The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-28

Three lives have paid for and another
ElaS be claimed through the weakness OF
an old engine of the Atlantic Coast Line
Tic locomotive. attached to local
freight was blown up yesterday morning
snortly after ) o'clock within hundred
yards of the Huli-street crossing in
Manchester. and Mr.. Robert L: Gwatllz
ney, the engineer; James Winston, ne
amman, and John Taylor. the negro
drra4ilf'aas drail'aasss.-a are ueau.
Stephen Basser, another negro train
man, is in a serious condition, while Will
liam Savage, also colored. lost a leg.
Basser and Savage are at the Retreat for
1ne Sick, where Winston died a tew hours
after the accident. and Fireman Taylor
rassed away last night. Basser and Saw
age We're doing we'll at 5 o'clock this
morning.
So far as experts have been able TO
Learn. the explosion was due entirely TO
the age and weakness of the engine and
As boiler. 1t was stated authoritauvely
yesterday that the engine was on its last
gun. its danger having been realized by
the superintendent of motive power OF
tne road. and was to be retired in day
or SO. Now it lies a jumbled mass OF
track at the point of the explosion, and
khose victims whose lives were not claim
ed are in the Retreat for the Sick.
The engine which blew up has been
en actual service for many years. Bolts
and rivets were rusted through the ac-
zion of the water and the weakness of
she locomotive was shown by the fact
that in the explosion the boiler gave
way in no particular part, but gave
rents where the steam under normal
pressure ripped it to pieces. An ex-
nert engineer, who looked over the
wreck yesterday, declared that the en-
zine should have been in the junk pile
INSTEAD of on the road.
The force of the explosion was enorm-
Gus. Windows in adjoining houses We're
shattered. the ends of two frame struc-
tures. which form a part Of the planning
mills opposite the road at the point of
the accident. were ripped away, and solid
small stones are sticking in the wood
work of several houses in the vicinity.
Two freight cars were demolished and
1he track-bed distorted out of all SEM
.blance to itself. Pieces of iron were
hhrown for hundreds of yards. one of
these tearing a hole in a, fence some
two hundred yards away. large enough
for man TO go through. Other small
pieces were sent flying in all directions
and the marvel of it all is that fewer
lives We're lost.
VISITED THE SCENE.
When the explosion came it aroused a
tumult in Manchester. Hundreds of ear
~ risers who We're on their way to work
rushed to the scene, and those late riserS
Or, a half-naile of the scenc rushed to the
place. When the great damage was real.
1zed and the wounded being cared for.
there was an instant relief measure set
afoot. physicians being called to do all
they could for the suffering men until
snch timr as arnbnlances could he sum
snorled and the men removed to the Re-
treat for The Sick, in this city, where they
could get proper attention. All day yes
icraay hundreds ;1ocked q, The scene.
Mr Gwathney, who was killed, lived
tt No. 1lS9 Beinbridge Street. Manches-z
1.r. He left his home yesterday morn
ang shortly after four o'clock to take >-.e5
regular five o'clock local freight, No. 81.
,out as usual He kissed his wife and
three little children, the eldest OF whom
IS only seven years. hade them all good
lbsc. and left with laugh. An hour lat.
iGr his mangieu pooy lay some thirty feet
away from his engine. still in death. Mr..
IGwathney had long feared the engine,
iand had said so.
Ti1n START
When he arrived at the Atlantic Coast
ia1ine yards to take charge of his engine
he tound his fireman. Taylor. had already
gotten up steam and was prepared TO
start They climbed aboard. the signal
was given and the train moved out slow
ity. II was crawling along the track with
lin one hundred Yards of Hull Street.
dragging dozen cars. when there came
8 without any warning the frig.lif,i de-
donation The aged engine had split in
ihaff a dozen pieces.
The Yorce Of the explosion was so great
Ithat the locomotive reared straight up.