The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-11-30
FIERCE TRAIN WRECK |
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entire party, as far as Is known, were
sleeping when the collision occurred
and the probabilities are that I'LL OF
them excepting Dispatcher Davis
were killed instantly 1t is certain
that life was eXtant before the flames
touched them.
President Spencer's body was burn
ed almost beyond recognition, as was
that OF Fisher. The body OF Schuyler
was taken from under the train before
it was burned very much, having
been singed only slightly.
President Spencer's car was attach
ed to the rear of the Jacksonville train
when struck. President Spencer was
lying directly under the big locomo.
tive of the rear train. So great was
the force Of the impact that the for
ward train was sent at least $50 feet
ahead. the locomotive going over and
upon the body Of Spencer. Until after
the debris burned itself out and the
engine cooled of the bodies could not
be removed.
Miraculous Escape.
The impact drove the combination
car forward and the express car lifted
up together with its trucks and the
crushed car 10 feet. leaving the re-
mainder Of the car strewn with tons
of baggage and colored passengers,
who were pushed back like rats as the
express car crushed the combination
car. The combination car did not
leave the track and in clearing the
track, the express car was hauled to
q siding. mile distant, on top and in
the debris of the combination car.
How the negro passengers in this COM
partment. which is known as the Jim
Grow" part of the train. escaped being
killed is beyond explanation.
The wreck occurred on the crest of
4 steep grade, when the Atlanta train
could not have been running more
than 80 miles an hour, If that fast
Had it been mile or two further
south the number of dead might have
been frightful as the train was about
two hours behind its schedule. The
condition OF the grade there would
have meant speed of more than
60 miles an hour. 1t was reported ut
first that Engineer Kinney, of Spencer.
y. c., who was in charge Of the engine
Of the Atlanta train, was killed, but
this proved to be incorrect. Kinney
suffered only few slight bruises and
cuts.
Heroic Rescue Work.
President Spencer's car was at the
rear. The sleeper in front of Mr..
Speneer's car was wrecked but not
burned. The regular day coach and
a forward Pullman were practically
uninjured, but the combination coach
second from the engine was crushed
and it was in this car that all the ne
groes among the wounded were hurt.
They were unable to escape from the
baggage hurled on them and many
would have died but for the rescue
work in which F. n. Curtis Of James,
town. n. Y, a passenger on the jack
sonrille train took conspicuous part.
Ghoals at Work.
Several cases were reported in
which persons ransacked the wrecked
cars for plumber. Some of the pas
sengers are reported to have partici-
patei in this, and a large amount of
money and valuab1es scattered about
the debris was taken. Curtis says he
saw porter go through a woman's
grip and throw away things Of no
value to him and appropriate those
things that he wanted. Curtis de-
clared he would have killed the porter
i! he had anything to do it with.
At 1880 O'Clock tonight it was as
certained from a reliable source that
ID. ]. Maddux. operator at Rangoon,
who was on duty at the time of the
accident, has disappeared and he can
not be found, although railway off,
Gals have made an effort to locate
him.
Superintendent Of Transportation
Taylor said today that all the efforts
OF the company SO far to locate the
operator Mattox, who was operating
the block signal tower at the entrance
of the block in which the accident
occurred, had failed. Mattox is a
native of Sandy Level, Va, and had
been in the employ Of the company for
three years.