The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-11-30
Disaster Occurred Early Thursday Morning,
Few Miles South Of LynChburg.

express car was hauled to siding a
mile distant, on top and in the debris
Of the combination car. How the col
Ored passengers II this compartment,
which is known a5 the Jim Crow
part Of the train, zone Of them being
killed, is beyond explanation.
The wreck occurred on the crest Of
d steep grade, when the atlanta train
could not have been running more
than thirty miles an Hour, if as fast.
Had it been a mile or two further
south, the number Of dead might have
been frightful, as the train was about
two hours behind its scheduled time,
condition in the grade there that
would have meant a speed of more
than sixty miles an hour.
1t was reported at first that Engi-
neer Kinney, of Spencer, N. c., who
was in charge of the engine on the
Atlanta train was killed, but this
proved to be incorrect Kinney suf-
fered only a few slight bruises and
cuts, which were dressed and he did
not go to hospital.
Mr.. H. B. Spencer, the sixth vice
president of the Southern railway, was
a passenger on a northbound passen-
ger train from the south, which reach
ed the scene Of the wreck few min
utes after it had occurred. He spent
several hours there until the charred
remains Of his father were taken from
under the locomotive, and then he
came to this city with the remains OF
his father and those OF his party. The
coach containing the corpses were
sidetracked in the yard above the
city. Caskets were procured for them.
These were placed in the private car
Of President Stevens, of the c. & o.,
railway, who was passing through the
city with his family, the car having
been rendered for this use by Presl-
dent Stevens. This car, and the one
containing the remains of the killed,
were attached to a late train going
north, and the remains were trans
fe1'red to the caskets While the tram
was in transit.
Judge John D. Horsely, division
counsel for the company here, and
Assistant General Superintendent =.
II. Coapman, Of Danville, were IN
charge of the remains, Mr.. H. Is.
Spencer having preceded this train On
g srecial made up here in order to
the regular train.
At the CITY hospital tonight all OF
the injured colored persons are re-
ported to be. doing nicely. All are eA-
pected to recover.
County Corner J. W. Davis. at the
request Of the Southern officials, went
this afternoon to the scene OF th9
wreck for the purpose of holding an IN
quest, but he founr the bodies nae
been removed before his arrival. He
returned to his home in the subufos'
and tonight could not say what steps
Will be taken tomorrow.
The Jacksonville express had the
right of way in the block, and the en-
rine left the train and prOceeded t">'
miles, Cne Of which was beyond Law
yers. before the engineer noticed rs
was without his train. 1t may De liiaI
when he passed Lawyers that the ope--
atOr there gave RangOOn a Gear tfach
without noticing whether Or not inc
rear end markers were to be seen De
fore he did so. In the absence OF ah
official statement, excepting that the
operator at Rangoon was at 1ault, thaI
statement is being accepted mere. II
&c nosTble that a railway Investigation
NAV develop that the Rangoon operator
let the Atlanta train into the block on
an order from Lawyers that the nioch
was clear, the operator there tnlnkinS
the trainless engine cleared the olock'
and the rear train was passed hansooh
hefore it could be stopped when the
mistake was discovered.
Should the investigation sho" tnat
the Lawyers operator gave a clear ttach
after the engine passed MS STATION
without noting the rear markeIs' tnen
the cause of the accident was at Law
yers and not at Rangoon. Only an OF
fetal investigation will reveal this.
At 1920 o'clock tonight 1t was as
oor+ aiped from a reliable source tnat
u. J. Maddux, the operator at hansool''
who was ON duty at the time or the ac
cident- has disappeared and he can no'
he found. although railway oncla's
have made an effort to locate h1m-
Disnatcher Davis was alive when ne
was taken from under the wreckage.
He is crushed about the lower portion
of the body and was conscious 10 Tic
| end. He asked that word be sent 10
! his wife and children. Ihe oeath y,
| Mr.. Davis was touching. He stated
| 70 his rescuer that he knew he was
| diving. and knew that the end could
| not be far off Put your finger on
my mouth he said. 'It feels so colo
| and good" He pleaded with the gen.
| tleman. who was also a passenger on
| the train not TO leave him. and Tor ! U
minutes the man stayed with him
until he saw that nothing could be
done for him.
F. NJ. Curtis, of jamestown, ". Y.
| who was q. passenger on the Jackson
| vile train. saw one negro porter go
through q lady's grip. He saw him
! throw away such things as were of
no value TO him and appropriate those
| things that he wanted. Mr.. Curtis de-
| ciared that he would have certainly