Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1891-06-02

1teo Shenandoah Kalley Trains BlaR
Secensg Feel
[spseIaI q "a eallImoFs saa.l


EURAxs IA, Nay 81 A serious
disaster occurred on the Shenandoah
Valley Division 81 the Norfolk aud.
Western Railroad at O'Clock this
morning It point seven miles north
of Lurays Page county, known as
Postum run trestle. The Norfolk
and Western Is replacing the wooden
trestle ct JerrYfny' rnn, three hun-
dfed yards north OF Postum run, With
an iron structure, and al trains are
ordered TO SLOW up when approach
ing the latter and reduce speed to
four miles an hour in passing over
the former
Two freight trains were running
north TO HagerstoWn, Md. the first,
loaded With live stock and the second
with lumber and coke. In the ca
boose on the rear Of the FIRST freight
were portion of the crew and AIr.
james f.. Stricken. of CrigIersYilIe,
Madison county, Va, who had sew
eral carloads of sheep aboard. The
FIRST train slowed up and was passing.
over the trestle, when the second
train, running at twenty five miles an
hour, dashed upon it and crashed into
the caboose.
The terrific shock unsettled the
ltrestle, which gave away in alI parts.
| precipitating the caboose and two
cars OF the first train and the engine
and all the cars of the second train.
to the bottom Of the raYine, seventy.
feet below, which in moment was
almost completely filled with the de-
bris of the wrecked trains, consisting
of the engine and twenty-one cars,
and the timbers OF the trestle. The
lengine is completely buried under
the immense mass Of wreckage.
People from the surrounding coun-
try quickly gathered and assisted the
uninjured train hands in the work of
.escuing the body of Mr.. Stricken,
who had been instantly killed. The
back of his head was badly crushed
| in and his body otherwise mutilated.
John Reese, of Harrisburg, brake
man on the second train, was rescued.
BE is badly injured and not expected
to recover. He was taken to Hagers-
town. Five other train hands are
more or less injured, but none of the
latter seriously. It is supposed that
the bodies of six tramps, who are all
legged to have boarded the second
train at this place, are under the
debris.
Mr.. d. w. Flickwir, the superin-
tendent of the road, with several Of
fcers, quickly proceeded to the scene
Of the disaster with two wrecking
trains and large force of hands
DR.. W. L. Hudson, the coroner of
the county, rendered the necessary
medical attention, and all the injured
were made as comfortable as possible.
Mr.. Stricken was prominent
farmer of Madison county, and has a
large family connection in this coun-
lty. His body was brought to an un-
dertaking establishment in Luray and
prepared for burial, after which it
was taken by several of his relatives
TO his home in Madison.
Though over two hundred hands
have been working steadily all day,
the engine is not yet in sight, and the
mass of timber, iron and fright seems
not appreciably diminished. Another
day will probably elapse before it is
cleared away, and the fact discovered
whether or not other dead are in the
ruins. ALI traffic has been suspend
ed on the line of the road. Through
passengers and mails were trans
ferred with difficulty from the south
bound train at noon to day, the con-
formation OF the country at the scene
of the disaster being sueh that long
distance had to be trayersed in q
Iround-abou way in the transfer. =
It is impossible at this juncture TO
obtain reliable information as to the
cause Of the accident. Engineer
Hoover, of Hagerstown, who ran the
second train, states that when some
distance from the scene where there
is downward grade he whistIed
down brakes several times, which
was not responded to. The tracks
were very wet. Whether this was the
cause Of the accident or that the
brakes would not work or that the
brakeman were asleep he is unable to
say.
Ex-President Hayes is said to be
suffering from loss of memory, due