Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1890-02-27
OFF THE TRACK
ACCIDENT ON THE NORFOLK
AND WESTERN ROAD.
COACH OVERTURNED IN TEE CITY.
A Crowded Trnin-several Passengers
Injured But None KilIed-FrOg In
the switch Probably Tho Cause OF
the Trouble.

Passenger train No. 1G OF the Nor
folk and Western railroad, bound
from Bristol to Lynchburg, ran of
the track yesterday evening at 7.15
just as it had pulled out On The depot,
overturning the rear coach and injur-
ing several persons. The injured are:
w. IL. Carpenter, of Richmond,
contractor, painful cut in the left
leg.
w. r. Quinn, commercial traveller
from New York, left shoulder
sprained.
A. H. Smith, commercial traveller
from New York, scalp wound.
j. NJ. Darlington, head cut and
arm and finger injured.
H. S. Moornan, contractor, OF
LynchburS, sprained shoulder.
MIR. John Kelly, of Lynchburg, left
leg badly hurt, and cut on forehead.
Mrs. Barney Murray, of Coyner's
Springs, considerably bruised about
the shoulder.
Mrs. D. Mendel, of Huntsville, Ala,
severe cut on check, arm and shoulder
cut.
Mr.. w. Simpkin, of Richmond, face
and head badly cut.
Mr.. Frank Matthews, left arm and
shoulder sprained.
Mr.. Wilkinson, Wayncsdoro, arm
badly sprained.
The entire coach was filled with
people mostly men. All were
thoroughly shaken up, but fortunate
ly no one was killed.
The train reached Roanoke about
twenty minutes late and all vacant
seats in the rear coach were speedily
filled, principally with contractors
who were going home, after having
put in their bids on the lronton eX-
tension of the Norfolk and Western
road.
j. w. Akers was the engineer in
charge of the train and Capt, Bowles
was the conductor. The train pulled
out of the depot at 7:15, running very
slowly. When it reached the switch
leading into the south track, a few
hundred feet east of the depot, the
rear coach jumped the track. The
coach ran over the ties for short
distance, and was then completely
overturned. 1t was pulled about nifty
feet before the train was stopped. A
new frog had ?ust been put into the
switch, and although it had been eX-
amined it is thought to have been the
cause of the derailment.
The overthrow of the coach was
probably due to the curve in the
track.
When the car first ran of the track
there was considerable excitement
among the passengers. Men thronSed
the aisles and pulled at the bell cord,
and few cried to have the train
stopped. The conductor had just en-
tered the smoking car, and as soon rs
he was aware of the trouble, the train
was promptly brought to standstlll;
The passengers in the overturned
car were taken out at the rear door.
The two or three women on the train
were very much frightened, but only
one man had to be taken away on a
stretcher.
a big crowd gathered around as
the passengers were taken out, ana
the wrecking train cleared the track
in about an hour and a half.
The injured were taken to Hotels
Roanoke and Felix, and kelly's and
Foley's saloons on railroad avenue.
They were attended by Drs. Gale,
Simmons, Harrison and Butler.
The majority Of the passengers
continued their journey on new
train which was made up about $50
O'Clock.
w. H. Quinn, commercial man
from New York said: Il have been i'll
several accidents before, and when |
felt that the train had run off the
track, 1 caught hold of the seat with
both hands, and swung myself out
into the aisle, prepared to throw my
self as the train might fall.
There was a lady just in front of
me. l cautioned her to keep her seat,
as she was standing up and moving
about. l think she escaped unhurt."
Those who saw the train as itpulled
out of the depot say that it was run
ming unusually slow. The accident was
most singular one, but fortunately
it was not attended by any loss of
life.