The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-23
SEVEN DEAD IN A CREEK.
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT TO A vIR-
GINA RAILROAD TRAIN.
A Bridge Gives Way Under 1t and the
the Passenger Coaches Drop TO the
Bottom of the Stream-The Engine
Saved by the Engineers Quick
Work.

DANvILLE, Va, Aug 16.-An awful
accident occurred at the county line
trestle, just east of Milton. this morning
at 2:50 o'clock, by which two passenger
coaches and a sleeper were precipitated
into the creek below. a distance of sixty
feet, killing seven persons outright and
wounding a number of others.
The train bound for Portsmouth left
here at 1870 this morning and was the
regular train. After passing through
Milton and going over the trestle, En-
gineer Peyton Tunstall who says he
was running at the rate of ten miles an
hour, felt the bridge giving way. He
through open the throttle and the en-
gine tender and box car got safely over.
but the passenger car was too late and
the span went down under its weight,
the second passenger car and sleeping
car following.
The cars were shivered into hndling
wood and the escape of any of the pas
sengers was miraculous. The water in
the creek had risen to .he depth of
twelve or more feet, and it is the gen.
eral belief the rise had undermined the
foundation of the iron piers, causing
the trestle to settle.
On the train were about sixteen per-
sons. including the train hands, but on
ly one OF the Observation-Disclosures II.
Morris of POrtsmouth-was KILLED, none
Of the others receiving serious in
juries.
In the sleeper were Mrs. Harvey
Giersch, two children and nurse, of
Winston, n. c.; Conductor J. L. Siser of
Richmond and ]. r. Townes, colored
porter. The nurse was drowned and
the conductor ana porter were slightly
injured Mrs. Giersch was on her way
to Lawrenceville to visit friends.
The depot agent at Milton heard the
crash and Immediately gave the alarm
by tolling the bell The people turned
out in full force and went to work at
once to rescue the dead and Injured
from the debris.
Mr. J. L. Siser, the Pullman conductor,
in speaking of the accident, says: Il
had just gotten through my collections
and had reported to Conductor Morris,
who had passed forward on the train,
and was preparing to retire when the
crash came. Fortunately / was in the
forward end of the car. Mrs. Giersch's
nurse was on the rear end of the car
where she was found with her head
and chest under the water, and was
most probably drowned, as there was
no heavy timber or anything else on her
body that might have caused her death"
The little thirteen-year-old daughter of
Mrs. Giersch, not realizing the danger
through which she had passed, said to
the rescuers: Don't mind me; 1 am not
hurt but please take mamma out"
The following is list of killed and
wounded:
P. MORRIS. conductor. Portsmouth,
killed.
w. A. ALLISON. Alton. Va. killed.
j. c. A. DAVIES, a farmer of Basker-
vile. Va, killed.
w. H. ELAN of Durham, N. c., killed.
JAMES 5. LOWE. railroad con-
ductor from the West, who was a pas
senger, killed.
THOMAS LEE. colored. of Winston,
Va, killed.
FRANCIS JENKINS. colored, of Sa-
lem. n. c., killed.
Mrs Harvey Giersch Of Salem, N. c.,
slightly wounded.
]. l.. Siser of Richmond, Va, Pull
man conductor, foot mashed and hurt
slightly inside.
J. r. Townes, colored, porter on the
Pullman, slightly bruised about the
body.
Davis. fagman, hurt about the head
and face and foot sprained.
None of the injured are seriously hurt.
The dead were removed to the railroad
depot at Milton. where they were kept
until the arrival of the coroner from
Halifax court house. the accident occur
ring on the Halifax side of the creek.
The loss will be very heavy TO the rail-
road, as the cars and full span Of the
bridge are a total loss. The passen-
gers, mail, baggage, freights, etc, are
passing through, they being transferred
at the creek.