Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-07


INJECTOR CHECK THE CAUSE OF TIE DIsAsrIR-
THE coRoSHR's JURY DECIDES AccoRprSoLY.
A railroad accident occurred last night on
the Metropolitan branch Of the Baltimore and
Ohio, a short distance from Rockville, result
ing in the death Of two men-Fireman c. E.
Buckalew and Brakeman j. H. Teeters Of freight
train 493 from Martinsburg bound for WASH
ington.
The accident or rather the collision took
place at q point about one thousand yards from
Rockville station, where the single track from
Kensington runs into the double track to the
west
The Chicago limited left Washington at BIS
p. m. and had the right of way. 1t was run
ming at the rate OF forty five miles an hour when
the freight train ran into it. Engineer g. H.
Pnmphrey of the freight had instructions to
switch off at Rockville on the south track and
allow the limited to pass. He had pulled on
the switch and was slowing up when the
injector check broke and filed his face with
smoke. binding him for a moment 1t was an
awful moment, for in that brief space OF time
the freight had run q few feet on the single
track and the limited coming at top speed
struck it.
1t was a fortunate collision, II such 1t may be
called, for the tenders of the two engines
locked and held the passenger engine OH the
track. Had this not occurred the engine OF the
limited would have been thrown down the en-
bankment and taken the cars along with proba-
bic serious results.
ROASTED TO DEATH.
When the engineer VI the freight saw the
danger he jumped and called to the fireman to
follow. The latter, however, was caught in the
jam and literally roasted to death. The brake
man slipped between the cars and was covered
with burning coal and shared a like fate.
1t was nearly o'clock when the accident oc-
Cured and before the church bell had tolled
the hour hundreds of willing hands had col
lected about the wreck.
FRIaHTFUL SCENE.
The scene was frightful one. In the tender
OF the freight. standing erect between q con-
glomerated mass Of machinery, was the fire.
man. The moon was shining brightly, and as
1t fell upon his face lit up q CHASTITY picture.
One leg was crushed off and an arm was miss
ing. The face was cooked and big pieces of
flesh hung down on his chest, while the hair
was clotted with blood 1t was past 2 O clock
before he was extricated.
The other body was found shortly afterwards,
and, as it was brought to light, the crowd drew
back in disgust. 1t was frightfully mangled
and cooked.
A couple of improvsed stretchers were
brought and the bodies transferred to the little
telegraph office on the track, where Coroner
Morgan summoned jury to pass upon the
case.
THE CoRoNER's INQUEST.
The first witness called was the engineer, G.
B. Humphrey Of the freight. He testified to
being on the south track waiting for the ex-
press His train passed Rockville station going
at the rate of three miles an hour, and as he
slowed up the injector check blew off
and the smoke from the escaping steam
He Ind A To for rardo md
d x the check ond took his lantern with him.
He heard the express blow at Halpin and
thought his train had stopped, for he felt no
motion. Looking up he saw the headlight Of
the express, and realizing his position jumped.
The freight was only few feet on the main
track and the express struck it in q glancing
manner.
Conductor Henry Long and Engineer Oscar
Peters OF the express also testified, but their
testimony threw no new light upon the acct
dent.
AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT.
After considering for few moments a ver-
dict was found to the effect that the men met
their death by an unavoidable accident. The
bodies were then removed to the undertakers
and later sent to their homes. Fireman Buck
alew lived at Terra Alta and was unmarried;
Brakeman Teeters lived with his wife and three
children at Martinsburg.
The freight train was made up Of cars laden
with coal, steel rails and cattle. The car of
rails WAS Immediately in the rear of the cattle
car, and when the crash came jammed through
the latter and killed fourteen fine steers When
the car was cut open five were alive and at the
first opportunity made a dash for freedom and
scampered away through the fields
DOUBLE TRACK NEEDED.
One Of them in conversation with STAR
reporter said: Il have BEEN resident of Rock
vile for several years and am in mortal terror
all the time. The Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company has spent more moneyin wrecks
during the last few years than it would cost to
double track the road all the way to the WASH
ington Junction. Now, if there had been
double track from Kensington here this acct
dent would not have happened"