Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-09-16

TANooGA EXPRESS CRUsHED-THREE
MEN KILLED-sEyERAL PASSENGERS
| INJURED.
sc. &C., sc.
The air was thick with rumors Wednes-
day morning of terrific accident on the
Shenandoah Valley branch of the Norfolk
s. Western Railroad. BY 10 o'clock the
representative of the INDICATOR was on
the ground. The scene of the accident was
a half mile South Of Basic City, where the
Shenandoah Valley Railroad leaving its
straight line bends to the right as it touch
es the foot hills beyond Baker s Spring. A
heavy rainfall had been in that section all
Tuesday night, and the small mountain
streams had been raised to torrents.
Near the Northern mouth Of the cut,
at an acute angle to the track
runs from the Blue Ridge foot hills
a stream that no culvert is deemed neces-
sary to take off the water and it is permit
ted to run along the eastern ditch by the
railway. The rains of the night before
had made it by Wednesday morning a boil
ing torrent, belching out On the track, an
alluvium of sandy gravel and mud. When
the North-bound Chattanooga Express
about O'Clock in the morning; an hour
behind time, and rolling at fearful rate
of speed down the steep grade; struck this
impeachment the engine was at once derailed.
In it's headlong plunge the engine pulled
| the forward cars after it and fearful
| wreck was the immediate result, and three
men met their death almost instantly. The
| INDICATOR S representative saw that en-
| CINE No. 4O1 completely dismantled had first
ploughed into the eastern side of the cut
and had turned completely around, the front
of the boiler facing due South crashing into
the side of the Pullman dining Car. The
combination smoker and express car,
coupled to the engine lay 20 feet further on
mass of wreckage, having shot over the
foundering engine. The day coach was
hurled across the wreck completely bridg-
| ing the cut. This coach was new, having
| been turned out of the Pullman shops but
a few weeks before, and it's strength
alone prevented more fearful loss
of life, as it was crowded with
men, women and little children.
The last two sleepers remained on the
track and were pulled back to Lyndhurst
uninjured. The forward sleeper, 'Velasco,
stuck it's nose into the side of the cut and
was badly used up. 1t is believed that
none Of the passengers are seriously hurt.
Mrs, Adams of Roanoke, was greatly Jared
and shocked. She was soon transferred to
another train and proceeded North on her
journey. The colored cook on the dining Cal
was grievously injured in the groin. The fire
man, Martin Propst from Shenandoah, was
| instantly killed, and the engineer, William
| Darrough, was fearfully mangled, his head
almost severed from his body, was dug out
| from beneath his engine dead. Conductor
John Updegrove from HagerstoWn was
just entering the dining car when the
crash came. AS the VINDICATOR' S repre-
ing man was being born from the scene.
His skull was fractured and he was terribly
scalded by the steam from the engine which
crashed into this car head foremost Con-
ductor Updegrove's son came up from
| Shenandoah to his fathers bedside and see
ing his condition took the first train North
| to bring Mrs. Updegrove. The suffering
man in addition to his wounds had inhaled
the live escaping steam from the engine.
and died at the Basic City Hotel shortly
afternoon Wednesday.
Morris Enrich, salesman from Poca-
hontas, en- route to Baltimore where he had
been summoned by telegram to the bedside
of his sick wife, was in the smoker. The
upper third of his right thigh was broben.
Express Messenger La Porte, received a
bad cut above the eye and another severe
blow across the head. G. w. Grow. bag
gage master, from Shepherdstown, also in
the forward car, the smoker. had miracu-
lous escape and was almost without injury.
The injured were carefully attended at
the Basic City Hotel by Drs. r. s. Grit
fifth, A. G. Fox, J. S. Myers, and s. A.
Austin. Supt. Thomas H. Bransford and
Division Engineer Fl. II. S. Handy, were
promptly on hand with wrecking CAL and
crew. The track was torn up for so
yards, the rails being twisted and bent out
of all shape. Trains were blocked on each
side of the wreck. 1t was rumored that
G. H. Marvin, the track walker, observing
the obstruction had gone back to flag the
train but was not noticed by the men on
the engine. Another report was that the
lantern went out in the storm. The track
walker could not be seen so these rumors
were not verified.
Commonwealth s attorney M. F. White
telegraphed the local authorities to hold an
inquest. Acting Coroner j. I. Booz
promptly swore in jury, but the inquest
was adjourned on account OF absence OF
witnesses.
South bound passengers after waiting all
day to get through were transferred at 5
P. M. complaining bitterly at not being
transferred earlier. The locality of the
wreck made it difficult to clear the way as
it was in a cut ankle deep in mud. 1t ap-
peared that trains would not get through
before midnight Wednesday. Five tragic
deaths have taken place at Basic City in
little over year. the Council murder, the
Goolsby murder and the three deaths in
this accident.
Staunton's Accident Association.
Judge Charles Grattan in the Hastings
court last Saturday, granted charter to
a corporation which is destined to add much
to the city and county's interests, for they