The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-01

NohrOLh, va, OCt. 5l.-A railroad
wreck within the city limits Is an UNI
usual occurrence, and the report that q
serious wreck had occurred on the Nor
folk and Western terminal road, near
the Norfolk city street car stables, at
an early hour this morning was heard
with unusual interest by the people of
this section. The report spread rapidly
and hundreds OF people went to the
scene OF the accident during the day.
1t was remarkable sight to many who
looked upon 1t, who have never before
seen the result of railroad collision.
Cars we're broken to pieces and thrown
here and there; one engine was badly
wrecked and another was in almost a
shapeless mass and thrown ON top of
oars yet on the track.
Two men had been killed, others sent
TO the Retreat for the Sick, while still
others less seriously hurt were standing
OF sitting around the wreck. The col.
lision occurred between 500 and g
o'clock and was due to an open switch
said to have been left misplaced by the
conductor of the last train that had
passed through It..
AL uhuoudl 1cdGur0 OI CQ6 WrGCk Ia
that three trains were involved, instead
of two, as Is usual in such accidents. A
long line Of coal cars without engine)
was standing on the center of three
tracks, and e freight train was ap-
preaching from Lam bert's Point, while
coal train was going towards Lam
bert's Point, each engineer keeping to
his right hand. The train bound to
Lam bert's Point must have been going
at high rate Of speed, Judging from
the extent of the wreck. Instead OF its
keeping on the main track, the open
switch let 1t on to the center track, and
it crashed into the line of loaded coal
cars standing there. The engineer of
this unfortunate train seems not to have
seen the alarm signal on the switch,
but he quickly realized his terrible
situation, and did all in his power to
stay the speed Of his engine. He was,
however, buried In the mass of debris
under the largest portion that was left
of his engine, and was found with his
hand on his reversing lever. He had to
be dug out, and death was, no doubt,
inst sntaneous.
When the engine of this train struck
the coal cars 1t threw them to both
sides of the track and the engine, that
is big portion of it's wreck, rode up on
top of the cars left in front of it. The
train coming from Lambert's Point ran
into the coal car, which had been
thrown by the other collision across Its
track, and then ensued second wreck,
the engine of this train being badly
damaged. It's tender was broken to
pieces and its cars were broken and
overturned. The engineer and fireman
OF this train jumped for their lives, the
former, e. FL. Reams, of this city, es-
Gaping with slight injury to his arm
and leg, and the fireman, A. A. Blank
enship, receiving little or no injury.
The conductor, 2. A. Jordan, of this
city was in his caboose at the time and
was thrown against a table, hurting
himself about the abdomen.
The fireman of the train in the first
collision, Ed. McCune, of Crewe, Va
was very badly scalded and was taken to
the Retreat for the Sick. where he died
this afternoon at o'clock. VIM. Field,
fagman, had his collar bone broken,
and negro named Ed. Bland; of Ports.
mouth, Va, employed at Lamberts
Point, and who was on his way there to
work Che was taking ride on the down
train), was so badly injured that he
died near the scene of the wreck
The engineer who was killed, Thomas
Andrews, of Petersburg, Va, was q
single man and about 30 years of age.
He was badly scalded and was crushed
about the breast His father arrived
here to day and will carry tho remains
to Petersburg this afternoon.
There-was talk at the scene of the
wreck to-day Of other persons being
under the debris, but nothing definite
as to the missing persons could be as
certained. Squire Green, colored,
brakeman on the train bound to Lam
bert's Point, was injured and had to be
removed TO the Retreat for the Sick.
He ia not very seriously injured.