The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-08-21

Few days, while The regular operator
is taking his vacation The duties are by
no means light, aud at nearly every sta
tioD where so much work has TO be per
formed there are usually two men To do
1t. IL is the operator $ duty TO receive mes
sares from the operators al Lancover, Ben
ming, and Anacostia regarding the approach
of trains, and If they are approaching
to notify the next station beyond him
In addition to this there Is system OF
levers in the tower by which he works
swift ches, and anOt her by which the
gates at the highway Crossing are raised
and lowered. The track is straight for
some distance along through Deanwood,
but the highway crosses il at an obliqie
angle so that as ole approaches the track
.t is difficult to see train coming from
either direction, owing To numerous Oh
slructions To the view From tile tower.
however, the approach OF train can be
seen for sorle distance down the track In
both directions.
Baker had lust received dispatch from
Anacostia notifying him that the New
York express had passed that station and
would soon arrive at Deanwood. He adj
usted the switches properly to allow IL
to pass and immediately the instrument
licked off word from Landover the coming
of the accommodation train for Washing
ton. Before the message was fairly com
pIeted Baker heard the rum bling Of the ex-
press as it came down the grade a fifty
miles an hour, the usual spe ell " hen pass
ing Deanwood. Instantly he jumped to
the lever which low ers the gate and looked
out upon the track.
The sight which met his eyes warned
him that an awful accident, which he
could not prevent, was about to happen
The occupants Of handsome carriage,
drawn 10y two spirited horses, had passed
iJeyond the gates while they were still up,
and were about to cross the track, and in
such a position that they could not turn
away. A few yards below them the ex-
press train was coming at full speed
Baker saw at a glance that they would
reach the crossing at the sane time. 1t
was then too late TO lower the gates. but
somehow he mechanically did SO while
waiting for the catastrophe to occur. He
mad not luug to wait. II seemed that all
three parties the occupants OF the carriage,
the engineer ard the operator saw the
danger at the same instant, but 1t was
then too late for anyone to act. The yo ing
woman frantically seized the arm of her
coInpanion, and in an instant the crash
calne, aud carriage and its occupants
ard the horses went flying in all direc-
lions through the air as the train sped
by the tower house.
Baker stood paralyzed for an instant and
then rushed down TO the scene. The train
ran &C for a short distance, until Engineer
A. Ccckley broughtit 70 a stop, and the
hx.rr haN tn. in h.
extent Of the accident The engineer
and fireman had seen the impending catas-
trophe, but too late to prevent it. The
carriage had driven up 50 suddenly that it
was only seen when within few yards OF
the engine.
Track Foreman j. D.,iDisner also ar
rived immediately, aHd several others,
WIG picked up the bleeding man and
woman and carried them Ito the station
platform Both were unconscious. The !
skulls OF both were, crushed, but other
wise they were not mangisd or disfigured.
Miss Custis, who sat nearest the locomo-
tive, was thrown at Least 100 feet, and
Mr.. Cauyhton was not faE from her. just
at that time the accommodation train.
which had been signaied from Landover.
arrived. and both were, placed on the
Train 10 he Drought tSQN aSinngton-
Before the train had fHrly left Dean
wood Miss GUSTS .axpired, and Judge
Claughpon died before reaching town, each
without regaining Consciousness after the
engine struck them. Both horses were In
stantly killed, and one of them nearly cut
in two by the wheels of the locomotive
The vehicle as splintered into matchwood
This afternoon every fragment OF the
carriage and the harness had been care
fully gathered up, the dead animals re-
moved, and the bloody spots covered with
esrth, 10 that there remains now not the
faintest trace OF the accident. The raj,
road officials are extremely guarded in
their remarks concerning the accident and
even the duties of their employees, and set
a gang OF men at work last night to clear
away the debris, So that nothing can be
seen at the spot today.