Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-29
SWITCH MISPLACED.
A TERRIBLE WRECK ON THE AIRLINE
RAILROAD.
Over a Spur and Into q Crssk-A Fireman
kapglsd-Braksman
killed.
Especial telegram to the DIspatch.l

CHARLOTTE, y. C., January 2S.-The
north.bsund freight train which left Char
lotte last Saturday morning, consisting OF
thirty-fvo ears and drawn by the big consol-
idaied engine No. 100 was wrecked a. a
siding at Mizplh, near Reidsvilie, AZ 8
O'Clock that night. The wreck wr . terri
bic one. Mizpah siding is a place where the
nOrib.b0und and south>bound passenger
trains meet. II ~ a small siding. Just long
enough 10 hold r passenger train clear OF
the main line. II IL wnat the men
call "a spur and can only be entered BY the
uorth.bound trains. The northern end OF
the siding terminates abruptly on a trestle
over . snail creek. The svllch WAS nis'
placed and the engine turned out on The spur,
aud. reaching The end Of the track, plunged
down TO the creek.bed, carrying fourteen
csrs with II. Engineer Wakinney WAS az
the throttle. ana FiremaA II. A. Adams was
shOveling coal as the train approached the
fatal spot. The ensineer had just finished
his supper and had handed bis
lunch-bssket 10 the colOred brakeman,
who mounted the forward eud OF the
box-car next TO the tender. and placing
the basket between hls knees began
10 eat the lunch given him by the engineer.
just at this moment the train was approach
ing tse siding and going down grade a. a
rate OF thirty.Gve miles an hour, the pilet-
wheels struck the switch with q "clicketY
click" The esgine lurched to the night,
and leaving the main line forged Tor ward on
the short spur. A sense OF impending
dlsaster flashed upon the engineer In 4 mo-
ment aud he lehped from the eDRine, a. the
ssme time shouting To the fireman 10 Jump
Before the fireman could realize the situation
the end 81 tho spur bad been reached ana ne
--. l.~s.l $50 L. = fAnA . nth the KTenLa
age OF the fourteen box cars piled above
him, The colored brakeman who was eating
Ai. lunch at the time was buried in the wreck
aud HI. body has not yet been recovered.
HIS name ia Sidney Lee. The scene OF The
wreck vss terrible. The engine turned n
complete tomersiult, and the cars piled down
upon and over each other. Immediately
following the crash there wfs on oulnou'
silence, which was broken after a time ny
the grosns OF the lucklsss fireman, who vas
pinned down under the tender. ana resting
over and above the tender were the broken
remains Of nine box-cars. Then = little
tongue OF 1ssao shot UP from the wreck.
The train. crew could see the fireman way
down amidst the wreck, and securing
buckets, they poured water upon bin to
keep hin from beng burned to death. Word
was sent to Eeid,yille. and In a short time
the RcidsNille pre- engine "at vi ihb SCr"c
and vas playing on the burning cars. TIC
fireman remained under The wreck until .
O'Clock Sunday morning, when be na'
rescued.
When the resculng party hid cleared away
the csrs Il was found that the iron work OF
the tender still pinned her down, shd this
had 10 he cut auav with cold chiIel.. All
this time a stream OF water had 10 he kept
PLAYING upon hID and his rescurTs. when
dawn frem tse wreck It was that enc
Of his hands had been cut OF. The hesh
along hrs side ana acrOss bis bsck had been
cut oprn IN crest qa,hes. Several OF his
bones we're broken and his flesh vas bis
tered. Fireman Adams lived IN Richmond
and wss fornerly employed at the Trtdegar
ComutnV. lie may recover. The engineer
wss but slightly burt. The body OF the
brakeman IS believed to have been burned
with the cars. The switch is believed 10
have bren turned fer the purpose Of wreck
ing tie passenger train. The engine. ono Of
the fsest on the resd, together with fourteen
cars and their contents. OF merchandise, are a
complete loss to the railroad company.