Smyrna times., 1890-07-09
Two Freight Trains ColIided near
ChesWold.
ENGINES DEMOLISHED AND CARS
Thrown UP IN A HEAD

the night, they were greeted with the
news that two large freight trains had
colllded in the curve halfa mile north
OF this town. As the news was broke
to them, in most instances they would
Immediately hustle for the scene.
Some boys at once took Lold of the
idea that bananas, oranges, peaches
and apples were lying all over Mr..
Heitshu's fields, and better still, large
watermelOns would be an easy prev
and great feast was in store for
them. Their hopes were not realized
however, as only few apples could
be had and they soon disappeared.
But there was an eagerness upon the
part ofall to view the great wreck
which to many was new sight.
BY o'clock the news had reached
nearly all of the immdiate neighbor-
hood and there was a constant stream
to and fro to see the great wreck. Bv
this time about sixty men had reached
the scene from tie various section
gangs from Wilmington and elsewhere
over the road and were working like
beavers to clear away the mountain of
massive iron and timber from the
track. As the news spread through
the country, people came for miles dis
tant, and at o'clock p. NJ. hundreds
had gathered until it was a moving
mass OF workmen and spectators. and
the public road and fields were lined
with teams at every available hitching
place. AT half past four the track
was once more clear and the dusty.
dirty, tired and hungry laborers were
carried to their homes 10 doubt re-
Joicing that their Sunday work was
over, with good prospect of once more
getting few more hours of rest and
enjoyment with their families.
As to the causes of the disaster we
gather the following facts an extra
north-bound freight III charge of
Harry Easom, conductor, and James
Engle, engineer, received orders at
Dover to side-track at Cheswold which
he hastily read and remarked to one
OF his brakeman, "she stops at Towns
end, " and told the brakeman to carry
this order to Engineer Engle, the
brakeman remarking as he delivered
1t to Engle, 1--WE stop at Townsend. y
The train proceeded on her way until
met at 1920 o'clock while rounding
the curve, by the fast Norfolk freight
in charge of Edward Wright, conduc.
tor, and Thomas Truman, engineer.
Fortunately, the men upon both trains
jumped in time to save their lives. but
the destruction OF two engines and !
nine box cars was almost complete. |
The nOrth-bOund train waa laden with |
vegetables chiefly, while the south.
bound train consisted of merchandise
and empties. The lights from both
trains were seen in time to slow down
for approaching danger but, notwith-
standing this, the crash was terrific. !
The two engines were so imbedded as |
to have the appearance, as a hystander
remarked, of being ''welded together.n
and niue cars, as above stated, were
smashed to fragments.
Quantities of potatoes, tomatoes,
beans and barrels Ofsugar, green coffee !
onions, &c,, We're strewn upon the en-
hankment and under the debris. A
quantity of new furniture, pianos, &c. !
were also viewed in the wreck. The
loss to the company is estimated at
from $4,000 to $4,000,
How the order, plain as it is said to
be, could be so misconstrued or mis-
understood, is unaccountable. Easom
has been in the employ of the COM
pany for nineteen years and is consid-
cred the most careful and Trustworthy
conductor upon the line. The senti-
ment upon the part of the public is
quite prevalent that tho increasing
business OF the road demands double
track, The company seems to be pur.
suing penny wise and pound
foolish" course in this matter. One
fortunate phase of this wreck is thai
both trains were freights; thus few
lives were in danger.
One OF our citizens says, {ifthe thing
could have happened right at Ches-
void and demolished our depot while
no one was in it, it would have been 81
glorious Sunday work for our town"
A remarkable escape and amusing
incident of the wreck is related of a
colored man who was beating his wav
TO Wilmington and was riding upon n
car That by the impetus of its motion
was landed up on two other cars
twenty feet In the air. Upon heino
spied by the trainmen after recovering
from their shock sufficiently to oo
round to canvass the situation. the fol-
lowing dialogue occurred;
-. Mnas are you doing here; where
are you from GH
why boss | was on my way to vii.
Are you hurt?"
mo sir l is all right, I'm Obliged
o you, boss, for bringing mo this fur.
guess ! will walk the balance of the
way" " '"'
ne then disappeared in the darkness
IN STELLA.
CheS'0old, July TN, 1890.