The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1870-03-12

y AIER ALLEY, Ml3S
March ,, 1870.
EDITOR BULLETIN: Finding so many vague
and wild runors going the rounds of the
press, in relation to the unfortunate accident
at Buckner's Treste, near Oxfurd, on Friday
last, and they are so far from being correct
l deem it duty l eve to myself and the
road, as well as the public, to make this
official statement of facts
I have done nothing but build and operate
railroads for nineteen years, and think
know something Of my duties and response
bilities. / was on the unfortunate train from
Grand Junction to the fatal 81 OF, and shared
all It's responsibilities and dangers When
the train arrived at Grand Junction, l found
it was behind time fifty minutes I said to
the conductor, get off from here IS soon as
possible, occupy as little time in transferring
baggage as you can" The first six miles Of
tract, from this point to Davis Mill, is a
new fish bar track, most of it laid within a
few weeks; all are new, large ties; over that
portion of the track the train very properly
made good time. When the engine stopped
fer water at Davis Mill l walked forward
to the engine to see who was running it, and
found Mr. Louis Kel, one Of our best and
most experienced men, in charge / said to
him, "Keg, the track is not so good from
here to Hujsonvilie, and you must take a
moderate and steady speed to that point
He said, 81 fear l shall not be able to make
my passing point with the up-train at Holly
Springs" l replied, " You had better miss
your passing point than take any risk" lie
said, ''all right" On returning to my place
on the car, | met Mr.. John Adams, the con
ductor, reported to him what 1 had said to
Keil, the engineer, and said to Adams,
"L0Ok to this; and when you get to Hudson
vile, report to me your time; | will determine
whether you can make your passing point
at Holly Springs or not" + took my stand
then on the back platform with the road
master, Mr. Mcdonald, and watched, es
pecally, the running of the trains until we
arrived at IudsonviIIe, and l know it was
run at a very moderate speed. just as the
train was Stopping at Jacksonville, Conductor
Ada ms came to me and said he had plenty
Of time to make his passing point at Holly
Springs. l asked, how much. He replied,
Seventeen minutes to run Sven mi lies,
and one and -a-half miles of that next Holly
Springs, is straight line. I said, go
ahead, but run it safely. IF, any thing
occurs that you don't strike the straight
line before your time is up; flag your train
at once yourself He replied "all right,
and we proceeded These are the only con
versatons l had with either the conductor
or engineer, on that day relative to running
Of the train l gave no other instructions
Mr. Mcdonald, roadmaster, and myself,
stood on back platform all the way, a'ch
ing the running of the train, and he with his
hand en- the brake, by my directions, to stop
the train if the engineer attempted to run
any extra speed. Some may ask, why this
! precaution2 / answer because | know the
disposition of railroad men to make up time
when behind, and had a very heavy load of
passengers, AMI did not intend to take any
risk. We arrived at Holly Springs at 2:I7
| p m, all right, having left Grand junction at
l:IO p. IN, making the run, twenty FIVE miles,
/ in one hour and seven minutes We dined
there, occupying only fifteen minutes, and
leaving at 2:32 p m, and ran on to Oxford
making the usual stops, and arrived there
at 402; distance twenty,nine and quarter
miles, time one hour and thirty minutes
We left Oxford at 4I0 p m, and three miles
south. when running notexceeding schedule
time twenty miles per hour, and just rs the
engine and tender pissed on to Buckner
| TreStIe, one hundred and sixty feet long
and thirty five ieet high, on a sight curve,
the mail and express car being next to tn e
engine, broke pedestal, dropping the end oi
axle, forced the dange of the wheel over the
rail on the outside of the curve, jamming
the truck and forcing the track out of line
as the truck went over on the crossties Il
ran over the first seventy feet of the bridge,
on the ties, before any portion of the bridge
gave way, that portion still standing after
the accident, with all the marks Of the
wheels on the ties, after all the rear part o
the train had passed over it, the'whe
breaking the tics in two and spreading the
strlngers, the trucks lell through low enOuSl
to strike the cross cap Of the trestle nea
the middle Of the bridge, knocking it for
ward and pulling the side silIs, and falling
against the next bents in front with the from
part Of the train on them, carrying away th
remainder of the bridge in front Of wher
the first bent was knocked down.
The engine and tender going on safely
the mail and express, the baggage and seeon