The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-03

fast passenger train from Chattanooga
Has last night. was wrecked about
three and one-half miles west of Le-
noir City, Tenn. this morning about 2
o'clock. The wreck was caused by the
spreading Of rails. Three deaths are
reported so far, and twenty-five peo-
pie were injured. The dead are:
John Bibb. of Knoxville, engineer.
A. Q. Tucker, Newport. mail clerk.
Alfred Best. Knoxville. colored Dor
ter.
The injured: r. A. Tompkins. express
messenger. Bristol. Tenn. shoulder
and neck bruised: G. M. Betty, Knox
Vile. mail clerk. arm and wrist bruis-
ed w. T. Klutz. Knoxville, baggage
master. back injured; W. S. Overton.
Knoxville, conductor: Thomas Mills,
Knoxville, colored fireman. both legs
broken.
The following passengers were in
jured: ]. T. Falcett, Chattanooga,
Tenn, shoulder bruised and right leg
broken; E. F. Wanison. Rogersville,
Tenn. arm broken and head bruised:
P. H. Guyce, Fletcher, N. c.. back and
shoulder and head injured; Mrs. p. II.
Guyce, Fletcher. N. c.. back and head
injured; w. B. Holt, Lyonadas, Tenn.
chest badly bruised and injured inter
nally: H. o. Toms, Columbus, O..
shoulder and arm injured: Mrs. II. o.
Toms. injured internally; Mrs. NJ. Lee
Rogersville. Tenn. head hurt and in
ternal injuries: two children of Mrs
Lee. one of whom may die: Mrs. Sarah
Emerson. Rogersville, Tenn, spine in
jured, will die: l.. A. Hughes, Lone
Mountain. Tenn; ]. B. Troppolin. New
York, internally injured; ]. A. Kelly.
Alexandria, head hurt; Sam L. Kelly.
Alexandria, Va, head and chest in
jured; F. T. Fisher Knoxville, head
bruised; William Whitehead, Marys-
vile, Tenn, both hands and head in
jured; j. w. Toohey, Greenville, n. c.,
leg broken; r. z. Harsh. Moskogee. 1.
T. hear and right hand injured; H. B
Sargent, New Orleans, slightly injured
The wreck occurred on the tracks OF
the Southern railway. The train plung-
ed down a steep embankment. The To-
comotive went within thirty feet of
the Tennessee river. Four of the
coaches were telescoped and partially
piled upon the engine. Three coaches
were burned outright. The Cincinnati
Southern train, from Chattanooga to
Cincinnati 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 be-
tween Chattanooga and Hartman last
night. This train was awaiting orders
at Loudon, when it was advised Of the
wreck. The engine Of the Cincinnati
Southern train ran up to the scene OF
the wreck and by pulling two of the
rear sleepers back on the track and
away from the wreckage, succeeded in
saving them from destruction by fire.
The wreckIng train, with physicians
and railroad officials left this city i'm
mediately after the wreck was report
ed.
1t is stated that the wreck was caus-
ed by two land slides. In the first, it IL
thought a big boulder came down the
side Of q bluff and fell upon the track
These land slides spread the track and
when the locomotive struck the bould-
! er il was thrown from the ties and
| down the embankment. Several coaches
| followed. The scene Of the wreck fs
! between Loudon ana Lenoir City,
| Tenn, where the railroad parallels the
! Tennessee river for q considerable dig
tance.
The construction Of the road at this
! point was very difficult engineering,
! and 1t is the most unfortunate place for
| 2 wreck.
| Just before Engineer Bibb died. a
physician endeavorcd to have him
| drink a little whiskey. in the hope OF
| extending his life az long as possible.
| The engineer refused II, saying: 4
| have never touched IL, and don't ex-
| pect to begin to drink 1t now" Con-
! tinuing he said: II am going TO die
| so go and look after the women and
| children in the coaches" He expired a
few minutes later.
The Chicago and Florida limited of
the Cincinnati Southern road one o.
the finest trains in the country run
ming from Jacksonville to Chicago.
was but a short tine 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. IN
stead of over it's own line for the rea-
son stated above. Had this train beer
wrecked the loss of life might havs
been very much greater. as 1t Away
carries a long list Of passengers AM
! runs on a very fast schedule.