The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-09-10
WRECK AT YADKIN RIVER.

THIRTY.FIVE CARS AND AN EN-
CINE AND TENDER PLUNGE
THROUGH AN IRON
BRIDGE.
A Brakeman's Fearful Fall and Mar
rew Escape--An Eye Witness De-
scrip;iOn of the Accident--The Scene
at Midnight---The Presence of Mind
of the Conductor-.-The Engineers
Brave Conduct.
Greensboro Patriot.]
On Saturday evening as the North
bound freight train consisting of engine,
tender, fifteen loaded and twenty empty
box cars and caboose car, came dash
ing down the grade on the south side of
Yadkin river, and was nearing the iron
bridge across the river, the engineer,
Capt. Jack Allen, felt q sudden jar and
culver of his engine; a moment later
the forward or "pony trucks" of the
engine flew out to one side letting
the fore part of the engine drop down
on the rails and cross ties. Capt Allen
told his fireman, Mr.. John Hatley, to
jump as it was impossible to stop
the train and that he knew 10 bridge
could stand the tremendous strain that
the one before him would be subjected
to in few seconds. He reversed his en-
gine, blew for brakes and kept his whis-
tie sounding the alarm, but On dashed
the engine with its heavy train of cars
straight for the bridge tearing up the
rails and crossties as it went. Captain
Allen coolly stood to his post until with
in few feet of the bridge, when seeing
that no human power could stop the
| onward rush of the train, he sprang to
the step of the cab, leaped off, and was
sent whirling down high embankment.
A second later the ponderous engine
struct the bridge. The shock was too
great for even that iron structure and it
gave way, precipitating the
Engine, Tender, and the 50 Cars
into the river fifty feet below.
The conductor, Capt. Scott, with great
presence of mind, when he saw that the
tram was doomed, sprang to the flont
platform of his caboose and uncoupling
it from the train, applied the brakes and
with the help Of his fagman, succeed ed
in
Stopping the Car
before it reached the river. The crew
all escaped being precipitated into tht
river except the front brakeman, Whl
was on the forward car at the tine O.
the rear end Of the rain, but the ca
made tie plunge before he had gotte1
clear Of it, and he was
yVhirled Through the AIR,
striking the water clear Of the debri
and falling cars. He shot downWart
several feet, but soon ross and swan t
the bank, badly scared but unhurt. Tn
engineer ana fireman were nov so furtU
nate. When they sp9anS off the engin
they were sent
Spinning Down the En- bankment
and were both very much bruised an
injured. Capt Allen had both ankle
! badly sprained, and was injured abou
, the breast, besides numerous cuts an
bruises about his face and body. Nj
, Hatley, the fireman, had his right " wris
, shattered, his right hip badly spraine
and was very much bruised about th
face and shoulders
, The wounded were at once taken
Lexington on the engine of the materl;
train and had their wounds dressed, an
: on yesterday Sunday were sent throug
+. to their homes in Danville. Both me
will recover.
Mr.. B. F. Cobb, drummer Of Ricl
i mond, Va, was crossing the ferry belo
r the bridge at the time of the acciden
e He says: 81 was crossing the river
9 the ferry boat and had reached the nil
die of the stream when my attentl6
was attracted to the train by the unu
/ ual noise. The engine seemed to be
f PloWing or Dragging
It its way along the crossties. | saw a N;
l. spring off the engine aud 60 head lol
,e down the embankment AS the ira
i; neared the bridge another man, whc
Of suppose was the engineer, sprang of al
Ii went whirling down the incline.
r, second later the engine struck t
q, bridge. then saw that the caboose c
was loose from the train and slowing L
at | also saw that the engine and sevel
IN Of the cars were off the rails and on
at crossties. The next instant the
el Bridge Gave Way
~ ~ and tell you the splintering and era
I" ing as the bridge and cars went do
was awful to hear. l have been trav
ing on the road four years and this
the first wreck l ever witnessed alC
hope it will be the last"
es A special train was sent from this c
to to the scene of the wreck On Saturd
night. A reporter of the Patriot took
vantage of the opportunity to visit
w scene of the accident The train arrived
=. the river shortly after o'clock, a. N
.'' drizzling rain was falling and
'or moon was obscured, but with the aid
his the fires built along the banks and
nd lanters, a very good view of the VIZ
ch was obtained. Two spans of the bri
&C. are down, and two abutments are c.
nd pletely wrecked. The telegraph wi
were entangled in the falling timt
and broken. The rails are twisted
doubled in every direction. The eng
is lying near the middle of the river '
portion of one cylinder just Wis
70 above the water. The cars are pileC
in an indiscriminate and indescri5
ing manner and are mostly total loss.
ort No blame can be attached to the C
ay, pany Or the crew of the train, as it
ON purely an accident -one which no hu