Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-15
JUMPED THE TRACK.
THROUGH EXPRESS TRAIN ON THE
A. c. LINE NEAR MANCHESTER.
The Road BIocIsaded by an Engine and
Four Cosches--ono Man Injured
Passengers Shaken Up.

A locomotive careened over with her
pilot and truck-wheels and drivers on one
side buried in the mud; tender with
the rear end reared up and the truck
slowed from under 1t; two coaches I'M
trucked, canted. and mud-bespattered
about forty yards OF railroad track torn
up, aud fifty or more negroes moving
about with iaok-screws. crow-bars. and
sledge-hammers under the glare of bon
fires aud torches.
Such was tho scene Just beyond the
water-tank, near Maury's cemetery. on tho
hichmond and and Petersburg railroad
last night.
WAS THE cASSos-BALI.
The cannon-ball train due in Richmond
at 6:45 y. M. from the South was the one
that was wrecked, and miraculous as 1t
may appear, not q person among the pas
sengers or crew received more than
scratch. The train was composed OF
baggage-car and five passenger coaches
pretty we'll loaded and was on schedule
time. At the point where the accident
happened the Bedtime track parallels the
main track and there is switch. AS the
cannon-ball came in sight Of the switch
everything ahead seemed to be all right,
but the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT had hardly
touched the switch before 1t left the track,
taking with it pretty much the whole train
with the result stated.
THE KNaINEER's STORY.
There were on the engine Mr.. j. K. Spain,
engineer, Branch Glenn. fireman, and MIR.
Blaukenship. Tho engineer and fireman
and Mr.. u. p. Richardson. passenger;
were the only ones hurt and they received
only triling scratches. How any of those
oD the engine escaped being crushed to
death is utterly incomprehensible. Engi-
neer Spain, who was seen at the wreck by
o DISPATCH representative last night, SAID,
in describing theaccident: As l passed
Clopton's was on time, and shutting her
of there we were rolling down at about
twenty-five miles an hour, with everything
ahead apparently clear. had just blown
for Cemetery Crossing and had not taken
my hand off the whistle-lever when l felt
her (the engine) 60 down. | put on
the air-breaks and stopped in about FIVE
lengths. am slightly bruised about the
knee, but don't know whether got the
bruise on the engine or after l got OIL OF
her. :,
Were you thrown from the cab?" asked
the reporter.
mo. sir" replied Mr.. Spain with touch
of indignation in his tone. stuck to
her until she came to dead stop. Then
when the steam began TO escape l got on"
A witness to the accident bore testimony
to the fact that Mr. SPAN did not leave his
seat.
THE WORK OF FIEND.
From the evidence Of those who exam
ined the ground Immediately after the
wreck occurred there seems no doubt that
il was the work of some fiend. Mr.. Allen,
keeper of Maury cemetery, examined the
switch and found that the bolts had all
been drawn. When Engineer Spain sighted
the switch it was set oil right.
The passengers on the cannon-ball were
transferred around the wreck and brought
to Richmond and wrecking force sent
Immediately to the spot. Such of the pas
senger. coaches as would bear 1t were
brought around the city over the Belt
Line. and it was expected that early this
morning a temporary track would be COM
pleted so as to allow regular trains to pass
the wreck.
The injuries of the fireman consist OF a
few abrasions upon the hands.
Mr.. Il. b. Richardson, the passenger
mentioned as injured, was standing IN the
aisle when the car he was in LETT the rails:
He was bruised about the shoulder and
head, but bv no means seriously.
HOW SOON WE FORGET.
It is astonishing how quick some indi-
viduals adapt themselves to circumstances.
Two 1ailroad-men from Petersburg who
were on the train illustrated this last
night. As soon as they realized that they
wGre uniniured one of them said TO the
other: I'VE will have 10 celebrate thus by
getting a drink" and this they did. In
fact they took several drinks, and when
seen about II o'clock the memory of the
accident was almost completely obhterated
from their minds.