The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-16

| JdoL NAE n 4A1C N6AO 0C@L
was also badly crushed. The body of
the negro was sent to his home at
| Rocky Mount yesterday. The pass n
/ gers were transferred to another tram
| which reached Wilmington about 1:30
| ID. m. The main OF Mr. Horne wee
| brought to Wilmington On this train
| and were carried to the Undertaking
| establishment OF ]. f. Woolvin and pre-
| pared for burial, being removed to his
| late home, No. 3f2 Red Cross street,
| yesterday afternoon.
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
At first 1t was said that the accident
| was caused by an open switch, but the
| switch does not seem to have really
been open when the engine struck It.
but was either split by the front trucks
| Of the tender Or the trucks suddenly
lurched to one ii and wnet on the
side track. The side track is ON the
right hand side OF the track when COM
ing In the direction of Wilmington and
was built for a saw mill. It is four CT
5 car lengths long. There had been no
cars on the track for some days. The
last train to pas Warsaw was a north
bound through freight in charge of
Conductor A. L. Fennell, and Engineer
w. G. Horne. o Of the dead engineer.
The father and son passed at a sta
ton some distance north of Warsaw
and long before the son had reached
the end of his run he received a. tele-
gram telling OF his fathers death.
The enige Of the passenger train
seems TO have passed safely over the
switch, but when the front trucks of the
tender hit the switch, in some manner
they left the main track. The tender
was, OF course. fastened tightly to the
engine n when IT turned to one side
the engine was hurled from the track
and the momentum caused 1t to go
down the slight embankment and the
mail car to follow. The mail car was
considerably damaged but all the mail
was saved although part Of it was dam
aged The letter case in the end If the
car next to the engine was full of let
tiers and they were thrown into the mud
ana when they we're brought to the
Wilmington p~ostofice they looked like
tthey had been placed in a mud hole ana
stirred around Mr.. Tom Workman, the
baggage master, vas in the mai car.
the first car being a combination mi
ana express. The train was in charge
or Captain Twining, who escaped with
a few bruises.
From the manner in which the acci-
dent occurred it Is almost certain that
the switch was not Del before the en-
glne struck il. It was the kind OF
switch that is worked by a lever and
can be opened only a short distance or
pulled wide. The usual switch cannot
be opened at all unless 1t is thrown
wide open. The damage to the eng;na
and cars is said to be comparatively
small.
On board of the train was a n1rmber
or Wilmington people. but they all es-
capped without injury. They said the
snock was a most W one. 1t s
indeed hat none of the pas
enger were killed. 1t took about sew
en- hours to clear the track and the G
O'Clock train from the north reached
Wilmington about on time. Mr. w NJ
Royal and the officials who accomna-
nled him to the scene OF the wreck re-
turned late yesterday afternoon on a
special train.
a Veteran Engineer.
Iuilford F. Horne was horn IN
Duplin county. near Mt. Olive. in the
year 1S49, and consequently was a
years of age. When a boy ne came
to Wilmington and entered the service
of the Wilmington and Weldon rail-
road and served his time i'm the sno2s.
Later he vent on the road as an en-
gineer. 1t has been thirty-nine years
since Mr.. Horne first entered the en-
ploy of h w. & w. road and for over
thirty years of this time he has been
an engineer.
AS a husband and father Mr.. Horne
was all that both names imply when
used in theiE fullest sense. His home
life was beautiful. When he was not
out on a u he could nearly always
be found at home with his amily.
which was dearer to him thar all
else. Many were heard to remark
yesterday how devoted Mr.. Horne
was to his family, and the happiness
1t gave him to be with them. No
engineer on h Atlantic Coast Lin
was more highly regarded by the Of
ficials than was Guilford Horne.
\ When an engine left with him at the
I throttle it could always be known that
those on the train he was guiding
were as safe as the skill of a third
of a century and absolute fidelity
to duty could give. When the sum-
mons came he was at his post of duty
and his last act was to do all that NOR
man could do to save the lives OF
those entrusted to his care. In every
sphere Of life he did his duty.
The deceased is survived by his
aged mother, who lives at Mt. Olive
and on account of her age she may
not be able to attend the funeral. He
also leaves a wife, son, William
Horne, who is also an engineer. and
three daughters. Mrs. J.. G. Oldham,
of Montgomery, Ala, and Misses
Matte, Lille and Olivia Horne. He
has three brothers, Mr.. Jordan Horne,
of Magnolia, and Messrs. L.. s. and w.
G.. Horne, Of Jacksonville, Fla, and
one sister, Mrs. John McEntee, of
Wilmington.
Mr.. William Horne reached h city
Yesterday afternoon and Mrs. Oldham
is expected tonight. The deeply be-
reaved family have our heartfelt sym
pathy in this hour of sorrow.
:. It had not beer decided last nigh'
: when the funeral would be held.