The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1903-06-04

l. Henry ACTON, H<nElneel.-s $ - - -
l. l.. 9. Chesters Engineer. ffges
Sam Johnson, Engineer.
| Roland Madison, Colored Fireman.
Otto Wood, Fireman.
Dave Ingram. Colored Fireman.
l. Bob Hancock. Fireman.
j. d. Hill, Colored Brakeman.
/ The full details of the wreck
at Bryan, Ala, on the line of the
| Southern Railway between this
city and birmingham confirm
fully all of the l'umors circulated
here following the awful catas-
trophe. The. wreck occurred at
| 1 30 o clock last Wednesday
morning, the watches on the
/ poor victims of an operators
! blunder stopping at this hour.
The trains wrecked were No.
70. a second class freight train
west bound, and q double. header
extra east bound. The west
bound and east bound trains
were both drawn by powerful
engines of the hattleship type
and the extra east had an addi-
tionalenginein front, NO.98, which
was fired by Otto Wood, of this
city, one of the victims. 1t is said
that No. % stopped at Jefferson
and both the engineer and con
lductor entered the station and
asked the operator if he had any
orders for them.o The operator
was lying down apparently sleep
ing and replied that he had not,
! although on his desk be had an
Eordef for the freight to meet the
extra at Littleton. The train
pulled out and a few minutes
later both came together IN
head end collision about one mile
east of Bryan. Both trains were
running at high rate of speed
and the wreck Was com plete. All
three engines were torn topieces,
and engines, trucks, tenders,
box cars, coal ears, hay, oats
and other freight were piled up
| in endless confusion. Two tanks
kof oil were emptied on the mass
/ of wreckage and fierce fire soon
spread over the whole and it
Iburned until. the entire mass
was consumed. arsss.ft
1t is a remarkable record that
every engineer. and fireman who
went into the wreck is dead. All
were killed outright except En-
gineers Acton and Johnson
Poor Acton died Oh the way to-
Bir minghan and johnson died
soon after reaching that city at
Copeland s infiFmar'y. The 9th
er bodies remained in the wreck
and fire until Thursday before it
was possible to recover them. A
pathetic incident is related of
one of the negro firemen who
was victim of the wreck. He
was pinioned between an engine
and tender,e his limbs being
caught He begged piteously to
be released from his perilous po-
sition as the flames crept nearer
him but those near were power
less to render him assistance. 4
AS the fire came nearer he at
tempted to smother and beat it
back with the oats piled around
him, but in vain, and finally he
succumbed. 6e3d5 ffe0
All of the men killed were
from Birmingham except Mr..
Otto Wood. of this city. Mr., ]
Wood had recently been pfomot-
ed to a main line run from this
city and he was learning the
road firing while engaged in this
taskNin order to make as much
wages as possible. All OF the
bodies OF the victims were car
ried to Birmingham except Mr.. I
Woods body, and escorted by a
number of fremen and other
railroad men it reached this city
Friday morning.
Otto Wood was one of the best
known and most esteemed of the
Southern employees in this
city. For several. years past he
I had been ia the yard at this
point in charge Of the switch en-
gine and his efficiency as an engi
neer had won for him a promo
ton to a regular run and he was
engaged IN preparing himself for
this position when he met his
death. His ,untimely demise is
peculiarly distressing. He leaves
a Young wife, whose grief aud
sorrow IS .incons0lable, a father
and mother and four brothers
and one sister, besides hosts of
friends who mourn his death.
The funeral was held Friday
morning from the residence the
services being conducted by Rev.
IT. w. Lewis assisted by Rev. J.
| B. Randolph. Both of these
gentlemen paid the deceased man
beautiful tributes. The floral Of
ferings we're exceedingly hand
some, one from Tombigbee
Hodge, No. 426, Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Firemen, being es-I
pecially beautiful. The follow
T ing members of the order acted
as pail bearers Messrs. B. B.
Gray. Il II. Power. O. L. Reeves.
t4Y3If aNJssx5 TlIf,lT<s sAIhxa0dafsg and