Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-10-09
TERRIBLE RAILROAD DISASTER.
Five Cars Thrown from the Track and
Wrecked.
Twenty-Nlne Persons Injured -Four Nor
tally.

morning by the announcement that Capt
Jaques, Superintendent of the East Tennessee
Virginia and Georgia Railroad had received q
dispatch from Greeneville, stating the southern
bound train had met with fearful accident at
Roberts treste, i. miles west of that place.
The magnitude of the disaster was not an
nounced and rumors of startling kind were
current on the sireets-a thousand reports were
put in circulation ndeager inquiries as to the de
tails of the accident were made on every hand.
A special train left Knoxville in charge of
Captain Jaques, the efficient Superintendent of
the great through line from Bristol to Memphis
at 1910, passing the regular day express at
Bulls Gap. This train contained Drs. Samuel
Moses, John NJ. Boyd, and Morgan, accompa-
MED by CHRONICLE reporter and number of
citizens Of Knoxville, and arrived at the scene
of accident at four, p. NJ. The sight presented
on arriving at the. ground was sickening
one. The surgeons uncased their instru-
ments and proceeded to do all that skill
could accomplish for the benefit ofthe sufferers
while the others composing the party did all
in their power to alleviate the condition of the
unfortunate victims. The following il correct
statement of the accident, as gathered from the
railroad officials present and passengers on the
train:
Captain Thomas Holloways train left Brs-
toll on time, but when it reached Greenevile
was an hour and sixteen minutes behind, owing
to an accident to the engine of the up train.
The train was composed of the locomotive,
two baggage and one express car, the smoking
car, three passenger coaches and Pullman
sleeper, and was crowded with passengers; bust
ness men returning from the purchase of goods
in the North, and persons who had been spend
ing the summer at the Virginia Springs, en- route
for their Southern homes
The passengers had had their breakfast and as
the train travelled along were gayly chatting,
all unconscious of the dreadful scene that was
soon to be enacted and in which so many of
them were TO be the victims of fell destiny.
The train dashed on, past fields ofripening corn,
around rugged mountains, through fertile val
legs slumbering in the soft light of an October
the fatal travellers, dreaming ofhome,
children and life and love, were even, while all
nature seemed in peaceful repose, being trailed
by the demon of the rail.
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT
Is not definitely known, but seems to be one of
those inexplicable mysteries which no human
foresight could guard against or prevent. The
catastrophe occurred at the treitle, which spans
the county road at the point, above named, be-
ing about one mile and s-half west Of Greene
vile.
Mhen WITHIN ABOUT I'D yarQS OF the
trestle the rear trucks of the mail car jumed the
track and ran to the bridge on the ties. The
engine, tender and baggage car passed over the
bridge in safety and remained on the track, but
the mail and smoking cars, together with three
passenger coaches ran off the track. The sleeps
ing car, in rear of the train likewise maintain
ed its position on the track.
The mail and smoking cars after crossing the
trestle, fell of the track down the embankment
on the north side of the road, while the three
MAJ coaches nrpCiDltatpd
wagon road beneath, distance of about fifteen
feet.
The first passenger car was completely demol-
ished the second falling upon it, which had one
end Knocked out and was telescoped by the one
in the rear from which q large portion OF the
roof and side was thrown into the second car,
the last car next to the sleeping coach, hang
ing with the rear end on the track while the
other was inextricably mixed with the SKATER
ed and riven timbers of the one in front.
In this wrecked and rent mass of wood and
iron nearly hundred human beings struggled
in agony while terror, with crushed limbs and
mangled bodies, and shrieks of pain and
groans of suffering rent the air.
The injured parties were released from their
terrible position with all possible haste by the
train hands and uninjured passengers, and
everything possible done on the spot to allevi-
ate their sufferings while messenger was sent
to Greeneville for assistance and dispatch for
warded to Knoxville asking further aid. q
LIST OF INJURED.
The following is full list Of the wounded :
Col. John Pride, of Morristown, Tennessee,
badly injured
Miss Pride, daughter of above, thigh broken
and other serious injuries-condition critical.
Mr.. and Mrs. Norris four sons, two daugh-
sers and son-in- law, from Pulaski county, Va /;
all badly injured, but none seriously.
a small cUlored girl, daughter Of John Brad
| ley, of Knoxville, shoulder broken.
| Jim Heiskell, colored brakeman from Chat
| tanooga, Tennessee, MORALLY wounded.
S. II. Corey, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in
| jured in the leg and arm.
r. R. Anderson, of Loudon, Tennessee, ankle
| badly sprained
David Bryant, Of Ramseytown, n. c., ankle
| sprsined.
Two children of Mrs. johnson from Mem
phis, badly hurt but injuries not considered
| serious.
L. w. McInturf, mail agent, injured in the
back and leg.
A gentleman, who refused 70 tell his name,
injured in the face and legs,
| Alfred Hunter, colored leg hurt, not seri-
/ ously.
Rev. J. r. Wheeler, of johnson City, Tenn,
Presiding. Elder Of the NJ. z. Church, South,
badly, perhaps fatally injured.
Mrs. Smithson, Of Virginia, MORALLY in
jured
Two chill dren of Mrs. Smithson were badly
hurt but injuries not considered serious.
Mr. Conway, mail sgent injured in the cal
Capt. Thomas II. Holloway, conductor, injur
ed in the head and legs.
Theodore Ellis, brakeman, injured in the face
THE CATAsTRoPHE FoREToLD.
Aleck Brown, the fireman, dreamed the nigh
before at Bristol that this accident would occuI
on the down grade west of Greeneville, AnC
Nhaft min asftall akn,k IL