Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-01-24
RAILROAD ACCIDENTS.

Special" from Memphis for New Or
leans, which left Memphis at 1925
o'clock yesterday morning, was de-
rallied and wrecked by an open switch
at a lumber compauy's side track in the
southern part of Memphis. Five of the
seven cars were derailcd and overturned
and the locomotive was smashed. Not
single passenger was injured and none
of the train crew was killed outright, al
though the engineer and fireman were
fatally injured and three other members
of the train crew were seriously hurt.
The switch at the siding was opened,
although the switch lamp showed a
clear track. 1t is believed that it was
deliberately opened and the lamp set
with the white light showing for the
purpose of derailing the train. The
engine coliided with "cut" of heavily
loaded box cars on the side track and
the entire forward section of the pas
senger train left the rails. The mail
car was crushed and the combination
buffet and baggage coach was cut square
ly in half. One of the Pullman sleepers
was thrown at right angles to the
track, but remained upright The rear
sleepers did not leave the rails, and the
occupants escaped with slight shaking
up. There were about sixty-fve passen-
gers on the train. The engineer and
fireman were caught in the ruins Of the
engine and were scalded and burned.
Both will die. The train is the fastest
and hands0mest on tie southern lines OF
the Illinois Central. 1t consisted OF
mail coach, combination buffet and bag
gage coach, with two day coaches and
three Pullman sleepers.
The Missouri Pacific passenger train
which left Wichita at $3.50 Thursday
night for Kansas City was wrecked early
yesterday while entering the yards at
Gates Center. The engineer and fire.
man were killed and their bodies buried
under the wrecked engine. A coal train
which had taken the switch was too long
and one car had been left on the main
track.
Two Great Northern freights were in
collision at Des Laces, Ward county, ND.
yesterday Five men were injured, three
seriously. The engine set fire to a large
elevator, which, with seven freight cars,
burned. A snowstorm prevented the
engineer seeing the train ahead.
CANNIBALIsM.-The steamer Mio-
vera, which arrived at Victoria, B. c.
last night, brings news of the murder
of several white men by the natives of
New Guinea. A drought has been ex-
perenced for some time on the island,
and it is thought that as a result of the
shortage of food the natives have
reverted to cannibalism. Murders are
reported from several places. One re-
port tells of the killing Of two European
prospectors, who were eaten by the
blacks, and Dutch constable IS re-
ported to have been kidnapped and
eaten. Several blacks were also MUIR
dered Many of the natives have no
food and are subsisting on roots and
herbs. The bark Inverlochy, bound
from Liverpool for Melbourne, has been
wrecked off the coast of Victoria and is
total loss. Her crew was saved.
The Australian steamer SEWN, bound
from Avo for Port Adelaide with cargo
of sugar, has been lost on a reef in Tor
rens Straits. The crew reached Perth
after being picked up by a coasting yes
sci. One of the boats crew was four
DAYS at sea. J. Clunie Ross, school
teacher, was badly burned, and Mrs.
Newton lost her life at Sydney as result |
of their clothing taking fire while acting
as Mr.. and Mrs. Santa Claus at
Christmas entertainment. Capt. George !
Brown, of the British ship Ainsdale,
committed suicide at Sydney on Decem-
ber 27.