The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-08-24
Excursion Train Went Through
an Open Draw Bridge Near
Norfolk, Va.
PluNsso INTO ELIZABETH MvEa.
Train Was Running at the Rate Of
Fifteen or Twenty Miles an Houf
When Disaster Occurred.
Fourteen Dead Bodice Have Been Re.
covered-The Engineer Was Unable
To Control His Airbrakes,
u 10 Alleged.

Norfolk, Va. Aug. 18.--Many people
we're drowned and scores Of others in.
jured as the result of an excursion
train on the Atlantic Coast line, bound
from Kingston. ". c., to this city,
plunged through an open draw over
the western branch Of the Elizabeth
river eight miles from Norfolk.
Both engineer and fireman dlscov.
cred the open draw too late to stop
the train. The airbrakes were applied
but did not work properly. The scene
following the wreck was one Of inde-
scribable horror with the shriekiag Of
men, women and children who were
drowning. struggling out Of the partly
submerged coach and floating In the
river. The passengers who we're un-
injured Immediately started to rescue
those imprisoned in the cars.
Many people In the neighborhood
went to the scene Of the wreck and
helped Ia the rescue. The injured
were taken to the track embankment
and were attended there BY the physi-
clans.
The engine Is completely submerg-
ed. not even the smokestack being vis-
ible. The car that was next to 1t also
submerged completely and the dead
can be gotten from it only by diving
under the ear.
Among the victims, the only white
ones, were Edward Joliffe. manager Of
the excursion. and Edward Forbes,
WHO assisted him.. both OF Greenville,
NJ. c..
The Merritt wreeking organization
dispatched an expedition to the scene
for che purpose OF raislng the ssnken
cars. which lie in about 25 feet of wa
ter. Until the cars ace raised an. accu-
rate estimate of tho number OF dead
Is impracticable.
The train was running at the rate
Of Is or 20 miles sm hour as Il ap-
preached the bridge. The specifc or.
ders of the road to stsp all trains at
the bridge whether tbx draw is open
or not was apparently, ignored.
NorfGlk, Va, Aug. 19.-The removal
Friday af the two AtlaIrfic Coast Line
cars which plunged iato the open draw
at Elizabeth river Thursday Afternoon
revealed but two bodies In the frst
car, making the number Of bodies re-
covered IL with FIVE persons missing.
None oS the injured now In the hos
pitals viii die and q majority Of them
will be sent TO their homes in a dzy
or two. The bodies of The dead will
be forwarded to their homes Satur'
day.
A careful examination - the bottom
of the river showed no more bodies
and the railroad ofiicials are convinced
that the. death list is now. complete.
though reports are still current Of q
much heavier loss Of life.
The small casualty list. in the fsfst
car which was completely submerged
Is explained by the theogy' that WHEN
the emergency brakes were applied
many on the passengers. thought that
q collishpn was immineHtI and they
rushed into the second csr and air Of
them had time to escaps, except two
before the car finally sank beneath the
surface Of the river.
Norfolk Va. Aug. 2fi-Theo b0hies
Of two more victims Of tkl0' KinstUa, Z
GreenviHb' excursion ratlWay wreck Of
Thursdag were found i'm the. weatsrn
branch q the ElixabetA, river. near
the Seems of tte accident. Ono OF tnene
was TfAmas Ferguson, Tie drawbsidge
keeper. who VAS knocked'off the, 1gidse
and daswnsd when thu train p1hnsed
through the open draw. This makes II
bodies. ih sl1 that havs-b -bsen, rssovered
from ne river. with tvo' injtrsdl dead
IN St. Vincent hospitsi' here. n1akinl
16 kasWA dsaA up teotAit unnA.