The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-08
CRASHED HEAD-0N
TWO CENTRAL TRAINS COLLIDED
AT MULLEN.
THREE INJURED IN WRECK.
ENGINEER MAHANY. FIREMAN DOM
mo AND CONDUCTOR BRANNAN.

Engineer and Fireman Saved Their
Lives by Jumping MahanE
Thrown Under n Car and Badly In
jured and Burned-DOminO Landed
on His Back 10 Feet Below a Tres
tIe-The Accident in the Yards at
MiIIeD-Engineer Mahany's state
ment-Said There Was No signal
to Warn Him of Danger.
Lying beneath an overturned freight
car, with the escaping steam from
demolished locomotive binding and
burning. was the plight of w. W. Ma
hany, the engineer on Central Railroad
train No 80, directly after the head
end crash of trains Numbers 80 and AZ
at Millen yesterday. Mahany is at his
home on Alice street, in this city, with
a wrenched back, a burned and sprain-
ed arm and an ugly bruise beneath his
right eye.
The fireman on the same engine with
Mahany, Allen Domino, also received
painful injuries. His back is wrenched
and his body is bruised in several
places, and it became necessary last
night, to alleviate the pain to put him
under the influence of morphine.
After the engine had been reversed
and the two men saw that a crash
was inevitable. they both jumped.
Domino, who jumped first, made his
leap as engine was crossing trestle,
and landed on his back on the ground,
fifteen feet below. Mahany followed.
AT the time when he made his leap
for life the two engines were but a
few feet apart. He fell beneath a
freight car
Blinded With Steam.
There We're scarcely six inches be-
tween his face and the cab the up
per end of which was being held up
by a pair of trucks that had been
wrenched from the car. The escaping
steam blinded him and burned his face
and arms, and for several minutes he
lay there thinking that death was the
question of a few seconds. When the
steam had cleared away he CraWled
from beneath the car
Conductor A. n. Brannan was also
injured. He, too, was one of the crew
of Nc. 80. The extent of his injuries
are not known, but his collar bone was
injured in some way. He is an old
minent he seemed to lose his presence
of mind and did not bulge. He is now
at Millen.
How the Accident Occurred.
The accident occurred shortly after
o'clock in the morning. No. 80 was in
charge of Conductor A. j. Brannan and
Engineer w. w Mahany and was
bound for Macon. No. AZ was coming
to Savannah. Conductor A. j Thorn
as and Engineer J . r. Collins were in
charge. Both trains were on time. No.
AZ arrived first and was drilling cars
in the yard. The caboose had been
backed and left on the siding, when
the engine and several cars were pull
ed down on the main line preparatory
to leaving or taking on others This
train had gone but a few yards on the
main line before No. 80 rushed around
a curve and crashed into the drilling
engine.
ON "A. Down Grade.
The incoming train was coming
down grade, with steam off at a rate
of not more than fifteen miles an hour
Just before rounding the curve the
brakes were released. When Engineer
Mahany saw the engine on the track
in front of him he Immediately put on
brakes and reversed his engine. The
air-brakes, which had but a few min
utes before been released did not work
at once. The two Dig engines came to-
gether with a crash Engine No 14G4,
which pulled train No. 49, was almost
entirely demolished, the tender was
turned upside down, and four cars
were thrown from the track. The 9TH
or engine was not so badly injured,
though the fore part was badly
wrecked.
Says He Was Not to Blame.
Engineer Mahany was asked as to
the cause of the wreck. He replied
Il cannot be blamed for the accident
NO. AZ had a perfect right to be out
on the main line, but she should have
had flag out. / should have had
some warning that she was there. l
saw no danger signal. There was none
there"
Mahany said that the report that he
had wired his resignation to the rail-
road officials is untrue. He was rest
ing on sofa when seen by a Morn
ing News reporter. His right arm was
bandaged and he lay on his back as
he talked. DR.. Holmes of Millen is
treating both the engineer and the
fireman. Domino was in bed at a
boarding house on West Harris street
when seen. He complained of suffer
ing much pain, though he. was still
partially under the influence of NOR
phine.
WrecI<inG Crew Sent out.
The wreck was reported soon after
its occurrence to the office of Train
master Pollard at Savannah. Superin-
tendent Noise was notified, and he and
Trainmaster Pollard, with a wrecking
crew, were soon at the scene. They
immediately went to work, and at
about noon the track was cleared so as
TO admit of the passage of trains.
1t was found necessary. to transfer
passengers when passenger trains
reached the scene of the wreck. Train
No. 4. bound for Savannah, reached
there first. The Passengers disembark-
ed at breakfast time and were served
with breakfast at the expense of the
company. No l from Savannah ar
rived later, and its passengers also dis
embarked. They went aboard what
had been No. 4 and proceeded on their
way, while those of No. boarded what
had been No. 1 and came to Savannah
1t was denied at the office of Superin-
tendent Noise, to which it would have
been sent. that Engineer Mahany had
sent in his resignation.
FOR VIOLATING ORDINANCES.