The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-10
TRIPLE WRECK
IN Y'|NCHBuRC
Runaway Cars Destroy Them
selves and Other Property.
ONLY ONE MAN WAS KILLED
Engineer of First Train Struck Rever
ses His Engine and Jumps; the
Machine Tears on its Way and
Colides With Another Train
(.seulL eq1 o. qo1uos1d 1r1oeds)

t'ssuhL euL o. QolBosIQ Iu1oadS)
LYNCHBURG, VA, May 9.-owen
Fields, a hagman on the Southern Rail-
road, was the only victim Of the most
remarkable freight wreck in this city
to-day in the annals Of railroading in
to-day in the ANNALS of rairoadins in
Virginia.
He was burned under the debris and re-
ceived injuries from which he died at
noon to-day. He was from Renoga, N.
c., and leaves a wife and four chill
dren.
The wreck involved three freight trains,
The action commenced four miles from
the city had q whirlwind introduction
and a double climax within the city linz
its OF earthquake impression
THE BEGINNING.
Yard engine, No. 251, with En-
gineer T. ]. Jewett, was shifting
cars at Winners Station, four miles south
Of the city. Fifteen loaded cars, which
were left standing on the main track
which the engine returned to the sid
ing. happened to have some defect about
their brakes, and in minute or two
after the engine left them they began
rolling down the steep grade that leads
to Lynchburg. 1t is one of the heaviest
grades on the road. and as the cars be-
gan going faster and faster. the brake
man OH up VI liicul, Al1ol1S llidG AC
could do nothing, jumped to the ground.
This left the runaway cars four miles
of steep grade. and as they plunged
forward they gained speed, until, it is
estimated they were running at the rate
Of sixty or seventy-five miles an hour.
The work train engine No. 255 with
Engineer William Sweeney and Fireman
E. Harvey, was backing out of the tun-
mel along jefferson Street, going south
with a caboose coupled to the pilot, when
Mr.. Sweeney saw the runaway freight
cars coming towards him at a terrific
speed and only a short distance away.
The FIRST WRECK.
He reversed his engine and lie and his
fireman jumped for their lives. Persons
near the place at the time say that the
crash Of the collision was like an earth
quake. Freight cars were twisted and
bent like paper and thrown in every di-
rection across the street, while the ten
der Of the work engine was tossed almost
to the tops of some tall maple trees that
stood on the side of the track, and when
it landed on the road is looked axe heap
of old sheet iron. F'lagman Owen Fields,
of the work train, tried to jump. but was
caught under a car and received Injuries
which resulted in his death.
When the collision occurred the work
engine, which had been reversed by the
engineer, had begun to move in opposite
direction, and not being damaged by the
shock, started up the track, gaining speed
at every turn of the wheels. Through
Union Station and across Cabell and
Orange Streets the runaway locomotive
plunged at fearful speed, and in a mo
ment was flying through the Southern
yard with every prospect of causing ano-
Their disaster.
THE SECOND WRECK.
The conductor was on the caboose at
tached to the pilot, but he could do moth
ing to remedy the situation. About "a
half mile up the track engine 266, with
Engineer J. A. Lucas, was standing on
tie main line waiting for orders to move
on it's journey south with a long train
Of freight cars There was another
awful collision and another broken mass
of iron and wood was added to the his
tory of the morning.
The caboose on the work engine broke
the force of the blow for the freight
engine and saved it from destruction,
but there was not enough of the caboose
left to make a dry goods box. and the
work engine was practically ruined.
The conductor in the cahoose jumped
just in time and escaped unhurt. and
both Engineer Lucas and his fire.
man were able to- get out of the way
OF danger OF the cars wrecked on JEFF
terson Street. four We're reduced almost
to kindling wood and their contents of
cLtton and lumber were considerably
damaged. A large force of men are now
erga ged in clearing the track, and it is
hCped that the line will be open for
traffic by 9 or 8 o'clock this afternoon