The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-11-24
TERRIFIC COLLISION!
Three Persons Killed and Many
Wounded Near BradfOrdi

Saturday at 2;50 p. m. on the l.
g. railroad two miles north of Brad.
ford, by which three people lost their
lives and many more were injured.
1t seems that passenger trains No. 8
and 4 had orders to meet at Gieen>
field, but the orders were afterward
changed so they might pass at Brad
ford, and signal flag was hung out
at that place for orders No. 4, north>
bound. Conductor Harris saw the
signal, and was in the telegraph of
fee receiving his orders, when the
train pulled out and left him, meet,
ing No. 3 in deep cut, on curve,
when the crash came. The south>
bound train was tagged by Mrs. An
derson, the wife of the section boss,
opposite the section house, near by,
who saw there would be collision,
and the engineer reversed his lever
and put on his air brakes, slowing
up his train very much before strik>
ing the other, but could not avoid the
awful fate to which Aey were DOOM
ed. This prompt act of the lady,
though, probably saved many lives,
as the force of the collision was brok~
en-. She should, and no doubt will,
be remembered by the officials. When
the engines came together, they were
both lifted on end, seemingly in
deadly embrace, when they fell over
against the side of the cut. The
baggage and postal cars and two
second-class coaches were piled against
them in confused and broken mass,
when they took fire, thus adding to
the horror Of the calamity. The
passengers, and trainmen who were
unhurt, and many neighbors who wit
messed the wreck, promptly went to
work to save the wounded, and they
succeeded in rescuing nearly all from
the flames. An old gentleman, who
got on the train atxepme point in Lou
isiana, was burned. We could not
learn his name. Engineer Smalley
was dragged from under his engine
by Maj. Burke, of the New Orleans
Times-Democrat, and other faithful
workers. A freight train was at Brad
ford at the time, and when No. 4 left
on her fatal run the whistle of the
freight engine was frantically sound>
ed to call her back, but was not heard.
The negro fireman of No. 4 says he
and the engineer did not see the sig
nal. We hear that the engineer says
he saw it, but got gong signal from
the train to pull out, which he did,
thinking the conductor had pulled
the bell-cord. The officials are not
blamed for the accident, as their or
1ers had been correctly given. This
is the first collision that has occurred
on this division since the road was
completed, and it is almost inexplica
BILE. Mr.. Smalley was considered tC
be one of the most reliable engineer,
on the line, and had heen serving the
company many years. In fact, al
the trainmen on the road are noted fol
their sobriety, steadiness and polite
demeanor, and frequent comparisons
are drawn between them and train,
men of other roads, always compli'
mentary to them and the compan,
they serve. We give below the cas-
ualties
W. F. Coburn, telegraph line re
pairer; Peter Harris, colored porter
and passenger, whose name is un
known, were killed. The latter WA
an old man, and was talking to Go
burn. We have heard positively o
no other deaths, hut it is possible tha
some may have been burned in tn,
coaches. Below is a full list of tn,
wounded:
John Smalley, engineer, leg broker
and badly scalded; injuries though
to be fatal.