Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-03
Railroad Wreck the Other Side of
Long Bridge.
FIREMAN KILLED, ENGINEER INJURED
Passengers Badly Shaken Up, but
None Hurt.
DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT

Locomotive No. III, attached to the local
train leaving Alexandria, Va. for this city
at sos this morning, jumped the track
just before entering upon the Long bridge,
and, plunging over and down the slight
embankment, pinned Fireman William T.
Walker beneath 1t, crushing the life out
Of him In an instant. Engineer e. A. Hay
den escaped with a badly cut head. al
though he went down with his engine. A
few of the passengers on the train were
thrown out of their seats, but none OF
them were more than slightly br lised.
What Constituted the Train.
The Inflated train consisted of two pas
senger coaches. a combination passenger
and baggage car and the locomotive, being
In charge of Conductor John West. The
locomotive. as is frequently the case with
the local trains running between here and
Alexandria, was running backward-that
Is. Its tender, fitted up with cow-catcher,
was the forward Part of the train. Just
before the north-bound trains run on the
bridge they are switched from the double
track to the single track crossing the
bridge.
This switch Is located about two hun
dred yards south Of the bridge, and it was
stated that the switch this morning was
set all right before the train approached
It. whether the statement was correct or
not, 1t was simply impossible to ascertain,
the railroad officials, as Is their almost in
variable practice, absolutely refusing to
give out any Information. The fact re-
mains, however, that just before the train
left the double track the engine jumped
the rails. For distance of about twenty
five yards it plowed along the ties and
then plunged over on its side. So quickly
did the accident occur that neither the en-
gineer nor his fireman had time to jump.
Fireman Killed and Engineer Hurt.
The engine toppled over and down an
embankment, about four or five feet deep,
to the eastward of the track. The front
wheels of the passenger coach following
the locomotive also left the track, and the
coach partly turned, but did not COM
pletely leave the track nor topple over.
Engineer Hayden jumped from his cab as
the engine went down, escaping with a
badly cut head. The engine fell over on
Its side, pinning the fireman, who was
seated at the cab window, beneath 1t. To
extricate the unfortunate man the greater
part of the cab had to be cut away.
The poor fellow was found sitting up
right, and while has face was unmarked,
his body was crushed almost out of shape.
He lived at 5l1 South Capitol street, and
is said to have wife and several children.
His body was removed in the patrol wagon
to Lees undertaking establishment, and
1t Is probable that Coroner Hammett will
hold an inquest.
Railroad Ofhc1nls won't Talk.
The accident occurred about $780, and
Immediately after the railroad officials here
had been notified of 1t they sent out a
wreckng train, and in a few hours had
the wrecked locomotive hauled out of the
way and the pIowed-up track replaced.
There was no interference with travel on
the road.
AS Is usual in such cases, the first re-
ports Of the accident were greatly exag-
gerated. 1t being at first reported that
thirty people were injured, many of whom
were killed outright. Superintendent Nc
Keever was soon on the ground for the
purpose of experimenting the wrecking
party and instituting an investigation as TO
the cause of the accident. AS stated above,
Mr.. Mckeever nor any of the other rail-
road officials would talk, and the genera,
belief is that the accident was due to the
engine jumping the rails. The engine, while
badly damaged, was not completely wreck
ed, and 1t is probable that the pecuniary
loss suffered by the road will not exceed
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