Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-07-08
RAILROAD HORROR.

CoIlide-Twenty Odd People Kill
led Outright-Numbers More or
Less Injured--Alexandria Among
Killed and Injured.
Shortly after the Gazette went TO
press yesterday evening this city was
thrown into high state Of excitement
when it became noised around that an
appalling accident had occurred al
Rockfsh, on the Southern Railway, and
that several trainmen had been killed,
with probability that some passengers
had lost their lives. 1t was known that
Engineer Charles 7. Davis of the pas
senger train was killed, as we'll as others
of the passenger train crew, but as tne
day closed more startling rumors Cd
tanned circulation, some to the eiiect
that thirty-fve persons had been killed
outright and as many more injured:
Telephone communication was carried
on with Charlottesville where a report
was in circulation to the effect that
thirty-fve people had been killed and
later that twenty had met death in the
wreck. 1t was hoped that these re-
ports would prove exaggerations, but
subsequent dispatches received here
from Charlottesville after more reliable
news had been received there from the
scene of the wreck, showed that the dis
aster had not been overrated and that
more than twenty persons had lost their
lives, while equally as many more were
more or less injured. Y
It was known that Alexandrians
were aboard the Inflated train, and
when their relatives and friends heard
of the disaster they were almost frantic
with apprehension. Mrs. Samuel
Bendheim, OF this city, with her sister
in-law. Mrs. NJ. Schrier, Of Cleveland,
Ohio, and the latter's baby, had LETT
here at 1895 on the train 70! Green's
boro, n. c., and their relatives end
acouaintances were compelled to endure
terrible ordeal until it was definitely
learned that the trio had escaped and
had proceeded ON their way to their
destination. Their many friends re-
ioiced with their relatives here when
the much-prayed-for relief was ex-
perienced.
1t was impossible to learn the details
last night, and when the true facts were
ascertained today and the horror fully
realized, they formed the CHIEF basis Of
conversation throughout the city.
The Inflated train which is known
as No. 95 and runs from New York
to New Orleans, left this city, south
bound. at 1885 yesterday morning,
and was 35 minutes late when II
reached Charlottesville. AT Rock
fish Station, 20 miles south o
Charlottesville, it ran into local freigh
No. 6S with terrific force, killing 2;
to 20 persons outright and injuring anC
manning almost as many more.
A fearful scene followed when the oc
cupants of the car realized what ha'
happened. Many of the dead and III
iured we're NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. an'
Russians-some having been bound TO
southern California.
Among those killed outright wer
Engineer James Mccormick, of Char
lottesville, formerly of Alexandria
Engineer Charles Davis, of Alexandria
Thomas Shepherd, of Charlottesville
front brakeman on freight; Charles I
GAY, colored, of Charlottesville, fireman
ON freight; ]. f. Lowe, colored, o
Baltimore; Charles I. Leitch, colored
dining car waiter; c. @. Owen, Philadel
phia, boiler inspector; Adam Vucosay
iievicb, Russian boy Barilani Gughelmo
Austrian woman; two unknown Austrian
women and an unknown mulatto NO
man.
Among the injured are Engineer E
G. Hale, of Charlottesville, injuries t.
spine, serious II. A. Sharpe, of Knox
vile, Tenn, head and legs bruised anC
back wrenched Turner Ashby Henry
of Bentonville, Va, injuries to head
shoulders and legs Walter Jackson
colored, of Charlottesville, passenge
fireman, legs broken; four Austrians
all painfully but not seriously hurt; /
G.. Hudson, colored, Chattanooga, Tenn
serious head wounds T. c. Mercer, col
ored. Washington, arms andlegs cut anC
probably injured internally, dying; j.
b. Sterrett, colored, Pullman porter, o
New York, hands, arms and face cut
and J. w. Payne, of Alexandria, Va
baggagemaster, internally injured.
The engines were driven from the
track on opposite sides. The first pas
senger coach was telescoped by the com
bination baggage and express car, the
latter plunging up from the track and
into the passenger coach and grinding
along the full length of the passenger
coach at about the height of the seats,
crushing the life out of most of those
in the car. The coach was occupied
mostly by colored people.
The work of rescue began Immediately.
There was but one physician on the
train-luckily he was good one, with a
steady head-Dr William A. Lambeth,
of the University of Virginia. He was
the first out Of the train and organized
at once a relief force. The trainmen,
under the doctors direction, cut through
the panels OF the baggage and express
car and took out 81 of the dead. Prob
ably score of injured we're removed.
The passenger train which ran into
the freight was made up Of an express
car, baggage car, two day coaches and
two Pullman cars. The two Pullmans
formed an early morning New York con-
nection at Washington for Atlanta and
the South
w. A. Ward, the Union news agent
on the train, whose home is on Third
street, Washington, was one of the few
in the fatal coach who escaped. He
was standing at the end of the car when