Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-03-05
SPREAD RAILS
CAUSES WRECK
Three Killed and Twenty-Five We're
Injured.
TWO YIRGINIANS AMONG The NUMBER
Four Coaches TeleScOped and Partially
Piled Upon the Engine-HerOic
Words from the Dying Engineer
Furious Fire Burned the
Coaches Outright.

passenger u ain, chattanooga 10 SALISBURY,
leaving Chattanooga at 1l:45 last night,
was wrecked abont three and one-haIf
miles west of Lenoir City, Tenn, this
morning about o'clock. The wreck was
caused by spreading Of rails. Three deaths
are reported so far and twenty-five people
we're injured. The dead are:
John Bib, of Knoxville, engineer.
A. @. Tucker, Newport, mail clerk.
Alfred Best. Knoxvlll, colored porter.
The injured:
r. A. Tompkins, express messenger,
Bristol Tenn, shoulder and neck bruised
&. NJ. Betty, mail clerk, Knoxville,
mail clerk, ann and wrist bruised.
w. S. Overton, Knoxville, conductor.
Thomas Mills, Knoxville, colored fire.
man, both legs broken.
The following passengers were injured:
J. L. Falcett, Chattanooga, Tenn,
shoulder bruised.
NJ. H. Guice, Fletcher, N. G., back and
head injured.
w. B. Holt, Leonidas, Tenn, chest
badly bruised and injured internally.
H. G.. Toms, Columbus, O. ,.houlder and
arm injured.
Mrs. H. o. Toms, injured internally.
Mrs. NJ. Lee, Rogersvlle, Tenn, head
hurt and internal injuries.
Two children of Mrs. Lee, one of whom
may die.
Mrs. Sarah Emerson, Rogersville, Tenn,
spine injured; will die.
l.. 4. Hughes, Lone Mountain, Tenn.
]. G. Trooppolin, New York, internally
injured.
]. A. Kelley, Alexandra, Va, head
hurt.
Samuel L. Kelly, Alexandria, Va, head
and chest injured
F. L. Fisher, Knoxville, head bruised.
William Whitehead, Marysville, Tenu.,
both hands and head injured.
]. w. Toohey, Greensville, N. c., leg
broken.
r. P. Harsh, Muskogee, l. T., head and
right hand injured.
h. B. Sargent, New Orleans, slightly in
jured.
Tie wreck occurred on the tracks of the
Southern Railway. The train plunged
down a steep embankment. The locomo-
tive went within so feet of the Tennessee
river. -Four Of the coaches we're teescoped
and partially piled upon the engine. The
coaches were burned outright. The Gin
cinnati Southern train from Cincinnati to
Chattanooga, was travelling behind the ill
fated train, it having to come by way OF
Knoxville on account of damage to tracks
| of the Cincinnati Southern between Chat
tanooga and Hartman, last night. This
train was awaiting orders at Loudon, when
it WIS advised of the wreck. The engine
of the Cincinnati Southern train ran up 10
the scene of the wreck and by pulling two
of the rear seepers back on the track and
away from the wreckage, succeeded in
saving them from destruction by fire. The
wrecking train with physicians and rail-
road officials left this city Immediately
after the wreck was reported.
1t is stated that the wreck was caused
by two landslides.
In the first, it is thought, big boulder
came down the side of a bluff and fell upon
the track These landsdes spread the
track and when the locomotive struck the
boulder it was thrown from the ties and
down the embankment. Several coaches
followed. The scene of the wreck Is be-
tween Loudon and Lenoir City, Tenn,
where the railroad parallels the Tennessee
river for a considerable distance. The
construction of the road at this point was
very difficult engineering and it is the most
unfortunate place for wreck.
Just before Engineer Bbb died physi-
clan endeavored to have him drink little
whiskey, in the hope of extending his life
as long as possible. The engineer refused
it, saying: 81 have never touched it yet,
and don't expect to begin to drink it
now: Continuing, he said; 81 am 60
ing to die, so go and look after the women
and children in the coaches"
He expired few minutes later.
The Chicago and Florida limited of the
Cincinnati Southern road, one of the finest
trains in the country, running from Jack
sonville to Chicago, was but a short time
ahead of the wrecked train. The Chicago
flyer, which left Chattanooga ahead OF
Bibb's train, was compelled to run to
Hartman by way of Knoxville instead Of
over its own line for the reason stated
above. Had this train been wrecked the
loss of life might have been much greater,
. as it always carries a long list of passen.
gers and runs on a very fast schedule.