Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-06-05
Collision on Trestle.
TWO SHENANDOAH vALLEf TRAINS FALL
SEVENTY FEET

LuRAy, VA, May 3l.-A serions DIS
aster occurred on the Shenandoah Valley
Division of the Norfolk and Western Rail
road at o'clock this morning of point
seyen miles north of Luray, Page co unity,
known as Postum run trestle. The MOI
folk and Western is replacing the woode n
trestle at Jerrymy's run, three hundred
yards north of POssum run, with an iron
structure. ard all trains ara ordered to
slow up when approaching the latter and
reduce speed to four miles an hoIr In
passing over the former.
Two freight trains were running north
to HagerstOwn, Nd the first loaded with
live stock and the second with lumber
and coke. In the cabooss on the rear OF
the first freight were portion of the
crew and Mr.. James =. Stricken, OF
Criglersville, Madison county, Va, who
had several carloads of sheep aboard. The
| first train slowed up and was passing
oyer the trestlP, when the second train,
running at twenty-five miles an hour
dashed upon it and crashed into the ca
boose.
The terrific shock unsettled the trestle
which gave away in all parts, precipitat-
| ing the caboOse and two cars of the first
tram and the engine and all the cars OF
the second train to the bottom of the
ravlue, seventy feet below, which in a
moment was almost completely filled with
the debris of the wrecked trains, consist
ing of the engine and twenty one cars ard
the timbers of the treste. The engine is
completely buried under the immense
mass of wreckage.
DooN1a fropn ourronpHfpn QOnnfry
quickly gathered and assisted the I'M
injured train hands in the work of rescu-
ing the body of Mr.. Strickler, who had
been instantly killed. The back OF has
head was badly crushed in and his body
Otherwise mutlated. John Reese, OF
Harrisburg, brakeman on the second
train, was rescued. lie is badly injured
and not expected to recover. He was
taken to HagerstowD. Five other train
hands are more or less injured, but none
OF the latter seriously. 1t is supposed
that the bodies of six tramps, who are
alleged to have boarded the second train
at this place, are under the debris.
Mr.. d. w. Flickwir, the superintendent
of the road, with several officers, quickly
proceeded to the scene Of the disaster
with two wrecking trains ard a large
force of hands. DR.. w. l.. Hudson. the
coroner of the county, rendered the necfs-
sary medical attention, and all the in
Iured we're made as comfortable as pos
sble.
Mr.. Strickler was prominent farmer of
Madison county, and has large family
connection in this county. His body was
brought to an undertaking establishment
in Luray and prepared for burial, after
which 1t was taken by several of bis rela'
tives to his home, ia 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 freight seems not appreciably
diminished. Another day will probably
elapse before it is cleared away, and the
fact discovered whether or rot other dead
are in the ruin. All traffic has been sus'
pended on the line Of the road. Through
passengers and mails were transferred
with difficulty from the south bound train
at noon to-day, the conformation of the
country at the scene of the disaster being
such that a long distance had to be trav-
ersed in a roundabout way IN the
transfer
1t is impossible Mt this juncture to oh.
tain reliable information as to the cause
of the accident. Engineer Hoover, of
HagerstOwn, who raa the second train,
states that " hen some distance from the
scene where there is a downward grade
be whisted 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 brlkemen
were asleep he is unable to say.