Smyrna times., 1903-12-09
GREENWOOD SHAKEN FROM
EXPLOSION OF DYNAMITE
TRAIN COLLISION IN BINDING SNOW
STORM THE CAUSE OF GREAT HAVOC.
Two People Were Killed, Hundreds We're
laiured and Not Residence Escaped
FrOm Its Damaging Effect.

dead as a result of the disaster and
nearly hundred are injured. Many
of those are also homeless. Not one
house in the entire town escaped. One
residence was entirely demolished by
fire from the burning oil. A score
were dismantled, toppled over or
burned out. To add to the indie
scribable horror and confusion,
driving snowstorm was raging, wires
were down and the houses which re-
main comfortable are altogether over
crowded. Persons focking in from
neighboring towns in sleighs began
carrying away the unhoused inhabi-
tants or injured ones who had not
been provided for. The list of victims
is as follows: The dead, so far as
known, are: George J. Roach, George
town, brakeman; an infant child, died |
of shock. The most seriously injured |
are: G. J. Hall, engineer, B. w
Sheppard, fireman, John Barker, tow
erman, Horace Lynch, Mrs. W. Nor
ris, Mrs. Edward Jones, Mrs. Cleo
Cox, Mrs. E. K. Tode, DR.. H. c. John
son, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. G. W. Park
er, Mrs. J. N. Boswick, Charles An
drews. Many others suffering from
casualties and shock.
Dynamite and Naphtha Exploded.
In the driving snow early Wednes
day afternoon the brakes refused to
work on a shifting engine and it ran
out on the main track just as a south
bound freight train known as Extra
Engine 5, 100 was passing through the
town at a 2O-mile rate. The crash
stopped the train and set fire flying
from the derailed engine. The fifth
car from the rear of the train was
box car carrying high explosives in
which is supposed to have been large
quantity of dynamite for use in blast
ing. The flying sparks communicated
to the explosives and there was a deaf
ening concussion that instantly filled
the air with flying debris, fire and
smoke.
The burning naphtha and overturned
stoves soon had nine houses and three
of the wrecked cars enveloped In
flames, and the terror stricken in
habitants found themselves turned out
in the merciless storm.
The body of Brakeman Edward j.
Roach was taken from the wreck,
where he had been instantly killed.
Engineer Sheppard and Fireman
Barker had been burned and crushed
and had inhaled hot steam, and while
both may recover they will have a
hard struggle.
Nine Burning at Once.
DIR. Johnson's was the one residence
entirely destroyed by fire. The Green
wood Hotel and other buildings caught
fire, and nine houses were burning at
one time, but heroic work stopped the
spread of flames. The buildings that
were wrecked and suffered injury
were: DIR. II. G. Johnson's home, de-
stroyed by fire, the homes of l..
Owens, Frank Porter, John Wiley
and G. W. zimmerman, the Episcopa
and Methodist churches, the Metho
dist Protestant Church, the Green
wood grammar school, Satterheld'
store, the post-office and the Pennsyl
vanla railroad station were shattered
Minor damage was sustained by near
ly every house in the town.
The financial loss is variously esti
mated at from 800, 900 to 100000. ]
is declared that the railroad compan
will have to stand a hundred damag
suits as a result of the disaster. Be
cause of this many of the railroad me
denied that any collision had cause
the explosion, but declared that tn
naphtha tank had exploded froI
spontaneous combustion while bein
transported by the company.
Hard Fight Against Fire.
A few moments after the explosio
fire broke out in the wreck and
nearby buildings, which had been 81
ablaze by the explosive. The peop
of the town were compelled to go
work vigorously to save the town fro
destruction by fire. BY heroic etfor
the town was saved, but not befo
one dwelling and number OF ou
buildings had been destroyed.
A number of freight cars we
burned, and the flames prevented t
rescue of Brakeman Roach, who W
burned to death. A number OF 9th
members of the crew of the two trelg
trains are reported injured, amol
them Conductor Wall. W. L. Carte
the telegraph operator at the static
is also said to be injured.
Doctors from the neighborlng tow
hurried to the scene, and with tho
from Greenwood, rendered aid to t
sufferers.
In the town many persons we