The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-29
TWO RAILWAYS BLOCKED.
Rear-End Collision of Freight
Trains on the Air Line
Near RaIeiSh-The Penitentiary
Gate Smashed by One OF the Cars.
Messenger Bureau,
NANesN"5G D~N~AF
Raleigh, ~. c., April 25.

RaIelSn, N -, April 20
AT ) o'clock his morning there was a
lrear end collision Of freight trains at
the gateway to the p~enitentiary and u
lquarter OF a mile west OF the city
boundary. which proved a spectacle 10
thousands OF persons who went to the
scene.
4 freight train on the Seaboard Air
Line coming this way had stopped ar
that point, to get signals from the
block station. Another freight train.
also coming this way came up behind
it. The grade Is very heavy. The en-.
lgineer, Harding, gave his train the air.
aut found it wLuld not answer. He
and his fireman jumped, 100 yards from
the point of collision, and are unfiurt.
The engine, no. $50, one of the oIg
new Richmond consolidated locomo
Itives, ploughed through the caboos-
and six other cars, manly loaded With
Humber. and when it stopped the
smokestack rose high in the air. the
front Of the engine being elevated by
| a great mass OF iron n wood work.
A car loaded with lumber was almost
suspended in The air, one end resting
On the front of the engine. the other.
Extending entirely across the track OF
the Southern railway, which is only
Eight feet from hat of the Seaboard
Air Line, n resting inside the peni
rentiary enclosure, having entirely torn
away the penltentiary's great gate
IOther cars were merely Splinters. or
the cabooSe there were a few fragrants
AT the point where the engine stopped
a high fill end and a cutting begins
Down the side of the fill was a great
Iheap of debris and in this were three
ltramps. All these were injured. one
a negro, named Simmons, who was al
the bottom of the fill being so desper-
lately hurt that he died not long after
he had been placed in the p%enitentiary
hospital. These tramps were in the
Icars just ahead Of the caboose.
The wreck, like the one at Auburn
three weeks ago blocked the tracks of
tine Southern and the Seaboard. The
dig engine leaned far over towards the
Southern track as if ready to topple.
1t was stated by a railway official
that he air" was on only three of
tine cars of the train which ran into
the other, n that the air had been
cut Off at Cary, eight miles west OF
here.
Chairman Mcneil, of the corporation
commission, and H. G. Brown, it's seq
re1ary, were at the scene of the wreck
|oy 9 o'clock n a little later DR.. All
oott and j. l.. Rogers, the two other
commissioners, went to the scene ana
made an inspection. The commission
met at 10 o'clock to consider tn. mar
Ter or making an investigation. The
Jaw gives them power to make investi-
into all accidents. 1t is nder-
stood that the commission will inyesti-
gate. The Southern railway had to
Guild a track around the wreck, and
the Seaboard and the Southern had tn
use this temporary track for their
trains between Cary and Raleigh. II
Is asserted by the Seaboard Air Line
people that ON one cut out the air
at Cary.
1t is found that the state oyerpaid
montgomery county s171, for the public
schools. hat county was TODAY or
dered to refund.
The handsome office building of the
Central Trust Company here is almost
for occupancy.
Many subscriptions to the stock of
the proposed railway between mere and
washington, y. G., are being received
mere. EX-Congressman Woodward, OF
wilson, says the road will traverse one
the best sections in all North Caro-
lima.
Elaborate preparations are being
here for the annual meeting of
the Great Council of Red Men Nav 9th
A barbecue is to be a feature. at the
park. "e