The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-12-30
''F!RIGHTFUL
ACCIDENT.

Lynchburg, va, Dec. lS.--A uci'
! srible disaster has occurred on the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad near
. sReusel,s,1 five miles west OF Lynch
I burg. 1t is believed that % lives
were lost.
The regular west bound passenger
train was delayed by small freight
stwreck Just below Lynchburg and
sspeciai train was made up to 60 to
Clifton Forge. The special left this
.scity at $50 p. M. A mile or two be-
yond Reusens the engine, in rounding
! ! curve, ran into landslide.
4 Engineer Fisher, who was one Of the
oldest employees on the road, attempt
I'd to back the train out of the wreck.
The engine rose into the air and
J turned over into the raging waters or
The James. Both Engineer Fisher
1nd his fireman, Luke Rule, are re-
EpOrted to have been drowned.
" A telephone message sent soon af-
terward from near the scene OF the
wreck said the passenger coaches were
standing on the track with water rls-
Ing in front and rear and that it was
impossible for the passengers to leave
their dangerous position.
( Later an employc of the Chesa-
peake aud Ohio who was on the
ain walked into this city. and the
Sccount which he gave Of most
appalling character. lie stated
that after the engine ran into the
landslide Conductor Whitaker ook
ateps to wire to Lyuchburg for as
.Bistance. In the meantime. under
The conductors directions. a rum.
Der oi the passengers and the tram
! crew attempted to push the coaches
10 place Of safety, the track being
low at that poin! and covered with
cover
They had hardly started to work
when a great ulass OF stone aud
earth came crashing down the nj
) side. Several cara were hur1ea
over and partly buried beneath the
. debris.
, Conductor Whitaker was swept
away by the flood. AS he disap-
Deared he called out 10 those near
him TO tell his wife and children
goodbye.
A number Of passengers were
either crushed by the cars or
drowned IN the raging river. The
estimate places the number OF pas
sengers killed at fully 25.
The facts as above related ny
the Chesapeake and Ohio emp!oye
were later verified by IA telephone
. message received from Reusens'
and shows that the disaster Is Tile
worst by far that has been known
( in this section for long time
4 1t has been raining here steadily
\, since Yesterday afternoon, aud all
) Of last night the water came down
! in sheets. An early hour this morn.
'ing the James river began 10 rise
and by midday it was evident that
serious freshet was threatened.
= At 6 o'clock this evening the level
of the river was Is leet above nor
NAL and there was nothing to show
= khat the end Is in sight.
Reports from up the river are
alarming, and manufacturers aud
merchant along the water front
are becoming extremely apPrehen'
sive., A large majority OF Lynch :
.burg's most valuable enterprises
are situated along the James river
and rise from p to 25 feet PLACES
= them IN dangerous position. The
Glamorgan Pipe and Foundry Com
+. pany's extensive plant is in jeop
ardy aud a rise of few more feet
, will mean to the company loss ol
..~thousaaAeps&.llsliars..,... ,....,-
All oithe water-power pumps ID
the city waterwolks have beer
T. placed outsof servi:e, and the tive
steam pumps that are now keeping
= up the supply in the reservoirs VIII
soon be reached by the advancing
food and.will have to be CLOSED
down.