Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-07-24
DISASTER AND DEATH.
An Awful Collision on the Nash
vile and Decatur Railroad.
Meeting of a Wild Engine and
the Columbia Accommodation.
Both Locomotives Totally Wrecked and
Seven Men Killed.


COLUMBIA, July 21.=The entire city
is in gloom and sadness, caused by a
distressing and fatal collision, which
occurred yesterday afternoon about 6
o'clock of the Columbia accommodation
and disabled engine OF the Nashville
q Florence railroad, which was being
taken to Nashville for repairs. The
collision occurred about two miles
rnorth of Duck River Station. Henry
e. Lauman, engineer OF the accommo-
dation; Robert p. Brown, fireman;
Monroe w. Wilson, baggagemaster and
express agent Of the same crew; AL. B.
Robinson, travelling passenger agent Of
the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago
railroad, and Thaddus d. Beech, p. ].
King and Henry i. Whttemore, en-
gineer, fireman and hagman, were
Killed. Wilson and Robinson were on
the engine with Lauman and Brown at
the time of the collision. The two en-
gines and baggage car were torn into
fragments. At least 500 people from
this city went out and viewed the wreck
last night. Lauman, Wilson and
III. lls ,
were all known here, having been
among us for years. Mr.. Robinson
was on his way to this city on social
visit to his friends. One OF the saddest
OF the scenes was that OF making the
fact OF the accident known to Mrs.
Lauman, wife OF Engineer Lauman,
who always waited his coming in the
evening before going to supper at the
Bethel House. The remains of Wilson
We're carried to Campbell's Station this
morning for interment, the Uniform
Rank, Knights Of Pythlas, of which he
was a.member, having them in charge.
The remains OF the six other unfortu-
nate men will be taken to Nashville
this afternoon for burial, on a special
train. The bodies were given every
attention by friends, and the street at
this writing in front of A. Barr's un-
dertaking establishment is crowded
with people. The cause OF the accident
is said to rest with the crew taking in
the Nashville q Florence engine, as
they were ordered to switch at Duck
River until the accommodation passed,
but they concluded to make the run to
Darks' Mill, as they had six minutes to
60 on: Conductor Kid was on the
second-class passenger coach at the
time and was not injured. He had
been running in the place of Frank
Dortch, who has been sick. Rev. w.
M. Green, of Columbia, was slightly in
jured, and a colored nurse was some
what hurt. Fortunately there were
very few passengers aboard. An IN
quest was begun before William Wood,
coroner, this morning, but will be con-
tinued until tomorrow. The train was
running at the rate of thirty-fve miles
an hour at the time the collision oc-
Cured.
AWFUL SCENES
The accommodation and the "wild'i
engine struck with terrific force. Both
engines were totally wrecked, the ten
der of the accommodation train was
driven nearly through the baggage car
the accommodation engine was turned
end for end, the "wild" engine having
run under it, and the bushes for many
yards around were killed by the es-
Gaping steam. The boiler OF the "wild"
engine exploded Immediately after the
collision, and the clouds Of steam were
so dense that some moments elapsed
before the train men and passengers
could see what had become OF the men
on the two locomotives. They went tc
work with will and soon found the
remains of all the victims, which were
terribly scalded and burned. Informa-
ton was telegraphed to Major James
Geddes, of Nashville, superintendent o.
the Decatur division, who ordered the
wrecking car to the scene. 1t left
Nashville at 1880 o'clock and arrived
shortly after 10 o'clock. Great excite.
ment and confusion prevailed, but
nevertheless, the work Of taking the
dead from the wreck was prosecuted
with vigor. The sight that was pre-
scented when the bodies were found was
sickening, owing to the way in which
they had been dis6gured. They were
handled with great tenderness and
brought to Columbia to be prepared fol-
burial. Hundreds of people were al
the depot when the remains arrived
and followed them to the undertaking
establishment.
Seven were killed outright. Theil
names are AL. Robertson, F. D. Beach
H. Lauman, H. Wittsmore, R. P
Brown, w. M. Wilson and P. King, al
OF whom were connected with the road