Evening journal., 1890-07-07
SMASH-UP AT CHESWOLD.
"A MlscoNsTRucTioN OF ORDERS
CAUSES A COLLISION.

Northbound Freight no. 81 and South
bound "Empties" Train No. Is Meet
on q Single rraok-No One Kiilsd. but
Engines aAd Cars Demolished.
Special Correspondence EVENING JOURNAL.
Dover, July Through miscon-
struction Of orders on the part of the
conductor and engineer ON extra freight
train No. 81, northbound off the Nor
folk road, q smash-up occurred on the
Delaware railroad about milo north Of
Oheswold, at 1855 yesterday morning,
which in its extent was the biggest Of
the season on this road. Railroad men
put the loss at $50, ,000
Extra freight No 81 from Norfolk.
northbound, left Delmar late Saturday
night with about twenty-five cars loaded
with miscellaneous freight, consisting,
however, In most part Of truck, such as
tomatoes, potatoes, etc. At Harrington
the conductor and engineer received their
last orders which read Wait at Oheswold
for No. 10 "
Unfortunately the engineer read the
order wait at Clayton, and for that
point he was pushing with about all the
speed he could safely muster Meantime
No. 10, train Of some thirty empties,
was whirling along southbound with
orders to wait at Cheswold. and the
consequence was that the two trains met
on the big curve mile above Cheswold.
The single track here runs between a
corn field and a peach orchard and where
deep bitches plank each side OF the track.
The trains were running at the rate nf
thirty i've miles an hour, say the rail
road men, but the scene which greeted
the JOURNAL representative when he
arrived at the spot Yesterday
noon, led him to believe that
they might have been making about
sixty miles an nour when they met, for
the shock was terrific. Both engines
were reduced to junk, the front part Of
each mashed in, and the tenders and
cabs crushed out Of shape Seven large
freight cars lay In the corn field aud
peach orchard, reduced TO kindling
wood, while all around lay potatoes
nearly knee deep and tomatoes ground
into catsup.
Both engineers and fremen saw the
danger In time to jump, and, strange to
say not one of them, or any Of the train
men received the slightest injury. Even
negro tramp who was stealing ride
and who WAS asleep on top of one Of the
north bound freight cars when the
train telescoped, escaped unhurt.
When the shock awoke him he
found his car on top OF three
or four others, and he was about on a
level with the top OF a telegraph pole
adjoining the track. He was bewil.
dered darkey for moment, then he
called out to one Of the conductors who
stood below "Ssy, boss, ef dis train Is
gwine straight up to heaven Use gwine
TO get off an walk, for Use bound for
Clayton.
AS soon as the accident happened
word was sent up and down the line and
by o'clock force OF couple of hundred
men were at work clearing away the
wreck. under the direction OF Bradford
Murphy and Roadmasters MRhoney and
Book.
Passenger ytrain No. 8, southbound,
was behind No IS. IL reached the scene
about fifteen minutes after the accident
happened and the northbound express
arrived there about o'clock in the
morning. The passengers Of each we're
transferred to the other and proceeded
on their respective ways at 6 In the
morning.
The news OF the accident spread
throughout the surrounding country and
all day hundreds OF the country people
fOcked TO the scene. Teams were
hitehed in the orchards and fields, and
the scene resembled the biggest kind Of
camp meeting. North and southbound
freights were held at Dover and Clayton,
and at o'clock in the afternoon when
the track was fully cleared procession
of trains were moved in both directions
A good deal Of trouble was experienced
in procuring food for the men at work
and the country was foraged as far south
as Camden for bread, meats and coffee.
George Millington OF the Capital Hotel
at Dover, rendered valuable aid in this
direction, and not only depleted his own
extensive larder, but put on an extra
force OF servants at work on all the ham,
bread and coffee he could secure and sent
up hundreds Of sandwiches to the hungry
and tired men
Detective Hutchins, who is always on
deck IN the right time, was passenger
on the midnight southbound train, and
did much towards protecting the prop
erty from vandals.
One of the wrecked cars was loaded
with household goods, and among the
articles were a piano and organ. Neither
Of these, however. will ever bother she
neighborB," for they were badly de
molished
Farmer Heitchen, upon whose prop
erty the wreck occurred, may lose few
peach trees and perhaps half an acre Of
very healthy looking corn, but lin return
he'll have enough kindling wood to last
him year.
Death of Hannah Sparks.
rr..---l