The Washington herald., 1906-10-20

DeTailed on a thiTty-foOt embankmenG
just after emerging from the tunnel at
South Capitol street and Virginia avenue.
Two coaches OF the Fast Flying Virginian,
the fast train from New York 10 the South,
were jerked onto the bridge at that point
yesterday afternoon in the nick Of time
10 prevent their turning over and over
down the steep grade by the presence of
mind of the engineer
Feeling that something was wrong, he
threw his throttle wide open, with the
result that when the cars fell they
brought up with a crash against the iron
girdeTs of the bridge. smashing parts of
them 10 kindling and frightening the oc-
cupants almost into panic. but for
tmateiy inturing no one seriously.
The train due here al 4.01 D. m was
skimmlng along. bearing some 800 veter-
ans of the old Fifth. Tenth, and Four
teenth New York Volunteer Regiments on
their way 10 Manassas to witness the I'M
yelling of "a monument in their honor
there to-day. when the two coaches left
the tracks, probably because of spread
ing rails, the result Of the gully-maklng
rains of the past two days. With the
trucks on the ties and the coaclEs jam
ming against the bridge girders. the prog
ress of the train was stopped and a
wrecking crew and apparatus was quick
" on the scene.
First Car Not Damaged.
The first car, which had not left the
tracks. was brought into the station with
as many OF the passengers as could crowd
into it; the others We're forced to remain
until the tracks were cleared. which oc-
cupied about an hour. Most of the pas
sengers continued on 90 Manassas. but
about a hundred stopped off in Washing
ton for the night
Among those on board the train, which
was composed Of eight or ten cars. were
Col r p Sellers, of the Brooklyn Eagle;
Gen. :. McI.eer. commanding the second
division, New York Stale Militia; Col d.
j.. Nosscroft, Col. g. J. Mahoney, son and
daughter all of whom were pretty wen
shaken up, but glad 10 escape without
injury.
Col. sellers story.
When seen at the Ebbitt House. Col
Sellers said: 1T seems 10 me that we
were really sawed almost by "A miracle.
when Inc first and second parlOr cars
left the tracks. the emergency brakes
were Immediately applied but not before
the third car smashed into "a steel bridge
glrder. splintering it into kindlins wood
Has Souvenir Splinter.
As an evidence OF this the colonel took
from his pocket a Jagged splinter of wood
about as large as a mans finger. Re
placing the "souvcu1r, ne continued.
'"rhe force of the shock damned the
ear against the Orders and this. I am
convinced, is all that prevented a calam-
ityT
HiU Party's Escape.
Ia the rear end Of the second car was
Rev. Dr. j. Wesley HIN, OF Brooklyn, who
is 90 deliver one OF the oTauons AT Man8S-
S3s to-day. Col. Sellers was of the ora
tors immediate party, as were also
Master J. Wesley Hid, jr. and Miss Ruth
Elizabeth lHH.
Other members of On. Hills party were
Mr. and Mrs Charles z. BUrling. AIR. and
AIRS Benjamin r. Bailey. g. W Smith.
Miss Z. r. Smith Mir and Mrs. William
Wentz and Col L. A Double. of the Tenth
Regiment. chairman of the Veterans
committee on arrangements. Dr. Hill was
right over the rear wheels of the second
ear when they jumped the track. The
humping and dragging brought down
portion of tne gas fixture, which fell upon
his daughter. Miss Hill Her young