The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-17


The first passenger wreck for several
years occurred on the Washington and
Maryland division Of the Norfolk and
western Sunday morning. No. /, the
fast mail on this division, pulled out OF
Hagerstown, Md, at 1910. being twenty
minutes late. The harrisburg sleeper
was filled with people. The first.class
car Gained about eight Or nine peo-
pie, while the smoker only had two per
sons on board, w. e Rogers, the news
BOY and negro. Conductor VIM. Hayes,
for the last time on this earth received
his orders, and for the last time he went
TO the dispatcher'S office and with his
lantern swung on mis- arm throwing
iorth It's tlickerinS light. transcribed
ms name on tho books. Edward Sweeny
sat on his engine quietly smoking. wait-
ing for tho signal to start little dream
ing OF tho sad calamity awaiting those
on board. Eph. CLANCY WAS in the bag
gage car busily engaged in packing and
asserting his baggage and looking over
his manfests
Capt. Hayes gave tho signal, Ed.
Sweeny pulled his lever and tho rraat
iron horse pulled and groarcd and
star led forth, carrying 1T least one soul
and perhaps two others into tho laws OF
Gcath and into the presence OF their
MAKER I'd. Sweeny pulled the lover
OF his engine further and further back
and faster and fas ter did tho great iron
horse leap forth into the darkness until
ut tho rate OF forty milos an hour she
sped down the long grade. which starts
lust about ono mile south OF fIagerstown
ana ends about one anu half miles
norm OF Shephc:dStown. On. on they
sped, when crash went something in the
darkness and the air.brakes on the
engine working the great iron horse
slid for few feet on tho rails and then
stopped.
Ed. Sweeny leaped from tho engine.
torch in hand. and hurried back. AS
he passed the baggage car he met Con-
duct Il. l.. Chany (who, with his crew.
was dead-heading it to Roupoke) who
said, while the blood streamed from a
wound In his temple, My God, it's
done" lie hurried on and saw a mass
OF broken wood and iron lying in 4 pile.
Tho wreck occurred about 81 a. nj.
at what Is known as Montdoll siding,
just twelve miles south OF IIagerstown,
and is belieYod to have boon caused by
tho breaking of II switch rod. The sid
ing was built to hold about five cars for
the convenience of Il grain warehouse,
which was erected at that point
AS soon as tho wreck occurred those
who were in tho sleeper, and who were
not damaged but only shaken up n lit.
tic, hurriedly dressed and ran out to as
sist in removing tho debris from those
who wero in tho first-class car. Fire
broke out, but was soon extinguished
by water brought in cuspdors from the
sleeper. Tho baggage car, engine and
express car. together with the front
trucks of tho smoker. hut the hind
trucks oil the smoker and the tirst.class
car anu Pullman ran on to the side track
and collided with three box cars, which
were on the siding, completely wrecking
the hind ond OF the smoker and second
class car, also knocking off the front
stop and piece of the top of the sleeper
and breaking out some OF the windows
and wrecking all tho box cars.
Conductor VIM. Hayes, one of the
oldest conductors on che Shenandoah
valley Division, was killed by being
thrown from the platform of tho first
class car and having his neck broken
on some stones about ton feet from the
track. Mr.. Boyle, OF Brooklyn, y. V,
had his skull fractured; j. II. Hawk,
slight scalp wound, while his son. !
youth OF Is. was severely injured inter
nally, and will probably die; Wm. Ell
sengor and Mrs. Fairview, scalp wounds
and bodies Bruised; II. Il. Painter, of
Holmcsburg. Pa, eyelid cut; Jos.
Mitchell, OF BArmsly, England, shoulder
hurt; Is l.. Chany, head slightly cut; j.
K. Riddick and II. A. VERIFY, Huffman
car porter, bruised and cut by the win
dow glass: c. W. Winner, Norfolk
and Western travelling freight agent,
slight scllp wound and leg sprained.
Physicians reached the scene OF
the wreck on the Cumberland Valley
wreck car, which helped the Norfolk
and Western wreck train clear the track
ut about o'clock, and attended the
wounded who were carried as soon as
possible to llagcrstown. The wreck
was cleared up and track cleared at 7:a5
a. M Sunday.
The coroner's jury met yesterday af-
ternoon st $50 in Hagerstown and rem
dered the following verdict: THAT
WIN. Hayes came to his death by being
thrown from train No. /, going South,
on tho Norfolk and Western Railroad
on May Is, at - q. m, on the Mont
dell siding, caused by the end of said
train being thrown from the track as
said point. The wreck occurred from a
bolt on tho w0st side OF the switch being
out from some cause unknown to Jury"
Conductor William Hayes, who was
killed in the wreck, was native OF
Philadelphia. He was one of the old
est conductors on the road, having been
IA conductor for forty years. He was u
man whom all liked, kind and sympa-
thetic in nature, and generous {, u
tault. This is the first wreck tho cap
tain ever had. He leaves wife and
three children, q daughter Carrie, who
has school for children in Philad,l-
phia and q SON Eranl uho 10 ona -