Evening star., 1947-01-11
Flyer Leaves
Tracks,, Kills
Girl in Fairfax
3 Passengers Hurt
In DeruiIment of
Crack Tennesseun

STOCk ieHNSSSSUH
Eight cars of the Tennessean.
crack Southern Railway pas
senger train, jumped the track at
Burke Station, Fairfax County,
Va, at 9:26 am. today, killing a
girl who was standing beside the
track and injuring five other
persons.
Bystanders who saw the stream-
liner derailed as it entered the
crossing less than an hour after
leaving Union Station identified the
dead girl as Elizabeth Breeden. 18.
of Burke.
Miss Breeden, daughter of P. r.
Breeden, Southern Railway en-
ploye, was waiting to board local
train, following behind the Ten
nessean, on trip to visit her grand
mother in Orange, Va.
Witnesses said the girl was struck
by one of the ripped rails when the
Tennessean ploughed up about 200
yards of track and roadbed.
List of Injured.
Those taken to Alexandria Hospi.
tai were:
Roy Campbell, 13, of Ford Town,
| Tenn, who suffered severe foot
injury. He was passenger on the
! train.
Mrs. Sam Crabtree, of Florence,
Tenn. Extent of injuries not yet
determined. She also was paSsen-
| ger.
Edward o. Doss, 33, of 1445 Otis
place NV, who suffered con-
| fusion of the left leg, it was re-
ported at the hospital. He was
travelling South to meet his wife
who is visiting in Norfolk.
Haywood Jones, colored, 46, OF
Somerset, Orange County, Va. He
was hospitalized with fractured ribs
and pelvis.
Charles Jones, colored, SO, also OF
Somerset, Orange County, Va. He
was admitted to the hospital with
possible head injuries.
Alexandria Hospital reported that
the last two casualties listed, both
femployes of the railroad, were
standing near the track when the
train was derailed.
4 Cause Undetermined.
Most of the passengers on the
train escaped serious injury, but
every ambulance in Fairfax County
and Alexandria was sped to the
scene on an emergency broadcast
by the Virginia State police.
; Officials were unable to deter
mine Immediately what caused the
lderailment, but an investigation was
under way.
i witnesses said the Campbell boy
and Mrs. Crabtree were injured
when a broken track rail rammed
through the side of coach.
Conductor Describes Crash.
c.: j. Ritenour, 119 East Maple
street, Alexandria, conductor of the
f13-car flyer, said he was collecting
tickets when the accident happened.
He said he heard a loud screech Of
metal against metal and was jolted
!, violently around in the car when
it left the track.
The engineer, Lee M. Watkins, 10.
of Alexandria, said the train was
moving at moderate rate of speed
when it left the track.
A passenger, Jack Weldon, man.
agter of the Old Dominion Broad
casting Co. at Lynchburg, Va, said
he had entered the dining car few
minutes before the accident. He
said he heard a sound as if some
thing were humping on the bottom
of the car. A moment later, Mr..
Weldon related, the car started of
the track and headed for bank
beside the roadstead.
None of Cars Overturn.
| Mr.. Weldon and the breakfasting
passengers were shaken up but ur1-
injured.
Only the engine and five of the
Tennessean's cars were still on the
track when the careening train
stopped. After making a speedy
checkup to determine the serious
ness of the wreck, Mr.. Ritenour con-
tacted the train dispatcher in
Washington over the railroads
special trackside communications
system. ....-
The last eight cars of the Mem
phis- bound Tennessean became
separated from the first five cars
during the derailment, the forward
section remaining on the track and
lIJpriUhf