Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-05-12
DYNAMITE EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY FIRE
Passengers Awakened by Shock Face Death from
Burning, While Pinioned Under Debris of Doub-
ly Wrecked Train-Many Escape With
Only Night Clothing On-Nine of
the Dead Unidentified.


Lave tho passenger train which was
not very badly damaged, few slight
explosions occurred. and then there
was one great flash and roar that
shook the eartE. Che whole affair oc-
cured within the period of few sec
on,Ia."
scene of horror followed the ex.
plns;nn Os the dynamite. The rasscn-
ger cars and some of the freight cars
instantly took fire
AS the rcvcrbcration of the terrific
explosion died away in The hills across
the SnsNuchanna river. The agoni;.ing
cries of the injured could he heard
Men AMI women came tLmbling and
climbing from the car windows Or
crawled from under The wrcckage.
ssr =. s'atsssseaeras seized e.atithsF error.
No one for the moment seemed to
know what to do. and many of the pas.
scngcrs, momcntarily seized with ter
rOr ran wildly about the fields on the
north side Of the railroad or waGcd
into the shallow waters of the river.
which parallels the railroad on the
Scnth
Realizing their safety and the dan.
ger still! threatening others the fright
eIed passengers turned in and began
the rescue Of the living. AS they
approached :Lc wreck another explo.
sion occurred, which sent them scurry.
Ing away.
Fearing that the rniirc freieh train
might Eo loaded with dynamite. no
;'nc dared so near the wreck. Finally
the railrond men, who knew the con
tents Of the burning freight train. led
the way and the uninjurcd passengers
followed.
Fire Drove Rescuers Back.
The advancing fire drove the res.
cmers back as they were about to take
others from the wreck and the unfor-
tnnates. mon and women. were coon
cnvclopcd in the flames. The cries of
The dying were heart rending in the
cx:rcme. Int nothing could be done
fnr them An alarm of fire was sent
In. but when The hremen reached the
scene the flames had done their work
so far as the victims in tile wreck
wo:e concerned. The entire train was
consumed hv fire.
Aftcr the victims in the wreck wore
bcyu,d human aid, more attention
was pail IT, the injured, who presented
a riti;,hlc sight as they lay in The field
or on the banks of the river.
With The firemcn. came corps CT
physicians from the city and the work
of attending the injured began in ear
most. AZ quickly rs they were lem,
porar;ly relieved of pain from hurns
or other injuries. they were placed on
special trains and trolley cars and
rushed to The hospitals here.
Railroad Mems Gruesome Task.
Several hundred railroad laborers
were on the spot within an hour and
at laybreak their number had been in
creased to thousand. 1t was a gruc-
SOME task for the railroad men. Net
one whole hody was found in the
wreck. Either an arm or a leg or all
four limbs were burned off The trunk
and IN several cases only portions of
Tie trunks were found
Ten ciarrcd bodies were found un.
der one Pullman car. 1t is The helef
OF The railroad officials that If The ex-
plosiun had not occurred there prob-
ahly would have been no loss nf life.
sfhe dead were takcnEto I,oyd's nut
dsc1r.taking rooms here, which were
TRANSFORMED !. a !nto<a temporary moreue
HsltSosprcners krouse empaneled jury
Which; viewed the bodies This after