The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-26
PASSENGERS In A WRECK.
The Miraculous Escape Of Bassage-HaS-
ter EOltSinger.
l TON BOULDER ON THE TRACK.
a vestibuIed Through Pullman Train
Wrecked and Burncd-Thc Engine
Buried in the Bank-A Color
ed Porter Killed.

| FRONT ROYAL, VA. Jan. 2J.-Spe-
cial-A very disastrous accident occurred
last night on the Norfolk and Western
| railroad near Crooked Run, this county
A through vestibuled train Of Pullman
cars, running at a high rate Of speed,
struck into a boulder weighing u ton.
which had fallen from the side Of
deep limestone cut on the track.
The train which consisted OF a baggage
car, dining-car, and several sleepers was
carrying a Raymond x Whitcomb ex-
cursion" party to Mexico.
The engine was derailed after carrying
the boulder about a hundred yards, ana
the baggage-car was preciDitated over
bank seventy-five feet to the edge OF
the Shenandoah river with the baggage
man, Mr.. Norftsinger, OF Roanoke. who
miraCulOusly escaped death from the fall
by clinging TO a rod passing through thu
centre of the car, and this morning WAS
found sitting on a pile Of trunks calmly
surveying the debris.
CARS BURNED.
The baggase-car and most Of its con-
tents, dIning-car, and several Pullman
coaches, We're burned up. A cOlored por
ter on one Of the cars was killed. and
Fireman CrOpper who jumped some fifty
feet into the Shenandoah river, was
slightly hurt
The other trainmen escaped unhurt
The passengers also seem to have all
escaped any serious damage. They, how
ever, lost some twenty-five pieces of bag
gage, and all the provisions and wines
on the train We're destroyed by the ire
This loss is estimated at 5000
Had the engines left the track on the
LETT side instead Of the right, where 10
buried itself into the bank. n would have
carried the whole train, frcighted with
its cargo Of precious lives. into the
Shenandoah. Fortunately the TWO rear
sleepers were not harmed. and by means
OF these the party was carried down to
\ COMPLETE DEATH-TRAP
The addresses on the baggage which
your correspondent found piled near the
terrible wreck show that the passengers
We're mostly from the New England
States.
1t seems like miracle that more per-
sons We're not killed. a more complete
death-trap under the circumstances ean-
not be conceived.
After emerging from the cut. where
the rock fell, the road runs along high
blum on one side and steep rocky bank
on the other. at whose base runs the
deep, swift Shenandoah river SO we'll
known in song and story.
When / thanked the baggageman for
this information this morning he re-
piled. Il am very happy to be- here 10
tell you about H. to-day. 10 was a close
call" And SO 10 was.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT
LURAY. VA. Jan. Especial. Sec
ton OF Raymond N Whitcomb's
California and Mexico excursion. consist
ing of four Pullman and one baggage
car, passing over the Norfolk and West
ern railroad. was wrecked by a large
stone that had been loosened by recent
rains and fallen on the track AT a shar,
curve one mile north OF Riyerton- r.
Phillips, a colored porter from New
York city, was scalded 10 death. Engl-
neer Horace Long and his fireman. IT,
Chopper escaped with slight cuts ana
burns. None OF the passengers We're in-
Jured, and again the Norfolk and Western
are 10 be congratulated in keeping "A
record OF no passengers killed. Drs Hud-
son and Keller. the cOmpany's surgeons
al Luray, We're promptly In attendance,
ana, with the assistance of the crew.
rendered every possible assistance. Su-
perintendent j. W. Cook. of Shenandoah
with large force OF men. had the wreck
cleared and trains passing In twelve
hours TWO Pullman cars. with the bag
gage-car. We're burned. Some few pieces
OF baggage We're burned in the car The
engine ls an entire wreck