Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1870-12-15
Another Railroad Horror.

<A6dAu Y SOll III painful uuOJ l lC-
cord another of those painful accidents
which seem to be inseparable from railroad
life, and ending in death and suffering.
Yesterday morning, a few minutes past
seven o'clock by shop time the stiffness Of
the early morning was broken by a deaf
ening explosion whose conclusion shook
the houses in the extreme boundaries OF
the city, and aroused hundreds from their
matutinal slumbers, who sprang from their
couches, many supposlng that an earth
quake had occurred.
But few persons were stirring at that
early hour, and the operatives in the
machine shops were among the first to ar
rive at the scene of disaster, which was
IN the railroad track nearly opposite Col.
Branner's residence, above the crossing.
The extent of the disaster was seen at a
glance in the wreck of the engine and the
mutilated bodies of the conductor, fire.
man and engineer. The boiler of the
locomotive was blown to pieces. The fiues
being bent and rent asunder in every con-
ceivable manner The cab was entirely
destroyed, and one end of the tender de-
molished. The engine was No. 16, and
had been in use for a period antedating
the war, but had been lately used with
the gravel train and was considered per-
fectly serviceable.
To give an idea of the immense force of
the explosion, we are assured that a large
fragment of iron from the fire box, weigh
ing upwards of four hundred pounds, was
blown a distance of between three and
four hundred yards; one of the bolts was
thrown still further and passed through a
house on Mabry street in East Knoxville,
while pieces were found on all sides.
The conductor of the train, Mr.. Jack
Bennett, was killed outright, and his body
hurled a distance of forty yards. He was
scalded in a horrible manncr with the
steam, and his throat and face mangled by
a fragment of the boiler. His skull wa
broken in several places, his leg broken,
being twisted around, and one of his boots
wrenched off his foot.
Alex Smith, the fireman. was literally
scalded to death, besides receiving other
injuries, and must have died instantly
The bodies were removed to the shops OF
the East Tennessee and Virginia road and
laid out, where they were visited during
the day by hundreds of curious spectators
The injuries of Richard Collins, the en-.
gineer, are of a serious nature. He was
thrown with great violence a distance Of
five feet, breaking his left leg above the
knee, while his face was boiled to a jelly
by the scalding steam, and the bridge OF
his nose crushed. Rumors were current
during the day that he had lost the sight
of one of his eyes, and even of his death,
which wer incorrect. He was taken to
his fathers residence, at the corner Of
Main and Crozier streets, shortly after the
accident occurred, and surgical attendance
summoned, when his wounds were dressed
and the sufferer made as comfortable as
possible under tie circumstances
We visited Mr.. Collins last night, who,
during our short stay, was sleeping soundly
During the day, though of course suffer.
ing great agony, he was able to converse
with his friends, and while it is too soon to
make any sp-culations concerning his flu
ture, we are told by his father that his
symptoms are very encouraging, and that
his injuries are altogether external, at last
so far as known. Collins was not a regu-
lar engineer, but like the majority of ex-
perienced iremen, had been frequently
entrusted to perform an engineers func-
tons and was-at the time the accident
occurred-going to turn the locomotive
over to Zeke Weatherford, who was the
engineer of the Inflated No. 16
The conductor, Mr. Bennett, resided at
Union Depot, where his remains were sent
for interment yesterday morning at eleven
o'clock. He leaves a widow and three
children, we are informed, who now mourn
the loss of a husband and father hurried
to an untimely grave.
What pen can portray the feelings OF
the bereaved family, whose house has been
so suddenly turned into one of mourning
An affectionate father, whose last farewell
was spoken unwittingly, is thus, without a
moments warning, torn from the embrace
of loving children by the relentless des-
troyer.
The body of the colored fireman, Smith,
was placed in a coffin and his grave dug
by the Railroad company, but his relatives
preferred that his funeral should be post.
poned until to-day, when it will be inferred
in the county cemetery.-Knorciue
Chronicle
Mr.. Collins was a member of the Sth
Tennessee Cavalry, many of the boys will
remember "Dick,, and regret to hear
! of hi fmisfortune.-ED.