Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1941-09-05
FROM OUR
EXCHANGES
SIX DIE IN CAR-TRAIN
CRASH NEAR HARRINGTON

Six persons, including mother and
her four small children, were instant
ly killed about 6 o'clock Thursday
night when a fast Pennsylvania Rail
road milk and passenger train tore in
to their automobile at PowelPs Cross
ing( two miles south of Harrington
Del.
The dead are: William J. Derrick
son, az, Harrington, driver of the car;
Mrs. Violet Salmons, 40, Pennington,
Del, sister of Derrickson; Louise, 10;
Grace, 8; Charles, 6; and Stella, 2,
children of Mrs. Salmons.
Mrs. Salmons and the children had
spent the afternoon in Harrington
shopping for preparation for the op-
ening of school next week and were
on their way to their farm home when
the accident occurred Wreckage of the
automobile, pencils, and other school
supplies were scattered for 1000
yards along the track, the distance
the automobile was dragged by the
train.
Delaware State Police at the
Bridgeville station, said that two
trains-the northbound milk and pas
senger train and a southbound freight
train-were approaching the unpro-
tected crossing at the time Derrickson
arrived on the small dirt road.
"Derrickson must have seen the
freight train but was unable to see
the train coming in the other direc-
ton because of high stand of corn
in the field next to the road" Private
Hugh Collins of the State Police said.
The automobile had crossed the
south bound track ahead of the
freight train and was just about to
pass the north bound track when the
fast train struck the automobile, po-
lice theorized.
Three of the children, Louise, Grace
and Charles, were riding in the rum
BILE seat of the coupe and were tossed
out by the force of the impact.
The two adults and the baby were
in the front of the automobile and
were pulled from the wreckage by the
train crew. A pet dog riding in the
automobile was also killed.
Alfonso Russell, Wilmington, engi-
neer, told the police the train was go
ing between So and 70 miles an hour
at the time of the crash. He said he
did not see the automobile and did
not know what the engine had struck
until he stopped the train. Oscar B.
Warren, Wilmington, was the fire
man, and o. T. Taylor was conductor.
The crew was released on their per-
sonal recognizance for an appearance
at an inquest to be conducted later.
The south bound freight train stop
ped after it had proceeded about three
car-lengths through the intersection.
It proceeded on again in about half
hour. Traffic on the north bound
side of the railroad was tied up more
than two hours while railroad work.
ers removed the wreckage. The en-
kine Of the north bound train was
damaged, but was able to proceed af-
ter the track was cleared.
The bodies were removed to Har-
rington funeral home in the Milford
ambulance.
Mrs. Salmons is survived by her
husband, Robert; daughter, Harriet,
81; a son, Jack, 16; her parents, Mr..
and Mrs. E. L. Derrickson; 3 broth
ers, Charles, Frank, and Augustus
Derrickson, and four sisters, Mrs. Ma
bel Bradford, Mrs. Anna Tucker, Mrs.
Catherine Carson, all of Harrington,
and Mrs. Marian Lightsap, of Will
mingtn.,.
Mr.. Derrickson, who had been en-
Moved at Fort Miles, Cape Henlopen,
until the strike there this week, is
survived by his wife, Mrs. Edith Der
rickson, and five children, all of whom
were on a visit with relatives in
PottstoWn, Pa.