The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-22

One engine collided with two trains
on the Seaboard Air Line yesterday
afternoon within a few minutes and
the two trains were several miles dis
tant.
AS a result Of one of the accidents
10. Griffin, a coIored fireman, was in
stantly killed and Engineer Clarence
Mayhem was slightly injured.
The collisions were Of a very pecu-
liar nature and men who have been
raiIroading for years were heard to
say yesterday that they had
now of a similar occurrence. The
first collision occurred e Hilton
and the second one in the yard be-
tween the water tank and the she'd.
The engine which caused all h o
bic belonged to a work train. Yester-
day afternoon the work train was left
at CrOnly and the engine brought into
Wilmington to get water and also to
be turned around. The engine had
been reversed and started for Cronly.
When just beyond the city limits and
on the curve this side of Hilton, En-
gineer j.. w. Hughes saw a string of
freight cars coming around the curve.
The cars were only a few yards away
and the engineer on the work train
engine at once reversed his engine
n made an attempt to stop it. When
he went to close the throttle it refus-
ed to work and with only a moment to
decide, the engineer knew there was
nothing left for him to do but to
m Engineer Hughes and his col
Dred fireman, Brooks Baker, both
jumped at the same time. Engineer
Hughes landed in a pond of water by
the track. Engineer Christian, who
was on the shifting engine which was
pushing the string of cars, had near
iy stopped his train before the COLI
sion occurred. With the reduced
speed of the shifting engine and the
other engine reversed, the collision
was only a slight one. The pilot of
the engine was badly smashed, but
the cars were uninjured. No sooner
had the loose eng'ne struck the cars
than it started back. acting accord
ing to the reverse. The distance from
where the first accident occurred n
the Seaboard station is about two
miles and the entire distance coming
in the direction of Wilmington is
down grade.
The throttle of the loose engine was
Wlue open anu IulS, lOSCGlSI Will Tie
track being down grade, caused the
engine to gain a terrific speed. Faster
and faster the engine dashed
down the track and those who saw it
say that it was running at the rate of
at least fifty miles per hour when it
dashed in view of the passenger sta
ton.
Second Collision.
Standing on III track a few yards
Senger engine which was to carry out
the westbound passenger train. Sit
ting in the cab eatin~ his dinner was
Engineer Clarence Mayhem and stand
ing by him was a small colored boy
who had brought the dinner. Lying
under the engine cleaning out the ash
pan was Joe Griffin. faithfully doing
his work and oblivious to the doom
that awaited him.. With an awful
crash the flying engine dashed into
the passenger engine. There was a
grinding noise as the wood and iron
was crushed and then the escaping of
steam. This collision occurred at
2:25.
Care of the Injured.
Some by-standers quickly rushed to
the engines. Engineer Mayhem was
lying in his a stunned Under the
engine was the HfeleSS BODY OF the ne
gro. He had two holes knocked in
one side of his head and his neck was
broken. The negro was carried to the
freight depot and placed upon the
platform. Engineer Mayhem was also
carried to the station and medical aid
summoned. DR.. w. J. H. Bellamy
soon arrived and attended the IN
gineer's injuries. An emergency call
was ent Il the James Walker Me-
mortal Hospital and the injured en-
gineer was shortly afterwards carried
there.
The negro fireman lived in "Dross
Neck" and he leaves a wife. He was
about 35 years of age.
Engineer M~aglenn's family live in
Raleigh. He was reported to be rest
ing easily last night and it is not
thought that his injuries will prove
serious.
The name of the boy. who was on
the engine with Engineer Maglenn
could not be learned. He had his
right leg broken. An eye witness tc
the occurrence said when the engines
met the negro was thrown on the
o car in the rear of the engine.
Amount of Damage.
Both engines were badly damag-
ed. but No. 205, the runaway engine
was broken I'D the worst. The cal
was badly damaged, h tender crush.
ed and the engine was injured in Other
ways. Although the passenger en-
CINE, No. $50, did not appear to bt
seriously injured. it was really dam
aged more than No. 2e5. The boilel
head was broken and the tender dam,
aged, but the most serious injury wa:
that done to the trucks under the en-
CINE. These were bent to such an ex
tent that the engine cannot be carried
away for repairs until new trucks ar
placed under it.
The passenger engine had just push