The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1906-12-05


Southern Railway Company and rec
ognized as one of the foremost men
in the development of the southern
states. was killed at $50 O'Clock
Thursday morning in rear-end col
lision. in which two fast south-bound
passenger trains came together, ten
miles south of Lynchburg, Va. In
the same wreck three of his guests
were killed. Only Mr.. Spencer's pri-
yate secretary, E. A. Merrill, of New
York city, and one of the three port
ers survived the accident.
Killed in Their Sleep.
President Spencer and his entire
marty. as far as is known, were sleep
ing when the collision happened, and
the probabilities are that all of them
excepting Telegraph Operator Davis
were killed instantly. 1t is certain
that life was extinct before the
flames touched them. President
Spencer's body was burned almost be-
yond recognition, as was that of Mr..
Fisher. The body of Mr.. Schuyler
was taken from under the train be-
fore it was burned very much, hav-
ing been singed only slightly.
President Spencer's car was at
tached to the rear of the Jackson
Vile, Fla, train, which was stand
ing still when struck.
President Spencer was lying direct
ly under the big locomotive of the
rear train. So great was the force
of the impact that the forward train
was sent at least $50 feet ahead,
the locomotive going over and upon
the body of Mr.. Spencer. Until after
the debris burned itself out and the
engine cooled off the bodies could
not be removed.
The impact drove the combination
car forward and the express car lift
ed up, together with it's trucks, and
crushed the car forty feet, leaving
the remainder of the car strewn with
tons of baggage and negro passen-
gers, who were pushed back like rats
as the express car crushed into the
combination car. The combination
car did not leave the track, and in
clearing the tract the express car
was hauled to a siding mile dis
tant on top and in the debris of the
combination car. How the negro
passengers in the compartment,
which is known as the Jim Crow
part of the train, escaped, none of
them being killed, is beyond expla~
nation.
Wreck Occurred on Crest.
The wreck occurred on the crest
of a steep grade when the Atlanta
train could not have been running
more than thirty miles an hour. Had
it been a mile or two further south
the number of dead must have been
frightful, as the train was about two
hours behind it's schedule, a condition
in the grade there that would have
meant a speed of more than sixty
miles an hour.
Touching Death.
Telegraph Operator Davis was
alive when he was taken from under
the wreckage. He was crushed
about the lower portion of the body
and was conscious to the end. He
asked that word be sent to his wife
and children. The death of Mr..
Davis was touching. He stated to
his rescuer that he knew he was dy-
ing and knew that the end could not
be far off place your finger on
my mouth he said ut feels SO
cool and good"
He pleaded with the gentleman,
who was also a passenger on the
train, not to leave him, and for ten
minutes the man stayed with him
until he saw nothing could be done
for him.
Operator at Fault.
1t is stated that the operator at
Rangoon was at fault. 1t is posi-
BILE that a railway investigation may
develop that the Rangoon operator
let the Atlanta train into the block