The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-02-26
STRUCK BY FAST
RUNNING TRAIN.
Miraculous Escape From Death oil
Rural Mail Carrier John r..
H0Icomb.
Run Down While Trying to Gross
Railroad Track at Columbia
Arsenal and His Buggy
Demolished.

John X. Holcomb, Rural Carrier O
Route No. 2, leading out from Colun
bia. had a miraculous escape from deaf
early last Friday at the railroad eros,
ing at the Columbia Arsenal. Will
crossing the railroad track at this plac
in bis mail buggy, his vehicle was struc
by an extra passenger train, a section o
through train No. 4, passing Columbi
at 1;50 a. m. and he was knocked about
fifteen feet and his vehicle completed
demolished. 1t was a miracle that b.
was not instantly killed, but one bruis
on his left hip seems to be the exten
OF bis injury, and he will probably be
able to be at work in day or 80.
How 1t Happened.
That he was not killed seems TO hav,
been no fault of the Railroad Company
however, for according to the evidenc,
of eye witnesses to the accident, the
engineer did not blow his whistle IN.
Til he was within few feet of the car
rier, and the train was running at higf
rate of speed.
route for his usual daily trip and arriv
ing at the Arsenal crossing had started
to drive across the railroad to make
his first stop-the Arsenal. 1t wal
about 7:20 O'Clock, an hour after the
northbouDd accommodation had passed,
and no train was due at that point at
that hour. He started across the track,
and the forewheeIs OF his vehicle had
just cleared same. leaving the rear wheels
about IN the center OF the track, when
the extra, without any warning, dashed
upon him. 1t struck the rear wheels
full in the center, knocking Mr.. Hol-
comb out and throwing him a distance
of about fifteen feet. The buggy was
completely demolished. 1t was cut in
two, and the shafts hurled against
post of side fence near by, distance
of about twenty five feet. The horse
was uninjured, but cut loose from the
buggy, .and ran off out the Hampshire
pike. Mr.. Holcomb was stunned con-
siderably, and for few moments did
not know what struck him.
Three soldiers at the Arsenal guard
house, just inside the Arsenal entrance,
and but few feet away from where the
accident occurred, were witnesses to
the accident. Sergeant j. ii. Hill, who
was 10 charge of the guard, rushed out
and lifted the Carrier up, and Privates
oalvito and Turner, who we're on duty as
guards, carried him into the guard
house. DIR. j. H. Mccall, the Arsenal
ply stefan, who had been called to the
Arsenal Hospital to attend sick SOL
lier. was summoned, and ministered to
he injured man. DR.. Robt. Pillow. the
q ~ physician at this place, was
o. 10 49,.
d man, but found that his injuries were
rery slight. bruise on his left hip being
heir extent. Mr.. Holcomb was later
emoved to his home in West End.
Didn't GIVE Warning Signal Until too
Late.
According to the statements of Sar
cant Hill ana Prlvates SaIvito and
turner, tine train gave no warning,
y means of q whistle or otherwise
NTH within few feet of tine crossing
until in fact 1T was right upon the
ehIcle. About thirty steps south of
be crossing going toward tine Colum
Ia station Ia d small passenger station
uilt for the convenience OF persons
oarding trains at the Arsenal cross
~. The accom- modstIon trains g-ner-
lily stop there for a considerable num-
Or of passengers get on and off the
aims at that place. This STATION Is |
cafed right by the side of the railroad !
ack, and completely opstructs the {
lew of the track LOOKING toward the
Dlumbia station, of persons crossing j
10 track at this place. IL Is utterly a
npoesi pie to see down the track from '
e pike. Likewise. ii IS Impossible G
r an engineer to see vehicle that IS
,out to cross the track. for the reason q
at the station alluded to completely 3
structs his view of that side of the
re. The engineer OF the train which 7
ruck Mr.. HoIcoinb did not blow his p
histle until ne had passed the station
Id was about half way between 1t c
d rhe crossing, not over twenty five .
st. Then, seeirg a vehicle on the q
lex, he blew hts whistle. 1t was {
en-. of course. too late, for the b
hIcle had been smashed into before u
. whistle had stopped blowing, The Q
in stopped when Mr.. Holcomb was te
uck, and backed tn the scene Of the u
,ident. The conductor, accompanied D.
quite crowd OF passengers from "
, train went up to see II the man pI
g killed. He took Mr.. HoIcomp's
me. residence, business, etc, and y
IA the train proceeded.
sergeant Hill teiephoned to the post
ce authorities OF the affair, and
ostitute Carrier Tom Wisener was
4 out TO carry the route for the day.
0 mail was scattered all over the -
d, but was picked MP by Sargesut 80
| and taken INTO the guard house a.,
Kept until Mr.. Wisener arrived. 90 -,
"A Dangerous Crossing. 81,
he Arsenal crossiug. or Hampshire Nj
. crossing, (It IL known by both tel
nes) 10 one Of the most perilous wa
sings anywhere. II Is never safe thu
cross. For several years the citi- ed
; living along the Hampshire pike no
. tried 10 get the Railroad Com i'm
y to cut an underpass there, but wi
! have systematically refused to do wa
There Is no watchman, no gates, cul
anything In the way OF safe on
ri TO fhe lives of psople who have en'
ross the track. The clrIzens have re
red, they have entrested. they have OF