Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-07
REAR-END COLLISION
Two Trains Partly Wrecked
on Southern Road.
FOUR PERSONS HURT
TWO BRAKEMEN'S INJURIES RE
GARDED AS SERIOUS.
No Definite Information Regarding
Cause of Acknowledgment Said
to Have Fallen Asleep.

A rear-end collision occurred this morning
at o'clock near Fairfax station, ON the
Southern railroad about twenty-four miles
south of this city, in which W. L. Stinnet
and ]. e. Dudley both brakemen and resi-
dent Alexandrians, were terribly injured
Engineer Charles Bruin and the fireman.
William Scraggs, the latter colored, both
OF Alexandria,, were also badly hurt. Sew
eral of the passengers were badly shaken
up. but none were seriously injured.
The collision occurred between north
bound passenger train No. 40, due here
about 8:45 am, and northbound freight
train, No. r. which was standing on the
main line about a mile south of Fairfax
station. The engine of the passenger train
and two Of the cars Of the freight were de-
molished. The engine was overturned and
tumbled down an embankment.
Engineer Bruin probably owed his life to
his jumping just before the crash came
He was badly wrenched in the left shoulder
put otherwise was not seriously injured.
Just before leaving the cab he called to his
fireman to jump, but the latter was slow In
getting off, and was caught in the wreck
and badly hurt.
Train No. 40 presumably had a clear
track between Clifton and Fairfax and was
making the run at a very rapid rate. Sud
denly, on rounding curve, the engineer
hundreds yards away, standing on the
main line. He immediat ely reversed his en-
CINE and applied the brakes. The Earring
sensation caused by this sudden action was
the first intimation the passengers had of
impending danger The speed was ma
terially reduced but the grade was sloplng
ana in few seconds the locomotive
crashed into the freight train caboose..
But for the prompt action of the engineer
there would doubtless have been a terrible
wreck. resulting in much loss Of life
brakeman Stinnet, desperately wounded,
was pulled out from under the debris 1t
was regarded as a marvel that he escaped
with his life. He was terribly cut and
bruised about the head and body Brake
man Dudley was also found badly injured
He was cut about the head, but no bones
were broken. The injuries Of the colored
fireman were not Of serious nature, and
Engineer Bruin was yet more fortunate.
Alleged Cause Of Accident.
AS to the cause of the wreck the railroad
officials were reticent. as is customary but
a passenger stated to a Star reporter that
1t was due to failure on the part OF the
crew Of train No. 72 to properly flag the
on-coming passenger train. According to
the statement the conductor of No. y find
ing 1t necessary to remain on the main
track sent brakeman back to flag No. 40.
While waiting. it was stated. the flagman
fell asleep. and the engineer and fireman
of the approaching locomotive were with
out warning of the blocked track Con-
ductor Giles was in charge of train No. 40.
Had there been a level track at the point
where the collision occurred it is probable
the accident could have been averted
The Southern Railroad Company now has
a large force Of men employed In grading
and strengthening the track between Alex
andria and Manassas. Soon after the acct
MT inc trai
Alexandria, conveying DR.. Arthur Snpwden
acting surgeon for the company. The
wounds Of the injured were temporarily
dressed, and about noon they were brought
to Alexandria.
Stinnet was removed to the Alexandria
Hospital. When this report closed the sur
geons had not made sufficient examinatio
to state the degree of his hurt. 1t is feared
that he sustained internal injury. Dudley
was able to walk with support and was
carried to his home
1t was past noon before any Roadway
was made in the work of clearing away the
in Alexandria until nearly 1 o'clock, but a
train of two coaches was made up at the
scene of the wreck. on which many Of the
passengers were brought to Washington.
Anxious Inquirers.
Hundreds of people who expected friends
from points on the Atlantic Coast Line and
Southern railway made anxious inquiries
at the depot today about the arrival of
trains.
No report" was the Information con-
tanned in the messages given out at tho
bureau of informant ton
AT noon there was no information put on
the bulletin concerning trains that were
long overdue
There was an excursion train from
Lynchburg on the road behind the wreck
at Fairfax station. On the Atlantic Coast
Line the train due about o'clock was NOT
reported, while on the Southern nothing
due after $50 o'clock had been heard from
The anxious inqurers were unable to
learn anything at the bureau of informa-
tion concerning the reason for the delay on
the part OF the incoming train. The IL Is
southern train left the depot on time, the
of1icials hoping the wreckers would be a BILE
to clear the track earlier than was at first
anticipated 1t was stated that the wreck
ers would require ten hours for the re-
moYal Of the debris