Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-01-03

nsnlngton,a lew minutes late,
ront Of the little station at
Terra Gotta taking on passengers, the
three caNs that composed the train be-
ing well filed with persons from Fred
erick and those taken on at the sever.
al stations along the line. Just as
the train was ready to move on, one
of the B. & O.'s largest and fastest
engines, drawing long train of emp
ty passenger cars, doomed ny, in the
rear, on the same track. and With but
an instants warning to the doomed
passengers crashed at full speed into
the train.
The great mass of steel, belching
out black smoke and Kissing steam,
tore its way through the coaches and
simply smashed the cars into splint-
ers, While it crushed and mangled
men, women and children, hurting
thePrto one side or the other or bury
inSthem under the wreckage that it
made. The coal from the tender
blacksned the faces of the victims as
it and the smoke envelopsd the peo-
pie. The tworear cars were smash
ed as though they, were <eggshells.
The forward car, the smoker, was
telescoped and partly destroyed, and
what was left of the train was pushed
on by the enormous engine for quar-
ter of a mile, strewing the victims and
the debris along the track and leav-
ing death and destruction in its wake.
As the great driving wheels finally
stopped, they rested upon the man.
gled body of a man, while fragments
of other bodies chung to the bloody
engine of destruction.
The disaster was 80 appalling that
those on the train who were unhurt
and others about the station were
dazed. Then as the shrieks of the
injured began to arise, the work of
rescue and relief was commenced.
messages to Washington
brought physicians and ambulances to
the scene, and as fast as the victims
could be taken from the wreckage
those who were still alive were hur-
ried to the hospitals, while the dead
were laid aside until the wounded
could be cared for. 1t took most of
the night to get the dead and injured
into the city. The morgne was over
crowded with the dead, and all the
hospitals were filled.
Mrs. Don M. Carr, formerly Miss
Agnes Beltzhoover, of Shepherdstown,
was on the train, and was badly hurt.
She was on her way to Washington
from her home in Kensington, to meet
her husband. Mr.. Carr was reported
as among the killed, but as a matter
Of fact he was not on the train, being
at the station to await the arrival of
his wife. When he found the extent
Of the disaster he telephoned to Mrs
Carrs parents in this place, the mess
age being received about 2.30 a. m.
Her brother, Geo. M. Beltzhoover,
Jr., at once got a team and drove to
Shenandoah Junction in time to catch
IN early train for Washington, and
Mrs. Beltzhoover left here at s o'clock.
Messages received from them state
hat Mrs. Carr received serious but
not fatal injuries. Both bones of her
eft leg were broken, her head and
ace were badly cut, several teeth be-
ng knocked out, and she received
numerous bruises and Commissions.
Her back was also hurt to some ex
.ent. She is at the Emergency Hos
oital, land the latest reports are that she
8 in good spirits and getting along as
veil as could be expected. Withrow
Legge, son of Mr.. and Mrs. ]. F.
Iegge was on the train, but escaped
without injury.
A personal friend of the editor of
the REGISTER, Prof. King, was among
The killed, and another. Mr. Cornelius |
was seriously injured. Mr..
Eckhardt is the auditor OF the Even
ing Star Company Of Washington. aud
mas for years been the treasurer Of the
Synod Of, the LutheraI
Church.
oliver nollar of fzoS