Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-16
TRAINS CRASH;
FOUR LIVES
ARE LOST
FAST MAIL TRAIN TELESCOPES
AN ACCOMMODATION TRAIN
NEAR CHATTANOOGA WITH
FRIGHTFUL LOSS OF LIFE.

CHATTANOOGA, June 13.-The Nash
vile, Chattanooga and st. Louis fast mail
train, bound south collided with local
accommodation train, northbound, yester-
day afternoon at Summit station, II miles
north of this city.
of speed.
1t is claimed the accommodation train
should have been in side track, as the
fast mail had the right of way. Four per-
sons were killed and a half score in
jured.
Dead.
GEORGE ROLLIN. engineer of the ac-
commodation train, died after being re-
moved to hospital.
L. A. RANKIN, fireman of the accom-
mediation train.
]. L. TOMPKINS. an express messen-
ger helper.
JAMES BERNARD. fireman of the fast
mail train.
Injured.
Engineer Ray, of the fast mail, may die.
J..W. Barker, mail clerk, serious.
Fred Thatch, baggagemaster, serious;
EXPRESS MESSENGER WEBB, of the
fast mail train.
Mail Clerk Miller, serious; not fatally.
B. r. Slower, mail clerk, serious.
A. w. Clark, mail clerk serious; will re-
cover.
Train No. ss. known as the Jasper ac-
commodation. left Chattanooga about 2:40
o'clock yesterday afternoon. 1t was due at
Summit at SOS. The other train, fast mail
No. /, from Nashville, was behind time
and the meeting point of these trains
had been changed from the regular sta
ton to Summit
Orders Overlooked.
One of the engineers, 1t is said, over
looked his orders and ran past the desig-
mated meeting place.
Engineer George Rollins. of Pikevile;
Fireman L. A. Rankin, of this city, and
Conductor r. A. Doss, of Jasper, COM
posed the crew of the accommodation
train.
The fireman was horribly mangled and
died almost instantly.
Engineer Rollins was badly injured, as
his legs were terribly crushed and large
holes made in his head and left side He
died while being taken to the hospital
Engineer George j. Ray, of the fast
mail train, is seriously injured and ii is
thought fatally. His left side and head
were crushed and other parts of his body
bruised.
His fireman.. James Bernard, was
caught under the smaller engine and lit
orally burned to death. A handful of Gin
ders and charred flesh was all that could
be found of him.
Express Messenger Webb, of the fast
mail train, was caught under the debris
and died shortly after having been re-
moved to a place of safety.
The story of the wreck as told by pas
sengers on the mail train is a thrilling
one. as. they were able to see the APP
preaching disaster. On account of the
position Of the track, there being a double
reverse curve at the place Of the wreck
the passengers were able to see from the
side of the cars the approaching accom-
mediation train. They thought 1t merely
a passing of regular trains and did not
heed the warning until the crash came,
and IL was too late to help themselves,
The accommodation train, being the
lighter one, was entirely telescoped, the
ponderous machinery of the fast train
blowing its way through the cars and
splintering them into kindling wood. Both
engines had their positions reversed and
were thrown 40 yards from the tracks.
None Of the passengers were seriously
injured.