The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-08
TWO KILLED WHEN
TRAIN HITS AUTO
Machine Hurled Distance of o5
Feet and Lives of Occu-
pants Crushed Out.
ONE PARTIALLY INCINERATED
Fatal Accident at Hume's Cross
ing, on Washington and Old
Dominion Railway.
Especial to The Times-Dispatch.l


Alexandria. Va, September 7.-While
driving an automobile across the
tracks of the Washington and Old Do
minion Railway at Humc's Crossing.
Alcxandria County, two miles north
of this city, this morning. an automo-
bile driven by William II. Peck, was
struck. and Peck and his companion,
Ernest Zell were instantly killed.
y huge embhnkment on the west
and south sides of the road prevented
the driver of the machine from seeing
the approach of the train. which con-
sisted of n locomotive and tender and
combination baggage and passenger
car, running backwards from Blue
mont junction to Alexandria. The ma
chine in which the. men were seated
was hurled a distance OF nincty-tive
feet by actual measurement. and Peck.
the driver was caught beneath it and
partially incinerated. The body of
Zel was picked up sixty-fvc feet
away from where the machine was
struck. His skull was crushed. there
being terrible hole in the head and
his leg broken. Immediately follow
ing the accident the gasolene tank of
the machine exploded and the machine
took fire Peck's body was pulled out
from the mass OF wrcckage badly
burned
The engine came to n stop 500 yards
away from where the accident hap
pened BY that time G.. a. Hatton, a
resident of Alexandria County, had ar
rived on the scene and pulled the body
of Peck out from tho mass of wreck
age.
The train WAS in charge of the fol-
lowing crew: c. H. Darley. engineer;
Lee Crockett. conductor: Lewis smith
hreman; Forrest Crook, flagman.
blew for Crossing.
Engineer Darlev stated tbot IT.,
train was travelling at the rate Of tif-
teen miles an hour at the time of the
accident He said he was on the north
side. while the automobile party was
on the south. He blew four times for
the crossing and also blew for the st,
ton. Darley said he felt n lar hut
the hrst intimation he had of the ac-
cident was when his attention was
called By his fireman. Lewis Smith
who cried out: I'VE have struck an
auuomobile, He next saw the blaze.
mere were comparatively few peo-
PIC on the train, 1t being n combina-
Ioh baggage and passenger coach
Those aboard were all men. The crew
OF the train and the few passengers
walked back to the scene of the acct
dent.
News soon spread and hundreds or
curious people. many from this citv
also gathered about. Throughout tho
"'ts INC scene was visited by manV
VINO looked over the pile or bent ana
twisted iron which was all that re-
manned OF the passenger automo-
pile The pilot OF the combinatio
car was also wrecked as n result OF
the terrific blow struck. and trag-
ments of the pilot were strcwn ali
along the tracks
Tho accident happened exactly at
lo:lO o'clock. ana the crossing
where it occurred is regarded as ono
of the most dangerous in the whole
county. Several years ago a co!ored
barber. OF this city, named Dulancy,
was killed at that point.
Asked for Waterman.
Recently tho Alexandra Automobile
Association communicated with the
railway company. and called its at
tention to tho danger at this point, and
asked for a watchman. No action,
/ however, had been taken by the com
pany up to this time In tho matter.
and the association was preparing to
take the matter UP with the state Cor
poration Commission, with view or
having watchman placed at that
point.
pr. r. ]. Yates. acting coroner OF
Alexandria County. afterward viewed
Continued on Eighth Page.)