The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-08
TWO ARE KILLED
IN TRAINS CRASH
Fatal Accident on Scaboard Air
Line Railway Near
Petersburg.
SWITCH WAS LEFT OPEN
investigation Will Be Made to
Place Blame for Respon-
sibility OF Disaster.
The Times-Dispatch Bureau,
lO9 North Sycamore Street,
Petersburg. Va. August !

petersburg, Va, ugu T..
n head-on collision between two
trains on the Seaboard Air Limo Rail-
way, about midnight last night In Din
widdie county. a short distance out
from this city, resulted In the loss OF
two lives. the narrow escape of others
and q material loss to the railway
company. The accident occurred near
the bridge of the belt road of the At
lantic Coast Line. and tho collision
was a through passenger train
going south and a through freight
train northward bound. The Inter, in
charge OF Engineer Daniel Hicks, OF
Raleigh. y. c.. had reached the place
on time and had backed on a siding
to await the passage of the passenger
train. which was in charge of En-
gineer Wright.
The passenger train arrived from
Richmond on time and left the Dunlsp
Street Station for the South at 11:53
o'clock. seven minutes before midnight.
1t ran through an open switch on to
the side track on which tho freight
train was standing Inc crashed into
the freight engine. Engineer Wright.
1T is said. noticed when too late to
prevent the accident that the switch
was open. He reversed steam, ap-
piled the emergency brakes and d.
unfinished the speed OF his train. and
this prompt action prevented a much
moro serious wreck and probably
saved many passengers from Injury or
death.
AS 1t was. beyond being severely
shaken up. no passengers were hurt.
Engineer Wright and his fireman es-
capped injury by jumping when they
saw that collision was certain.
Engineer Daniel Hicks. of Raleigh.
and his fireman. Robert Toately. col
ored. were sitting in the cab of their
engine when struck by the passenger
engine. The force OF the impact was
such as to throw the front of the
freight tender into the cab and to
break tho steam pipe of the freight
engine. Engineer Hicks was caught
in the jam, crushed and scalded to
death. Fireman Toately had one OF
his legs crushed entirely off and was
otherwise so injured that he died
In a few minutes after being hurried
to the hospital. Both engines We're
badly broken and damaged, and a
number of the freight cars were
wrecked and derailed. >
The bodies of Engineer Hicks and
Fireman Toately were taken to tho
undertaking rooms OF ]. T.. Morris &
Son, where an inquest was held this
evening, II they were subsequently
shipped to their homes. Hicks was
n man of family. He had long ex-
perience as an engineer. and for four
years or more had been In the through
freight service of the seaboard Com
| pany. He was widely known and was
regarded as a faithful and efficient
employe.
Abner Darby. colored. who was in
charge OF the switching work at the
place OF the accident. positively de-
clares that he left the switch right
after the freight train had backed on
the siding. This matter is to be in
vestigated by the railway authorities.
Drs. ]. NJ. Burke. II. A Burke and
John Mann. OF this city. promptly re-
sponded to calls for assistance at the
wreck and rendered timely and valu-
able aid.
The coroner's jury Investigating the
cause of the killing of Engineer Hick
and Fireman Toatly rendered a YER
dict tonight that death resulted from
extensive burns and injuries received
by a head-on collision OF n passenger
train with a freight or the S%eaboerd
Air Line Railroad"