Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-08
RUN DOWN BY ENGINE
Narrow Escape of Carriage Party on
Grade Crossing.
ACCIDENT ON TEE B. and 0. RAILROAD
Conveyance Almost Demolished and
Horse Dies Of Injury.
A DANG ROUS INT

Henry Achterkirchen, a saloon keeper,
whose place of business is at No. POT 7th
street northwest. and his wife and infant
child narrowly escaped death from acct
dent on dangerous grade crossing about
II 80 o'clock last night. The accident hap
pened on the crossing of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, at 1st and H streets
northeast. Mr.. and Mrs Achterkrchen
were quite painfully injured, but the in
FAINT escaped with a few scratches and
bruises.
The police patrol wagon was summoned
from the sixth precinct, and the injured
people were removed to the hospital, where
their injuries were dressed. Soon after
ward they were taken home. Mr.. Achter-
kirchen received a cut over the eye, and
his back was hurt, while his wife's nose
was broken and she was otherwise in
jured 1t was thought last night that the
adult victims were only slightly hurt but
this morning both Mr.. Achterkirchen and
his wife were suffering intense pain. They
are under the care of their family ply
Sician.
When the accident occurred the victims
were seated in carriage. Mr.. Fritz HON.
mann, Mr.. Achterkirchen's brother-n-law
who had visited the latter earlier in the
evening, had been driven to his home, at
4th and l. streets northeast, and Mr. and
Mrs. Achterkirchen were driving west on
II street A stop was made at the Della
ware avenue crossing in order to allow
train to pass. A Columbia also stopped,
and when the gates were raised the car
and carriage made another start west
ward.
Gates Were Not Down.
In obedience to rule of the street rail-
way company, the car was brought to a
full stop at the LIST street crossing Mr..
Achterkirchen, however, saw no reason
for stopping his horse, as the gates were
not down, and he proceeded to drive over
the crossing. Hardly had his horse
reached the tracks, before the gates were
started downward. and the occupants of
the carriage We're instantly placed in a
serious predfcament. Looking south along
the railroad tracks, Mr.. Achterkirchen saw
the headlight of an engine approaching.
Then he did the best he could to save his
family He pulled the horse around and
hoped he would be able to clear the track
before the engine reached him.
Engineer Vermilpon, who was at the
throttle, also saw the danger He reversed
his engine and was able to quickly bring
the train to a standstill. While he did not
stop the train in time to prevent an acci-
dent he did so in time to save life. The
carriage was almost completely demolished,
and when the train was stopped, the body
of the vehicle was found to contain the
members of the Achterkirchen family.
mis- part of the vehicle had been car
rled across H street. while the horse had
been struck and thrown against the gates.
Mr.. Achterkrchen got out of the wreck
as soon as possible and looked after his
wife and child. The blood from the wound
in Mrs. Achterkirchen's face made her
condition appear to be serious. In the bot
tom of the carriage body was found the
little child, Annie, and blood on her from
her mothers wounds induced the belief
that she also had been badly hurt. An ex-
a ip0 finyn nf hn fshf rl,@
that she had not been injured.
Horse Dies From Injuries.
Policeman Coghill appeared in charge of
the patrol wagon, in response to a hurry
call, and the injured people were soon re-
moved. The horse died from the effects
of the injuries received.
The train which figured in the accident is
known as the ''owl.' 1t leaves the depot
at II % and goes as far Gaithersburg.
Conductor Nagle was In charge Of the
train. An effort was made some time ago
by the Commissioners to compel all steam
railroad trains to stop before going over
the H street crossing, in order to lessen
the danger, but the railroad company OBJ
jected. A fight was made on the validity
of the regulation, and the result was that
the railroad company won. The company
is not, therefore, required to stop its trains
at this crossing.
Dangerous Crossing.
1t is evident that the gates were not low
cred in season Had they been properly
operated the horse could not have been
driven upon the tracks only to be caught
without means of escape. 1t is regarded
as miracle of good fortune that the Co
lumbia was not also struck by the
train. 1t is possible, of course, that If it
had been caught between the barriers it
could, with its electrical power, have crush
ed it's way to safety through the western
gate. This method of escape was not open
to the horse, however.
The accident might not have happened
had it not been for the occupation by the
railroad company of the triangular reser
walton lying between the two branches of
the road and south of III street. This park
is filed with d grea. derrick structure and
often with freight cars, thus blocking the
vision of the Users of II street. In the case
of the accident last night these obstacles,
which have been assailed by the citizens in
court without success up to this time, I'M
questionably prevented a view of the ap
preaching train Had the park been in its
proper condition, Mr. Achterkirchen could
readily have seen the headlight of the To-
connective he passed westward after
crossing the Baltimore tracks at Delaware
avenue.