The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-09


che Seaboard near Monroe:
The freight train pulled by two engines
went off high embankment on sharp
curve a few hundred yards to the east
of the trestle. Engineer Dickert, on the
first engine, was killed instantly and
badly scalded that the skin slipped from
his body AS the engine ran off to the
right his fireman jumped to the left aud
saved himself. He ran on to Monroe and
carried the news. He says that the en-
gineer warned him to jump. Though the
accident occurred at noon Engineer Dick
ert was buried so deep beneath tons OF
steel and wood that was dark last night
before his black and CHASTITY body was
rescued from the debris.
The second engine caught the tender OF
the first engine and bore it ahead past
the first engine, which lay far out in the
woods, and itself turned over and rolled
down the bank. Sixteen box cars then
piled onto the two engines, crushed into
an inconceivable mass of kindling wood.
Engineer Maxwell, Of the second engine,
and his fireman were both caught beneath
their engines. The fireman was seriously,
though not necessarily fatally hurt and
had, to be rescued Maxwell was pain
fully, though not seriously, hurt. He sue
seeded in extricating himself from be-
neaht the huge pile of wreckage, which
lowered high above him. A gentleman
who was some distance away and ran
forward to the scene of the wreck says
he saw Maxwell laying on his back and
working his way out by inches through
space that didn't seem large enough for
a dog to get through. Before he could
get to help him, however, he was out and
upon his feet. His escape was a miracle.
A train hand who was on top of the
cars was caught in the wreck and so
badly crushed he will no. doubt die. lie
is still unconscious.
There were two hobos on the train
beating their way. One of them got his
fingers mashed The other escaped unin-
jured. They say they had two pals
ais DON but they were ahead riding the
cars that were wrecked but up to 1
o'clock last night their bodies had not
been rescued. The wreckers believe that
their being on is hoax.
The injured men and the body of Dick
ert were brought to Monroe. Dickert is
an unmarried man and formerly lived in
!. Newberry, S. c., coming to Raleigh six
months ago. Maxwell is from Colbert,
S. c. The other injured men were me-
groes.
The scene at the wreck at II o'clock
last night, when the polite and energetic
Capt. Berry transferred the passengers
of the Charlotte train, beggared descrio-
ton. On each side of the track for hun
dreds of yards great bonfires blazed and
cast their ghostly shadows upon the
wreck and far out into the Sombre woods.
The passengers, as instructed, alighted on
the left side of the train and struggled
along the side of the steep embankm mt
between the huge wrecking train with it's
great derricks and steaming engines on
the one side and the long row of men
with lanterns on the other, who would
catch hold Of them to keep them from
falling
When the wreck was reached it was
impossible to proceed on the embank-
ment further. Here steps had been cut
leading down the embankment to an al
ready we'll beaten path through the
woods between the bonfires till the
wreck was passed. Here nice long wooden
steps had been erected leading up the
bank to train in readiness on the other
side
At this point good view of the wreck
could be had. No words can give the
faintest idea Of what it looked like. by
the glare of the lights it could be plain
ly seen, but so great was the destruction
that 1t was impossible to distinguish one
engine from the other or even cars from
engines. Not only were the cars crushed
like egg shells, blu the engines them
selves were literally torn all to pieces.
Smoke stacks, cow catchers, cabs and
even wheels were gone-the Lord only
knows where. Even the sheet iron which
covered the boilers was ripped of, whether
by the wreckers or the accident did not
appear. Upon the whole were piled high
mostly upside down-coal cars flats and
box cars burst wide open and goods scat
tered. All around were scattered boxes,
barrels, bales Of cotton and what not
1t is inconceivable how wreck could be
so complete and is a warning of what may
be expected in wreck with double head
ers running rapidly pushed on by forty
loaded cars.
All around and fsa, out into the woods
hundreds of people were gazing upon the
scene with wild eyes and open mouths.
1t was impossible to say last night when
the track would be cleared but all trains
were running, transferring passengers.
The railroad men say they hope to pass
trains through today.
H. A. CHAPPELL
STEPPED INTO LIVE GOALS.