The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-06
PILED IN A WRECK
BY BROKEN WHEEL
Ten Cars are TeIescoped
In a Cut.
SEVEN MORE DERAILED
Two Tramps Thrown Thirty Feet Into
a Field, are Able to Walk to
Greensboro Two Miles Dis
tant. Southern Officials
at the Scene.
Especial to News and observer.)

Greensboro, N. c., Jan. 5.-All through
trains going north have been held up
here since two O'Clock, in consequence of
the obstruction of the track two miles
north of this city.
While local freight, going south. was
making fifty miles an hour to clear the
track for No. 80 for Danville. witch was
an hour late the forward right wheel of
the box car next to the tender broke. and
eleven box cars were telescoped and piled
in ten foot cut. the seven cars in the
rear Of these leaving the track, but not
being broken up.
The tender was twisted from the track
and bumped on the cross-ties fifty yards.
falling on the side of slight fill beyond
the cut. The engine was derailed. and it
was five O'Clock before they could be
moved off.
By this time two wreck trains, one
from Spencer. on the South and one from
Monroe, Va. on the North side, had ar
rived and at once began hosting cars
out of the cut The car with a broken
wheel was at right angles across the
track exactly fitting the width Of the
between it and one side of the cut. while
No duplicated No. is position. Nos
and were smashed and twisted into
kindling wood. while the next three
followed the strange positions of the first
three, except they lay obhquely instead
of at right angles.
There were three cars more lying in all
sorts of confusion. the end of one resting
Rx,r, ho RI, adC ~ ha han n
over the cut, another being half full of
red clay. ploughed from the side of the
cut Derailed, but standing, were seven
cars, including the caboose in the rear.
Seventy-ive yards of track were COM
pletely torn up. Many cars were empty,
others being loaded with cotton. lime and
that class Of freight. No material dam
age resulted to merchandise.
The only personal injuries was the
throwing of two tramps who were asleep
in an open coal car. thirty feet into a
field, without damaging them too much
to walk to the city. There they spread
the report that two companions on anoth-
er car we're buried IN the debris.
The wreck was within a hundred yards
of the street car line between Revolution
and White Oak Mills. and this added to
other excitement, carried loaded cars Of
sight seers out of the city to the scene.
No dead tramps have been found. Officials
announce that the track will be clear by
12 o'clock No trains from the North can
get in. and both 80 and SO. bound for
Richmond and Washington by being late,
got held up in Greensboro. No. So from
New Orleans to Washington, being SIX
hours late on arrival The hotels are full
of passengers. A train was made uD here
at $50 o'clock for Salisbury and Char
lotte, taking passengers from Winston,
Durham. Raleigh, etc.
No. 81, special fast mail going south,
is held up a mile from the wreck waiting
for the track to be cleared. the mail
clerks being transferred to the city on the
street cars, new crew are going out and
beginning work at the usual hour.
Duggan was the conductor and Holton
the engineer of the train. Distinguished
officials of the Southern at the scene of
the wreck giving active aid were General
Superintendent c. S. McManus. Division
superintendent E. H. Coapman, Master
of Tracks and Roadway H. L. Fry. Master
Mechanic Charles P. Lea. Assistant Divf-
sion Superintendent j. S. Lake.
There is considerable comment on the
fact that No. from Danville, which
came in ten minutes ahead Of the wreck,
passed over the track at the cut very
cautiously Section hands were working
at the spot. and it is said had not fasten-
ed the rails sufficiently to sustain the
fast speed the freight was making One
brokeL rail was lying in d lald opposite
where first car telescoped. but the bro
ken wheel on the car examined by the
correspondent would decidedly account
for the accident without fault to any
of either crew.