Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-09-02
A Terrible Wreck OH IlG
B. and 0. R. R.
Fireman Killed and Other Train
men Make Wonderful Escapes.

Fireman Killed and Other Train
men Make Wonderful Escapes.
One of the worst wrecks that has hap
pened on the line of the Valley Branch
b. & o. r. r, occurred on Saturday after
noon on the high embankment over the
Spring Hollow at the south end OF town.
A northbound freight train due at this
point at o'clock, was several hours late,
and was running at pretty lively clip in
order to make Woodstock ahead of the
passenger train that was close behind.
just as he was emerging from the cut the
engineer noticed COW lying down on the
high embankment but short distance
ahead. Although every effort was made
to stop the heavy train of sixteen cars,
the brakemen responding promptly to the
sharp alarm blasts of the whistle, the speed
was only partly checked when the COW,
which never made an attempt even to get
on her feet, was struck. The blow failed
to knock her clear OF the track, her body
passing under the COW catcher and throw
ing the front trucks from the rail. In
another moment the great iron monster
was blowing along the edge OF the bank,
tearing up the rails for some distance and
then went olunging down the forty or
fifty foot embankment, turning over
and completely around near the bottom
where she rested terrible mass of bent,
broken aud twisted metal and splintered
wood instead of the symmetrical and
DO werful machine of minute before
Piled upon the engine and tender, which
was also twisted aud broken out of all
shape, was a mass of battered and spin
tered cars. Scattered along the foot to
the top were the other cars. broken and
splintered and presenting to the spectator
sight not soon to be forgotten. The con-
ductor's caboose, which had gone over the
mouth of the high culvert, was literally
broken to pieces, while the passenger
coach, which was the rear car of the train,
hung partly oyer the edge Of the culvert
with the top and one side gone and the
seats scattered along the bank below.
Close to the boiler head of the engine,
and pinned down under mass of wreck
age, Law the silent but saddest sight of
all, in the person of poor Lemuel Wine.
the fireman, crushed and mangled almost
beyond recognition. After some hours of
hard work the body was gotten out and {
taken to Frsvel & Fellers undertaking
establishment, where. with the aid of DR..
H. H. Irwin, the wounds we're closed up.
the body carefully dressed and put into
handsome casket and sent on the 10
o'clock train the same evening to his
home in Harrisonburg, where he leaves q
widow and one child.
The escape of John Deck. the engineer,
was almost miraculous. After doing all
be could to stop his train, he jumped from
the engine as It left the track and sue
ceedng in getting down the embankment,
over barbed wire fence at the bottom,
and behind locust tree before any of the
wreckage caught him. Although Jared.
capped without any severe injury. Frank
Laughlin, of Woodstock, one of the brake
man, also made wonderful escape. He
jumped from the top of car to the steep
bank below and when found was sitting
against car somewhat dazed and con-
fused from the shock, and painfully
bruised, but without serious injury. He
Is doing we'll at bis home here. VI. NJ.
Swsine, the conductor with rare presence
OF mind, seized his signal flag as he
Jumped from the train and hnrried back
up the track to signal and stop the heav-
lily loaded passenger train which was
close behind him. ]. W. Fisher. the rear
brakeman. escaped by Jumping, and was
soon at work helping persons who had
arrived in putting out the fire N the en-
CINE.
A wreckiDg force under direction of
Mr. Robt. Earl, Mr.. O'Conner and Mr.
Thos Prince, we're soon at work clearing
the track and relsying the broken rails.
So we'll and quickly was this managed
that trains were able to pass in few
hours time. Under the same skillful
management the work of clearing away
the wreck. getting out the cars, engine,
tender, &C., proceeded, and at this writing
most of it has been removed. The only
passenger aboard the train was Mr.. R. E.
Stoneburn.r, of Edinburg. who, as soon as
he discovered that the front of the train
had left the track, jumped from the rear
oF tha coaeh and eaca ,ad without ininrv |