The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-07
DEAD WITH HAND
ON THE THROTTLE
The Engineers Corpse Sat
at His Post.
A FRIGHTFUL PICTURE
Further Details of the Terrible Wreck
Near Nashville.
THE ENGINEERS HEAD WAS BLOWN OFF
There Are Reports That the Engine Was Con-
sidered Unfit For Service and That But
Two Would Run II. Other
Reports Deny This.


Further particulars of the terrible ex-
plosion on the Nashville branch of the
Atlantic Coast Line by which Engineer
Fred Brown lost his life, dying like a
hero at his post, and in which three other
men were injured are as follows:
1t seems that train No. 50, used in haul
ing construction material, was at Spring
Hope Tuesday night, and in charge of
Capt. S. A. Ezzell, with Engineer Fred
Brown, and crew of eleven men, who
were collecting cross ties along the line
to Rocky Mount. The train passed Nash
vile about 1920 p. M, after having taken
on three cars from that place, making
up a train of nineteen cars. At a low
rate of speed Engineer Brown had pro-
ceeded about mile when he discovered
the train had parted four cars in the
rear of the engine. He sounded the
broke loose" signal and Capt. Ezzell,
who was eating his dinner, sprang to
the brake wheels, as also did the other
members of the crew. and were gradually
slowing down the second section to avoid
collision with the first section, which
Engineer Brown was endeavoring to keep
out of danger. After setting the brake
of his car Capt. Ezzell looked ahead just
in time to see huge cloud of smoke
and hear an awful report and showers of
coal, and iron rained all about him. Real
izing what had occurred the crew on this
part of the train sprang to the ground just
as fearful collision of the two bro
ken sections occurred.
When Capt Ezzell arrived on the scene,
the picture was awful to be hold. The
boiler and bursted and was lying high
upon the right embankment a shoulder
ing and sizzing wrecked mass of iron
and steel. The cab had been blown to
splinters, yet with his right hand firmly
grasping the reverse lever, and sitting on
the few remaining splnters of his seat,
was the headless and fearfully lacerated
body of Engineer Brown, who even in
death, seemed to be trying to do his duty
in subduing his iron steed.
On the engine with Engineer Brown
were the colored fireman, George Dixon.
and the colored switchman, Hilliard
Armstrong. Dixon was blown many feet
in the air and was picked up some dis
tance from the wreck in an unconscious
condition. He soon regained conscious
ness but was unable to intelligently tell
of his awful experience. Armstrong was
frightfully scalded and injured internally.
1t is thought that he will die. Will New
kirk, negro trainman, was sitting on the
first car adjoining the tender and was
hurled with great force to the embank-
ment on the left and painfully hurt by
the flying cross ties and debris falling
upon him. The o+her members of the crew
remaining on the front section of the
train were uninjured beyond matter
Of receiving terrible shaking up. The
force oil the explosion was SO great that
the engine leaped into the air to such
height as to carry the telegraph wires
down beneath the pilot, and the flying hot
water and steam scalded the woods for
hundreds of feet. Fire quichl ly spread ana
did much damage to timber. Four cars
were totally wrecked and for more than a
hundred yards the track was blown to
pieces.
The body of Engineer Brown and the
other injured men were taken to Rocky
Mount The work of clearing the track
began at once, but the way was not
cleared in time for the regular train on
this division to make its usual trip to
Spring Hope and return.
The dead engineer was native of
age; had been in the service of the At
lantic Coast Line about three years, and
was a universal favorite among his fell
lows and the authorities in whose service
his life was lost. The remains of
the dead man will be sent to Manches
ter for interment.
There are many reports as to the cause
of the accident, one of which is that en-
gine No. SO has for some time been unfit
for heavy service, and had been con-
demned by the inspectors as unsafe, yet
it was continued in light work whenever
a master could be secured who would risk
running it, and only young Brown and
one other of the craft would venture to
handle this particular engine Other opin-
ions and conjectures conflict with the
above rumor.
Engineer Brown was in charge of a
train near Wilmington about one year ago
when a terrible wreck occurred wherein
his fireman was killed and he narrowly
escaped a horrible death.