Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-13
A SWITCH WIDE OPEN
The Southern Railways Fast Express
Wrecked on a Side-Track.
THE WORK OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Little Doubt That the Accident was
Due to n Dastardty Act-Engtneer
Slightly Hurt-very Little Damage
Done.
Done.

The fast express OF the southern raii-
way, which leaves Richmond at A. NJ
ran into an open switch fifteen miles
south Of Richmond yesterday morning.
and the engine and two cars were de-
rallied.
IL Is almost a miracle that the accident
did not result in loss of life or more
serious damage to property. AS IL was
the engineer was slightly hurt, and the
wrecked part Of the train was injured
though not to any considerable extent
The point at which the accident oc-
Cured is buckingham siding. half mile
beyond Midlothian, which is only USED
for loading purposes, and is not open on
an average OF once month. Ine
switch is about 800 feet in length, runs at
an angle from the main line. and rs con-
nected only at one end. Fortunately
only one car was lying on the siding, ana
that was an ordinary fiat, about 30 feet
from the switch.
WAS ON THE SIDE-TRACk.
Everything worked smoothly with the
EXPRESS train yesterday morning uhtii
10 his horror. noticed his train rushlhs
into the siding instead of keeping on
the main line. He at once applied the
emergency air-brake and reversed the
| engine hut could not succeed In stopping
! the train before it reached the empty car.
| The engine kept the track wen uh'l II
| struck The fiat, when II became ueraiieu'
| and throwing the car to one slue' coii-
| tinued over the ties for a distance oi
| about 80 feet. only the engine, 'enuet'
mail-car. and baggage-car were uetaneu
and the frst-and second-class coaches
and the sleeper though I'm the sldihg' d"
remained on the rails. o.
The engineer, MIR. T. ]. Ham, VINO iiNes
on Cherry street uear Canal, was 'ne
onIy person hurt. He received sllsh'
cut over the risat eye, ana arrived -,
this city from the scene OF the "ie0n
et 715 A. NJ. 1t is thought possiDie % .la'
he was struck by missile hurieu ii0"'
ambush. ,. "a hag-
oa,e-car were wired for, and sent from
This CITY as speedily as possible. lhey
connected with the coaches which re-
mained on the track, and, after losihs
only four hours, the train prQceedeo vi
It's way south. . taf
short,v after the occurrence for the sceh'
with a wreckng force, ana Ie.ulns. Ii.,ss
=. a.20 Yesterday afternoon, prinslhs
the wrecked engine and the Mo n,
v1itb MIN. The damages are shsht, an an
Captafn West said last night lha' ~ ~
would cover the entire ahiVulr 80
engine received most of the damage sus
.a9sad and win be repaired at the Man
chester shops. .,,,
A " ~
Cap,ain West is thoroughly conVllSs
that the switch was opened NY ~
he train-wrecker He claims that th
s,y,tch which is OF the Horton MAKE
does not interfere with the main I'M
and besides. several freight trains ma
rassed the scene only Few hours "
Snre the--express train. 1T IS impo
sible" continued the trainmaster'
tho switch 10 have been left open by en-
nIoyees OF the road, as the so cio.
freight would have been compelled
take the siding Moreover, the slapI
9 ,,htcb fastens the switch. had been r
t ,,o,,ad and showed that the switch ha
4 hasn adjusted to the siding. The switcl
: 1ight was also put out, and the prin
,,,ere left on the ties where cFo'
d bar had evidently beer used In prizih
il loose the staDle =.
: CantaIn West has no clue as to tf
r ,dontitv OF the wouid-De ,rain-wrecke
hnt saws the company Will keep the
!. many eyes cpen.
II SCENE or THE WRECK.
IL The scene OF the wreck is at the tc
y OF a long, high grade from Midlothia
and is a place very suitable for so ug
l. an act. The buckingham sding-tra'
rms into a sashy piece OF woodlan
= and is down grade from the main line
n the Southern railway. Before reachii
the siding the train has to pass throu1
N n deep cut, and the switch is about thir
10 or forty yards from this cut.
al The siding Is on the southern side OF I
Is main track Just to the left or the ma
line. and just before reaching the sidll
10 there are a number Of small trees, oush
ee etc. and there is no dc~St many thin
ld | tnat the traln-wrecKer hurled the miss
n that struck the engineer from his hidi
i'm these bushes. There are also prli
of a mans footsteps near this pla'
which would Indicate that the fellow e.
IDENTIFY took his departure from the see
90 t,fo Ia stardlv work through the WOO