The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-01-26
Engineer A. j. Mealka Stuck to
His Post and Died.
Two Colored Brakcmen Hurt and
Several Cars Of Merchandise
in Accident.
ONE CREW FORGOT IT'S ORDERS.

death of Engineer A. J. Mealka, of
Paducah, the injury of several 9th
ers and the destruction of much
property, occurred about 1880
o'clock this morning on the Illinois
Central, near Brush Creek Bridge,
mile south of Wingo, Ky, and 35
miles below Paducah.
The wreck was caused by one train
crew overlooking a meeting point
and both heavy freight trains, run
ming at about forty miles an hour,
came together with such force as to
lock both engines and force them
into an upright position, and wreck
many cars in the train, completely
blocking the main line for many
hours.
The trains were manifest freigbts,
No. 1852. first section, north bound.
engine No. SIG, Engineer A. ]. Meal
ka, Fireman A. Seary and Conductor
William Finch, all of Paducah, and
the second section of No. Isl, south
bound, Engine No. GA, Engineer G.
E. Tapscott, Fireman A. Z. Arnold
and Conductor j. o. Swink, all of
Paducah.
No. 151 had orders to meet the
first section of No. 1852 at Wingo,
and Engineer Tapscott and Conduc-
tor Swink, according to officials,
overlooked the orders and ran past
the station, meeting the unsuspect-
ing 151 at the rate of about 35 or 40
miles an hour. The Isl was not run
ming SO fast, because it was nearing
the meeting point.
Engineer Mealka saw the impend-
ing danger and did all he could to
avert the wreck remaining on his
engine and meeting death as the
brave man he was. He was caught
in the debris and evidently died in
stantly. His left arm was cut of near
the shoulder and both legs we're bad
ly mangled. He was taken from the
debris smooty and begrimed with
coal dust and dirt, hardly recogniza-
BILE. The remains were brought to the
city shortly before IL O'Clock and
taken TO the Nance & Pool undertake
ing shop, where they will be held to
await word from relatives in Illi-
nois.
Engineer Tapscott and his crew
saw the danger in time TO jump and
escaped with few bruises, but VIII
shelton, and Jim Strickland, colored
orakemen of the city, who were on
1852, did not see the danger and
we're caught in the wreck and injur-
ID. Shelton was cut and bruised
about the body and Strickland got
lis back bruised and severely
sprained.
Five cars of the first 1862 were de-
rallied and torn up and four cars of
he 151 badly wrecked and deralled.
The trains were loaded with lum-
Der, general merchandise, and emp
lies, and the track was torn up for
some distance.
The Fulton wrecking crew was
ralled out to work the wreck and at
ler many hours hard work succeed
I'd In clearing the track about 10
o'clock at noon.
Engineer A. G. Mealka was a pop
liar young engineer, SO years of
lge, who had been running as en-
sineman for three years. He was
born in sydney. ne. but had been
living in Paducah six years, coming
o Paducah from Danville. III. He
lived at sos South Ninth street and
his wife knew nothing OF his death
Until this morning about daybreak
when a messenger Informed her OF
,he sad affair, She bore up under It
very brayely.
Mealka leaves a wife and three
'hildren here; a mother, Mrs. Louise
healka, in sydney, H., and four sis
ers, The remains are being held UNI
II the relatives can arrive here, and
viii then probably be taken to sgd
hey for interment,
This is the first serious accident
he |, C, has had for many months,
md il would have been avoided had
he road between Padueah and
Memphis had block signals, The
louisville and Tennessee divisions,
kept the Fulton district, are sup
'lied with blocks and the company is
IT present preparing to put them in