The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-01
Seaboard Main Line Blocked
Yesterday.
FOURTEEN CARS DERAlLED
Three Wrecks on the System Within
48 Hours.
AN INVESTIGATION At CAMERON
Sept. Maher Went 10 the Scene and Is Satisfied
That Train Wreckers DeraIed the Fast
Florida Train. Mr.. Winters. Re-
turns From the. Scene.

Florida Train. Mr.. Winters. Re-
turns From thu. Scene
Railroad accidents never come singly
and so proof of this well founded BELIEF
in railroad circles the Seaboard has ex-
perienced three wrecks with period
of forty-eight hours.
One of the worst wrecks that the Sea-
board has met with in years occurred
yesterday morning on the Richmond.
Petersburg and Carolina division, twen-
ty-three miles this side of Petersburg.
Two tramps lost their lives and four
others were injured.
This wreck followed an accident near
Franklinton, in which freight car was
derailed as the result of the breaking
OF an axle to a box car. The damage
was quickly remedied and the accident
was slight one as compared with the
other two.
The wreck of the northbound Florida
Limited at Cameron has been cleared
away The engine that was ditched was
brought here yesterday, and the smash
ed up cars Will be taken to Portsmouth
The injured are getting along nicely.
Mr. r. 0. King, who sustained the most
severe injuries is reported to be doing
very well. His physician says he sus-
tanned no serious injuries. Engineer
Wright is getting along nicely an is
expected to be out soon.
The accident on the Petersburg divis-
ion of the Seaboard resulted in fright
full smash up of cars and the loss OF
two lives. The wrecked train was an
unusually heavy freight that was being
drawn by two engines. The engineers
were Messrs. G. H. Becl1ham and M. F.
Tighe, both Raleigh men. The acct
dent resulted from the fall of support
mig bars of a brake. The train was 60
ing at a rapid rate and when the bar
fell on the track the derailment of cars
began. The accident occurred at
steep embankment and cars were pitch
ed heller SHELTER on either side. An i'm
mense wreck piled up, that it took hours
to clear away.
The accident occurred Monday morn
ing shortly after 12~o'clock, north of the
Nottoway river, sixty-two miles from
Carolina, midway between the stations
of Mckinney and Warfield A large
force worked all day yesterday to clear
away the wreckage 1t was said that
the track was cleared in the afternoon.
The two tramps who were killed are
supposed to have been riding under
meath the cars. One was white and the
other was colored The colored man
was badly mangled. They were dead
when found and there was no way to
identify them. Four other tramps were
badly injured. None of the train crew
was hurt. Supt. Hix, of the first di-
vision, went down on No. "a yesterday
morning to the scene of the wreck.
The, fast Florida Limited train from
Richmond, due in Raleigh at 4:1O a. M
could not get by. However, when the
northbound train which left here at 1925
a. m. reached the scene Of the disaster
the passenger and baggage of the two
trains was transferred and the train
from Richmond returned to that city
while the one which had left Raleigh
going to Richmond returned south with
the other trains passengers. Hence
those who started from Richmond last
night expecting to reach Raleigh at 4:1O
a. M, schedule time, got here at two
o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The railroad authorities are positive
that train wreckers were responsible for
the accident, near Cameron Saturday
morning. Superintendent Maher came
from Portsmouth to make an investiga-
tion and he went away satisfied that the
spikes from the rail had been drawn by
malicious persons
Mr.. E. E. Winters, train dispatcher of
the second division, returned yesterday
morning at 1890 from Cameron, where
he had been continuously since a. m.
Saturday morning. THAT the train was
derailed by wreckers is apparent to all
who 1--we inspected or investigated the
facts" Mr.. Winters said yesterday at the
Seaboard office in this city.
Continuing, Mr.. Winters said: at could
be plainly seen that the spikes had been
drawn from ten ties and these were found
where they had been drawn The claw
bar, with which the spikes were drawn,
was found in the corner of fence close
by 1t had been taken from the section
house adjacent, hole being made in the
floor, for the purpose, This was sufficient
evidence in itself, but TO one who exam
incd the entire situation the proof was
even more positive.
1.-THE spikes were drawn from the out
side and the guage was forced out wide
enough to let the. wheels drop in. This
distance of 1870 feet from the culvert
After the engine left the track it bent the
rails like piece OF wire. The cross
ties were solid, but where the engine
came in contact with them it tore them
up like tooth picks. Conductor Marshall
and Mr. Wetherspoon Daniel of this city.
went to ascertain the cause of the wreck
in few minutes after the accident. They
observed the drawn spikes and were sat
isfed beyond doubt that train wreckers
were responsible
mir. r. l.. Parsons, the general road
master of the entire system, went over
the track in hand car the afternoon
previous. He noted that it was in good
condition. The entire track at that point
is in fine condition. as any one can OBJ
serve today
The railroad authorities have men at
work to trace the wreckers
Mr. T.. d. Oslin, of Southern Pines who
was here yesterday, said of the acct
dent:
20 kpown thio ur;t;no