The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-08-10
WRECKED At TANNERS CREEK
'he Ocean View Electric Train
Leaves the Track.
Two Cars Badly Damaged. Passen.
gers Well Shaken Up, but no One
was Seriously Hurt. Great
Excitement in the City.
Many Anxious People.

AFe ptIsOuh ltlyutoneu almost out OF
>helr wits, but fortunately nobody was
seriously hurt.
The motor car left the Ocean View
depot at tho hour mentioned with
'hree trailers. There was on board u
number of business men aud fow
younger people. The train was max
aug good time, with MIR. Barrett ut
she leaver. The temperature had been
reduced from 93 to about 70 by the
rain storm ut the afternoon.
On the wings of the lightning the
tour cars with their freight of pleasure
seekers wns swiftly taken toward Nor
folks popular resort. Just four milca
from the city the road crosses tanners
creek, ut this point there is an enbauk.
ment about thirty feet high aud
bridge over the stream.
This is the most dangerous, possibly
,ho only dangerous point on the road,
especially SO on account of the bend in
the track, All was going well, the
passengers were enjoying the delight.
fui afternoon, when with the qulckuess
oi thought, the motor Cur left the tuck
and went pioughlUg down the left bank
anto the river
The cur struck with great force an
electric pole, which was carried from
Ats foundation, aud this obstruction
saved the lives Of a dozen or so persons
III tue front car. As the motor cur
went down the emhankmeut Mr.. Bar
sett, who WAS at the lever, leaped for
his life.
He made good Jump and landed in
mud and water about up to his neck.
fhe passengers were thrown by the
force oI the coilision with the pos. to
the front end Of the car and piled up
Aenr the door.
This cur came to atandstill with one
eud III tho edge of the water and the
other on the edge OF the track. The
disabled car was tilted Oh one side and
but little force would have rolled it
into Iauper's creek.
TIE SECOND CAR.
The second car Jared worse than the
FIRST. 1t continued on the track lit
Sie further than did the first, and
lenped from the embankment into
Tanners Creek all right.
IL was good jump, clean Jump
and It's onward course waH checked
only when its front had been driven in
the mud und water OF the river. This
car was turued we'll on It's side and was
badly damaged.
How the passengers in this second
car escaped death Is q miracle. They
toiled III almost every conceivable
direction except into the air, and werc
well shaken.
The third aud fourth cars did not
leave the road: :bed-fortuuatey the
WaJorlty OF the passengers occupied
these care.
ALMOST 4 PANIC.
There was Intense excitement imme.
diately after the accident. The ladies
presontcd most delapidated appear.
ance, scared almost to histories.
clothes torn aud muddy. Some OF the
men looked like they had bean out for
c week painting the town red and had
gotten tue worst of the Job
There were several persons who were
well shaken up and bruised, but no
one seriously hurt.
some OF the passengers walked back
to town and arrived here about 9
O'Clock. Others remained and came to
Norfolk by the relief trnin.
AS eoou ss the officers of the road
searned OF the accident a Norfolk and
Western engine, wrecking cars aud
were sent ont from Norfolk, Tho
electric train from Ocean View ran 1p
from that end OF the line and passen.
gers transferred.
A NlBGINIAN representative visited
the wreck at IL o'clock and found the
track clear and the hands adjusting the
rails. lie arrived Just in time to see
the passengers transferred and owing
10 the darkness and the mud II was
very unpleasant for the women and
children.
Some Of the passengers secured pri.
Vate vehicle from tho farmers in the
vicinity, great country wagons, and
came to town. The reporter passed
on the road several of these parties
and they were having q gay time in
optic OF the ''aInash up"
CAUSE OF ACCIDENT.
The NIRGINIAN is informed tLat the
accident was caused by the rails slid
ing from their proper position. THIS
was possible owing to the heavy
gain :. that fell in the afternoon
The track is sand ballast and as the
rails we're put down this spring the
track Is what railroad men call raw.
The accident would never have oc.
cured in dry weather.
RUMoRs.
There were many ramors afloat last
hight, and humber Of well known