Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-08-29
Collision and Wreck on the Metropol.
itan Branch Railroad.

frightiul accident occurred at German
town, on the Metropolitan Branch OF tn,
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, on Tuesday
afternoon about 4:30 O'clock. The Chicago
limited express, No. 6, ran into an oper
switch and into the rear of a freight train
Three men were killed and two slightly in
jured.
The express was running an hour or more
behind time, and at rate of fully forty
miles an hour. Approaching Germantown
! there is very heavy down grade, curve
and deep cut winch prevent the lookout
| from seeing any great distance. A pick
up freight train had pulled in on the Ger
mantown switch to get ont of the way oi
No. 6. Rear Brakeman F. Ray, of the
freight, failed to properly place the switch
| and lock it, Probably thinking he had done
it all right, he had climbed into the caboose
to catch half an hours rest. The express
came down the track and ran into the rear
of the freight train before any one knew
anything was amiss. The express train was
made up heavy, having baggage, postal,
smoking and day coaches, three Pull.
man and dining car All the cars were
pretty well filled with passengers, and the
heavy shock threw the passengers out of
their seats in every direction Five or six OF
the freight cars on the siding were totally
demolished. OF the express, the engine and
postal car set up on end and the smoker
sent off the track All the other cars re.
manned on the track. The fact that the train
was made up of vestibule cars saved it from
telescopng.
Those on the train behaved admirably
OF course, there was considerable excite.
ment, but it was soon alayed, and only a
few ladies became i'll from the shock.
The train was drawn by engine No. 1928,
engineer David Ziler, fireman G. L. Quarles.
The train was in charge of conductor Hen
ry Long
The dead are
Engineer David Zier, of Martihsburs w.
Va.
Brakeman +. Ray, of the freight train,
and of Sandy Hook, Washington county.
Fireman G. Il. Quarles, OF Baltimore.
The injured was Postal Clerk Benton, of
Baltimore, slightly hurt about the legs.
Conductor Long and the crews OF both
trains, assisted by Chief Detective Grennan
and Mr. Paine, the legal department and
other officials Of the road who happened to
be on the train, lost no time in rendering as
sistance and putting things to rights. The
passengers also lent helping hands. A part
of the engine had TO be jacked up to get out
the body of Engineer Ziler He was liter
ally cooked, the steam pipes of the engine
having burst His skull was also crushed
He was a very large man, about forty years
old, single and one OF the most popular and
careful engineers on the road. He had been
with the road for years.
Fireman Quaries was fatally scalded He
was about twenty eight years old, single, and
lives with his mother, sister and brother, on
Hanover street, Baltimore.
Brakeman Ray was found in the debris OF
the freight cabo0se badly mang led He lived
about an hour and half alter being taken
out and had his wounds dressed. He was
about twenty seven years old.
DR.. Jarboe, of Germantown; DR.. Etchis m,
OF Gaithersburg; Drs. Maddox, Stonestrect
and Anderson, oi Rockville, who were sent
for, rendered valuable assistance.
A very sad sequel To the accident occurred
about two hours after the crash. A youth
about sixteen years old, named jacob Rube,
from Buyd's Station, was badly crushed AT
Germantown Station. He had come down
to see the accident. AS the Hagerstown
train was pulling into Il switch near the
platform, Ruble attempted to get on the
front platform OF the ladies' coach. The
space between the car and the platform was
not much over an inch. Both his legs were
caught just above the knees, and he was
rolled along His legs were twisted and
ground to jelly. He was Immediately
taken out by Conductor Long, Mr. Grcn
nan and others His legs were coled like a
piece ofrope. He was taken to Washington
and sent to hospital. He died on Wednes
day.