The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-09-27
SCORES KILLED In WRECK
Two Passenger Trains on the
Southern Railroad Collide.
OVER ONE HUNDRED INJURED

Day and Pullman Cars Are TeIescoped
Near Hodges, Tenn.-- Wife Of Governor
Frazier Does Gallant Work of Rescue
= Engine Driver Said to Have Dis
obeyed His Orders.
Knoxville, Tenn. Running on a road
bed in supposedly high condition OF
maintenance, and having about them
every safeguard known to modern
railroading, two trains on the Southern
Railway, carrying many passengers,
came together in a frightful head-end
collision near Hodges, Tenn, sending
over two score of people to death and
injuring over 100.
The trains were an eastbound
through passenger train from Chat
tanooga to Salisbury, N. c., leaving
Knoxville at twenty-five minutes to 8
a. M, and westbound local passenger
train from Bristol to Knoxville, due to
arrive here at Ii a. N.
The wreck was due to failure of the
crew of the westbound train to carry
out its order to meet the eaStbound
passengers at Hodges Station. Instead
of taking the siding at Hodges it pro-
ceeded toward Knoxville.
Both trains were running on time
and at a speed Of about thirty miles
an hour. The locomotives were de-
molished and the major portion of each
train was completely wrecked, with
the exception of the sleeping cars,
none of which left the track The
wrecked day cars were filed with dead
and injured and the rescue work was
accomplished with great difficulty,
A wrecking and special relief train
left this city as soon as possible after
the news of the disaster had been re-
cefved here.
Hundreds were attracted from
Hodges Station, Newmarket and the
many farmhouseS in the vicinity of
the wreck. The people thereabouts
rendered every possible assistance.
The dead and injured were placed
on the special train and brought to
Knoxville. Five of the injured died
while on the way to this city. Some
were taken to the Knoxville General
Hospital and others to their homes
or the homes of friends. A local
undertaken had $50 cots in readiness
at the MunsOn street crossing, where
the dead and injured were removed
from the train.
Two day ears were crushed on the
eastbound train between the baggage
car and the slepeers. In one coach only
one person escaped with his life. The
persons not injured, and the relief
corps from Newmarket worked man
fully, rescuing injured, waiting upon
them, carrying water and placing pill
lows under their heads.
The appalling loss Of life resulted
apparently from the disregarding Of
orders given to the two trains to meet
at a station which has for long time
been their regular meeting point The
accident happened in broad daylight,
and, according to the best information
obtainable, the engine driver of the
westbound train had the order in a
little frame in front Of him as his
engine rushed by the station.
Among the passengers in one of the
sleeping cars on the eastbound train
was Mrs. J. b. Frazier, wife Of the
Governor of Tennessee With her
daughter, she was on her way to New
York City. Neither Mrs. Frazier nor
her daughter was hurt, and both rem.
dered noble service in ministering to
the injured, even to the extent Of res
cuing MANNED and dead bodies from
beneath the wreckage and then binding
up wounds and otherwise giving wom-
anly service.