Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-09-18
LOCAL MATTERS.

Sun rises tomorrow at 5;56 and sets
6:04 High water 7:52 q. N. and
$40 p. m.
WxATHER PRoBABMITIE5.-For thia
section showers to-day fair Thursday west.
erly winds; warmer thursday af ernooa.
BARBER SHOP DEMoLIsHED.-About
ten minutes to ten o'clock last night, q
freight train passed down Union street
at such q lively gait that il attracted
the attention of the Waterman at the
ferry wharf, on lower King street, and
some gentlemen who were talking with
him. BY the time the locomotive and
two or three cars had gone-by the train
came to sudden standstil. This also
attracted the attention of the watch
men and his friends. and on proceeding
to Union street they saw the cause of
the sudden stoppage. The locomotive
was partly on the payment on the west
side of the street and partly into the
barber shop so long conducted by the
late Ben. Dutton, colored, but now by
Charles Nickens, also colored. Almost
the entire front had been carried away,
and mass OF bricks and mortar left IN
its stead. The locomotive seemed to
be making for the well-patronized alley
on one side of which the building was
situated and in which portable fence
has been erected. This fence by the
way is more properly q series of barn
doors so placed on both sides of the al
Icy az to render it impossible to see
through the passage way. Those
having business in the locality
take a serpentine course, the
gates forming a series of. SIS.
A freight car had also been thrown
from the rails. While tho belgian
block paving in the street had been un-
injured by the passage of the locomo-
tive over it, when the latter reached
the sidewalk the pavement, curb and
part of the street was plowed up, the
heavy iron wheels being buried sever
al inches. Fortunately no one was IN
the front part of the barber shop at the
time, and no accident to life or limb
followed. Some colored people in the
back part of the house we're much
heightened, supposing an earthquake
had occurred, but they escaped injury.
Had the accident occurred at time
when the tonsors were busy waiting on
customers there would have been no
escape for any who we're in the saloon.
1t took but q short time to get the ten
der and the freight Car on the rails, but
the locomotive was left until this morn
ing when the work Of getting 1t back
was commenced. People focked to the
scene early and watched the men
who were ut work on the derailed
engine. None of the trains crew was
hurt. The cause of the accident has
not been definitely ascertained. Spread
ing of the rails is believed by some to
have caused it, others think the frog of
the switch was defective, while others
are positive the derailment was caused
by coupling pin which had accident
ally fallen between the rails. That the
train was running much faster than al
lowed by lsw within the city is general
ly conceded. The demolished building
belonged to Mr.. r. w. French. Peo-
pie engaged in business along Union
street have often called attention to the
fact that coupling pins are thrown pro-
miscuously about the street and have
been apprehensiye of danger from
them. They also believe there should
be track walker for Union
street, ss obstacles to trains
are often seen on the tracks
and between the rails. The fast
running of trains within the city's linz
its is often commented on. The inter-
section of King and Union streets is
probably now one of the busiest places
in the city. Thousands of people pass
there from early morn until long after
dark going to and coming from the diff.
ferent river boats and to places of bnsi-
ness around the wharves. Besides, the
tracks of the electric road cross those OF
the Southern road at that point. 1t u
thought by many that a fagman should
by all means be placed there or q gate
erected, and fast running by engineers
BIS prohibited. A saloon adjoining
the demolished barber shop on the
north was uniDjured. 1t was about the
closing hour when the accident occur
red, but the large crowd which gather
ed rendered it necessary to make an
"aIl-nightn house out of the place. A
thriving business wss done throughout
last night and to. day, thus verifying the
old proverb, 'sIt's an evil wind which
blows no one good" An accident SIM
liar to the above occurred about two
squares south on the same street year
or SO ago, when an old frame house on
the west side of the street, near Wolfe
street, was demolished by derailed
csr running against it.