Milford chronicle., 1909-02-26
Seven Msa KILLED ia DsImar Wreck.


the Delaware Railroad for several years.
The accident occurred at 50 o'clock last
Monday morning at Delmar, when a Sec
ticn of the Norfolk express train leaving
: Wilmington about midnight, crashed in
D to an engine standing upon the main line
3 of the railroad in the yards there. In
front of the engine which was struck, was
a train of ten cars and another engine.
Two cars caught fire and we're burned.
The dead are John McCready, baggage
master, No. 500 French street, Whining
ton John W. Wood, mail clerk, No. 1913
Lancaster avenue. Wilmington Harvey
Wilhelm, mail weigher, New Castle W.
r Oliver Ferry, Adams express messenger,
Cambridge, Nd. W. B. Cochran. mail
clerk, Philadelphia George Davis, en-
gineer, seaford R. N. Davis, mail clerk,
Marydel.
The injured are Miss Sophia Ashanopi-
lies, Memphis, Tenn shoulder eighty
injured Lewes Brockaway, groom with
the trained horse Princess Trixie, hurt
internally and sent to the Peninsula Hos
pital at Salisbury.
The collision occurred about 300 yards
north OF the station at Delmar, on the
boundary line between Delaware and
Maryland The two locomotives were
standing on the main track to make up
new section of the express and change
engines for the through train. B. B.
Ewing Of Wilmington, the engineer of
the express, did not see the engines
until too late, and the heavy train, filled
with excursionists en- route to Hampton
Roads, crashed into the locomotives with
terrific force. He and his fireman, T. H.
Esham of Wilmington, were unhurt.
Fortunately the sleeping passengers
we're two cars removed from the point of
collision. Immediately behind the To-
comotive was the combined baggage and
mail car, and a new York, Philadelphia
and Norfolk baggage car. These two cars
stood the brunt of the collision, and all
the men in them we're either killed or in
jured.
The engine Of the express and the fore
most Of the two locomotives standing on
the track we're demolished, as were the
combination baggage and mail cars.
The wrock Immediately took fire, and
it was impossible to rescue those under
wreckage. The sudden impact of the
train awakened all the passengers, and
there was great excitement. Some of
the women became hysterical, but we're
soon calmed when they heard that all
danger was over
Princess Trixie, the educated horse,
was burned to death. She had been ex-
hibited at Keiths Theatre, Philadelphia,
for the last two weeks, and was being
taken to Norfolk to fil an engagement.
The horse was 20 years old and had been ,
shown all over the world by her owner
and trainer, w. Harrison Barnes. She
was favorite with vaudeville audiences,
and she had appeared three times before
King Edward, each time receiving a
present from His Royal Hig-
ness, the last one being a magnificent
neadpiece.
The train was the regular express leav-
ng Philadelphia at % p. m, and car
led passengers to Norfolk via the Cape
Charles route. The Pennsylvania Rail- ],
'oad advertised reduced rates on this
rain on account of the homecoming of
he batteship fleet, and the train was y
.rowded with passengers bound to see
he great spectacle. The train wrecked =.
vas the first section. Beyond those al =
eady mentioned no one was seriously "
lurt. ;,
Delmar is a small railroad centre. and Il
II railroad men, with the assistance of fC
he local fire company, we're summoned I
o rescue the imprisoned men and put y
ut the flames. The fire, however, had il
aimed such headway that nothing could
e done for the men under the burning
ars. The four mail men were riding in q
be mail section of the first car when the d.
ocident occurred, while Express Messen- s.
er Perry, Baggagemaster McCready and :,
Davis were in the second =
sggage car. Davis was 'deadheading''
rom Wilmington to Delmar to take
rain north The flames burned until 9
clock that morning. when the last body .,
'as taken from the ruins, "
All the passenger coaches remained on
ne tracks, but it was daylight before the 81
lad was opened for travel. h
The two locomotives that caused the 4
reck we're waiting to take the two sec. .
ons from the yards at Delmar, the termi- 4
us Of the Delaware division to Cape II
harles over the New York, Philadelphia Y
i'd Norfolk railroad.
Ordinarily these locomotives came =
,wn the main track and wait on a sid 20
g for the express. Monday morning 70
% engines started for the side track, tir
It were stopped by train which was se1
the main track ahead. Before the toi
Il .,,.YH ~ ,1o,-o1 Al. .-u.-s -.