Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-08-17
SEVEN PEOPLE KILLED
And Several Seriously Injured in a
Virginia Wreck.
TkESTLEOVERA CREEKGAVEWAY
The Locomotive and Forward
Part of the Train Had Passed
over Safety - A Passenger
Coach and Sleeper Dropped
Into the Creek-A List Of the
Killed and Wounded.

DANvILLE, VA, August 16.-An
awful accident occurred at the county
line trestle just east OF Milton this
morning at $50 o'clock, by which two
passenger coaches and a sleeper were
precipitated into the creek below, dis
tance of sixty feet, killing seven per-
sons outright and wounding number
of others.
The train bound for Portsmouth left
here at 1870 O'Clock this morning and
was the regular train. After passing
through Milton ard going over the tres
tie, the engineer, Peyton Tusstall, who
says he was running at the rate OF ten
miles an hour, felt the bridge giving
way.
He threw open the throttle and the
engine. tender and q box-car got safely
! over but the passenger car was too late'
and the span went down under lts
weight, he second passenger car and
sleeping car following.
The cars were shivered into klndlinE
wood. and the escape of any OF the pas
seDgers was miracle. The water in
the creek had risen to the depth OF II
or more feet, and it is the general be-
lief that the rise had undermined the
! foundation OF the iron piers, causing
the trestle to settle.
! On the train at the time were about
sixteen persons, including the train
! hands, but only one Of the latter-Con-
ductor II. Morris, of Portsmouth-was
| killed. hone of the others receiving Sc
rious injuries.
In the sleeper were Mrs. Harvey
Giersch, two children and nurse, OF
Winston, n. c.; Conductor j. l.. Sizer.
Of Richmond, and j. R. Townes, color
ed porter. The nurse was drowned, and
the conductor and porter were slightly
injured.
The depot agent at Milton heard the
crash and Immediately gave the alarm
bv tollinR the bell The people turned
ont in full force and went to work at
once TO rescue the dead and l..jured
! from the debris.
Mr.. j. w. Sizer, the Pullman conduc-
tor, in speaking of the accident says;
81 had Just gotten through with my
collections and had reported to Captain
Morris, who had passed forward on the
train, aud was preparing to retire when
the crash came.
fortunately I was in the forward
end OF my car. Mrs. Giersch's nurse
was in the rear end of the car, where
she was found with her head and chest
under the wator and was most probably
drowned, as there was no heavy timber
or ap7thing else on her body that
might have caused her death.
"The little 11-year-old daughter OF
Mrs. Gierseh not realizing the danger
through which she had passed, said TO
the rescuers: Don't mind me, am not
hurt. but please take mamma out"
The following is the list Of killed and
wounded:
Killed II. Morris, conductor, Ports
mouth, Va; w. r. Ellison, Alton, Va; j.
G.. Davies, farmer of Baskerville, Va;
VIII. Elan, of Durham, n. c.; James 5.
lowe, railroad conductor from the
West. who was a passenger; Thomas
Lee (colored) , OF Winston, NC; Francis
Jenkins (colored), of Salem, n. G.
Wounded-Mrs. Harvey Giersch, OF
Salem, n. c., slightly. j. l.. Szer, OF
Richmond, Va, Pullman conductor,
foot mashed and hurt slightly in side.
R. Townes, cOlored porter, slightly
bruised about body. Davis, fagman.
hurt about 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 occurred on the hallfaI
side OF the creek. The loss will be very
heavy to the railroad company, as the
cars and full span of the bridge is
total loss. The passengers, mail, bag
gage, freight, etc, are passing through
they being transferred at the creek,