Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-29
FoCR MEN KILLED.
Four Others Seriously Injured and One
Nav DE.

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT on TEE METROPOLITAN
BEAxoH AT wAkIxd-Two TRAINS COLLIDE
FIks ADDS TO The HORROR OF IuE scEsE-
DIsosxDrEScR OF oReERs TUE CAUSE
There vas . frightful railroad smasb-np on
the Metropolitan branch Of the Baltimore nd
Ohio railroad az $40 yesterday afternoon
The accident happened sbont 20 miles from
this city. between GaithersBarg aud Ger nan
town. aud was occasioned By csreIessness or
negligence on part Of one Of the rsili Dad EN-
ployes The sad resell, Of the collision was
oaiy repetition of past events when two
trains going in opposite directions have tried
10 pass each other ON the same track. The re-
suit Of this accident was the instant killing OF
three men and DC ~ounding OF three others.
one OF whom In all probability will die.
The trains that eolided were No. l. which
ts known a. the St. Louis and Cincinnati ex-
press. bound vest. and a freight train bound
east The express train, which left Camden
station, Baltimore. At 2:30 and this city hour
later, vas IN charge of Conductor George Pet
ucord. Cnrtis E. Elliott who was Familiarity
Known as Curt Elliott. was engineer, with
W. @. Miller, fireman. s. g. Burdette and II.
Peacock were postal clerks on the train. This
irais was made up Of the engine bsggsgs and
postal cars. two vsstibnlsd icoacbes and t~e
sisspers
"a wILD-cAr" FnEIsHr.
Conductor Ps,t.cord had been informed that
a"vtld-o>t" freight would side track at War
tag.s snslI station beyond Gaithersbnrs. and he
ofconrss anticipated no trouble He ex pecte to
have . clear track, as his train had the right of
way. but Conductor John Amey of the wild
cat freight. an engine and one car. failed to
obey orders and side track his train and the re-
suit ~as that Engineer Elliott could not possibly
hav n a Il
collision
Where TIE .oo.dent happened there il
sharp curve which leads into . deep cnr and
the through express was running at the rate OF
souething like fifty miles an hour When the
sharp curve Vas turned Engineer Elliott uh-
doubtedly saw the freight in its path instead
Of the siding at Naring. but it was too late
Tor him 20 take any action that would have pre-
vented or even made the accident less serious
than IL was for before he had time to reverse
his engine the crash camp and three sonls were
ssnt to eternity in the twinkllng Of an eve.
pKSsa CLOUDS srssa AND sNoEF.
rhs engine drawing the express continued on
ne journey short distance. clearing the freight
s.g,us 10 jumped the track aud when th. bsnk
was reschedn topp!ed over and also cn used the
upsettinx Of portion of this other train.
Denss clouds Of smoke and steam hid The
giues shd the dead and wounded from view for
. while, and the passengers could scarcely real
they ware in v-rtibBl-d ears. which. b-csnse hey
we're vestILulesi. did not telescope sud add To
the horrible tragedy longer iist Ut d~.a and
sounded.
The freight orr v., flied WITH hay. which
soen caught ireand brought luther danger to
thoss who bad been caught ia the wreck
Enginssr ElDott's body couIa not ue seen by
the psssengsr-, nor that 81 Fireman John
Murphy of the freight.
Engineer Elliott WAS thIoWa frctn his cab
sud Fireman Murphy. in maxim. leap for life,
fell b-nesth the express engine aud wac prob
ably ground into pieces Like Engineer Elliott
be got hepestb The mass OF hot non and was
where tue flames and escaping steam probably
caused the total destruction of his body
Postal cLEkx sUHDETTK ISsJASrLy KILLEn,
Postal Clerk Bardstts was standing looking
cut Of the car door and the sudden meeting of
the engines caused him TO be thrown through
the car. and he WAS instantly killed His fellow
clerk. " ". Peacock. WAS standing at the table
Ia the car where the mail Is assorted and he
va. thrown against the side of the with
sucJ forev As I'd render him unconscious lie
was badly injured about the body - we'll
having received severe internal injuries.
Engineer Henry Groff ot the freight and Fire
man W u Miller of the express were also in
3nred. but they were rescued before the
Gaping steam and the burning bay could cause
Injuries that we're snrs to prove fatal.
Az soon a. the passengers realized that the
accident was n serious one many of them acted
fremsn and threw buckets Of water on the
wreck and they also did what they could to re-
lieve ths wounded and care for the dead.
Burdette's body the only one recovered
from the wreck and it was placed in the little
waiting room at Waring station, while the in
tured were treated in the best manner possible
until they could be removed on a train.
Word vas sent here for assistance from the
IRE department and fremen were sent out TO
render such assistance as they might.
SAD SCENE.
The scene that followed the excitement was a
sad one Death had separated the crews Of the
two engines add the remaining members, in adj
dition to the physical pain they suffered. also
mourned the loss Of their companions.
The injured mon were cared for well as
possible and physicians attended them. En-
Yineer Miller w~s unconscious and was thought
TO be dying
A already stated, Burdetts was dead and
Peacock ws- badly injured about the body and
his head was also cut
train WAS sent from here to the scene Of
the wreck, and the passengers were then sent
west over the main stem by way of the Relay.
On this tram Engineer Croft and Postal Clerk
Peacock were brought In. and they we're sent to
their homes in Baltimore. Peacock lives at No.
l2o5 Hollips street. and be has been connected
with the postal service for several years lie is
twenty-eight years old.
Engineer Grof escaped with few bad
bruises. He was able 10 walk 10 his home from
1auocu statOu ne ives NO. tu5 SDutl
EutAv street.
Engineer Elliott and Fireman Murphy we're
also residents Of Baltimore
xiRtnAS NILLrs STILL UNCONSCIOUS
Later In tbs night the dead body of Bur-
asttss ~.s brought to the city. as was also
fireman Miller. who was still unconscious He
vas sent to Providence Hospital and this morn
Tag he had not reg.ined consciousness.
Burd-ttsr body sent to j. VIM Lees
undertaking establishment on Pennsylvania
avenue. This morning dispatch was re-
eeivsd from, his brother in Grafton asking that
The body be sent there for ipterment.
Tho excitement at the scene Of the wreck was
greatly increased when IL Was seen that the
msss Of ~r-cksKs, beneath which were the
bodies Of the two men. ire and despite
The best efforts Of the passengers the flames
could not be- extiuguished until they had
burned their way through all the material that
would burn. leaving mass of red hot iron and
steel veil as the ashes on the bodies of the
too men.
The iron being too hot to handle the men,
eers OF the wrsckiug crew could not make
much Roadway, and the track will probably not
be cleared until this afternoon.
The tracks were twisted and torn from the
road beds IN such manner that they will have
70 be t.hep up and relaid OF new ones put
down. and 10 is therefore probable that no
trains viA be able 20 get through before late
thls evening or tomorrow morning.
The amount 81 damage to the company's