Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-06-25
FAST MAIL and h.
EXPRESS COLLIDE
Six Persons Killed on Noun
tain When Flyers Come
Together.
ENGINES TELESCOPE
Cause of Accident Not Fixed, AL.
though. it is Supposed to Have Re-
suited from Ignoring Orders.
Emmitsburg, Md, June, 25- A

Emmitsburg, Md, June, 25- A
head-on collision on the Western
Maryland occurred yesterday even
ing about o'clock, when the fast mail
train No.. 10, from Hagerstown. and
the Blue Mountain Express train No.
II came together on the high .brigc
just west of Thurmont. The dead are !:
Mrs. w. Edwin Chipchase, Walter
N. Chipchase, her son, II years old ;
Coleman Cook, engineer, of No. 10;
c. R. Fritz, Hagerstown, travelling
fireman on No. 10; j. R. Hayes, fire.
man, No. IL; Luther Hull, baggage
man on No. II;
Several members of the crew were
injured.
The cause of the accident could not
be verified on the scene, although the
common report prevailed that the
westbound was ordered to take the
60-mile siding.
Between these sidings there are
several high bridges. On the first
of them, west of Thurmont, known as
High Bridge, the two trains crashed
into each other. The impact was
terrific. The engines completely
telescoped each other.
TIE express car of the Blue Noun
tain Express crashed down into the
little mountain stream about 100 feet
below. There are guard rails on
the trestle, but they were carried
away by the wreckage.
The first Pullman car of the west
bound train was hanging perilously
over the side of the high structure,
jammed up against the tender of en-
gine No. 300
Baggageman Hull was in the ex-
press car that went down. Although
the car was pile of kindling, Hull
survived about an hour. He had
lost one of his legs in a previous
wreck.
The Blue Mountain Express was
made up of six coaches and an ex-
press car, while the accommodation
consisted of two coaches ard bag
gage car The fireman Of the latter
train jumped into the tree tops as he
saw the coming wreck. 1t is be-
lieved that his back was broken.
Engineer Frank Snider, of the west
bound train, struck to his post until
the impact. With two broken legs
he. dragged himself across the wreck
age of his train.
A sharp curve on either side of
the bridge prevented the engineers
from seeing the approaching trains
until each had gotten we'll on the
bridge. The Blue Mountain in
charge of Conductor j. D. Ecker,
was we'll upon the trestling when the
express in charge of Conductor e e.
l.. Seigman dashed around the curve
The trains met with terrific impact
Both locomotives were practically
welded together The tender of the
express and baggage car were hurled
! over the trestle. In the baggage
car on cot was Mrs. Chipchase, al
tended by her son, Walter H. Chip,
chase, on their way to their summer
home. She, with Baggage Master
Hull, was instantly killed.
Hagerstown, Md, June 24-At ths
Western Maryland station here las
night, when asked who was responsi
BILE for the wreck, it was stated tha
the two trains were to pass at Flint
west of Thurmont. The crews o
both trains received the orders, it wa
stated, but for some reason the ord
ers got mixed and the eastbound trail
did not stop at Flint, but passed ol
until it collided with the westboun
train. 1t was stated hat he wire
were working badly when the order
. were transmitted.
"The collision was due to an erro
of orders given by the train dispatch
err at Hagerstown," stated Clarance :
Porter, an official of the railroad
speaking for President Gray.