDERS.
The accident occurred between the
hours Of , and 6 o'clock, and il sup
posed to have been caused by misleading
Telegraph orders or by misunderstanding
OF the same.
The west-bound freight train was
loaded with merchandise and hard coal ;
the east bound train with coal altogether.
Seven OF the former and nine OF the
latter were derailed.
A COINCIDENCE.
IL is curious coincidence that the
engineers OF these trains were once be-
fore in collision.
The wrecking-car and large force OF
hands were sent down from Crewe as
soon as possible after the accident, and
the work OF removing the distractions is
now in progress.
The loss to tho railroad company
caused by the wreck OF the engines and
cars and the damage to freight will he
heavy. amounting to many thousands
of dollars
PERSONAL AND GENERAL.
Mr.. n. b. Prichard, n popular citizen
of this place, will leave for Buena Vista
tomorrow, where he has formed q CO.
partnership with W. G. Mcdowell, one
OF the first and most successful real
estate agents Of that growing town.
The work on the county roads OF
Prince George under the system pro
vided by the new law has been almost
completed tor this year and they are said
to be in excellent condition.
The condition of Mrs. Harris, Of
Prince George county, who was Sc
severely injured yesterday afternoon by
being thrown from a buggy, is better
to-day, bat she will not be well enough
to be removed for some days.
The transactions in peanuts during the
past few days have been very heavy.
The handling has been so rapid, how
ever that but little stock is kept on
hand. ROBIN ADAIR