The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-02-23
FLORIDA EXPRESS
RUNS INTO SWITCH

EfeW OF the Atlantic Coast Line Rail-
way at Clopton. a station a short dis
tance from Richmond. resulted in the
wreck OF the northbOund Florida Eek
press train at 5:15 O'Clock this morn
ing and the demolition OF several load
ed box cars standing on the side track
into which the heavy passenger train
plunged.
The passenger train, in charge OF
Conductor J.. w. Gotten, OF Peters
burg. and Engineer Frank Philips, OF
this city. was running on schedule
time and at a speed OF some thirty
or forty miles an hour. At the Clop-
ton tank a string OF box cars loaded
with tobacco had been switched TO q
siding to allow the Florida train 20
pass on the main track.
Through oversight. however. the
yard crew had neglected 10 throw the
switch back in position, and when the
passenger train arrived, instead of
taking the main track. IL was turned
into the siding. This siding is about
100 yards long. and the engineer had
time to cut his speed in half before
his engine struck the box cars.
But even at the diminished speed
the impact was sufficient to complete
~ wreck two of the cars. damage the
engine considerably. hurt two men
and give the passengers a severe shak-
ting up. One OF the injured men, the
fireman. Walter McDougal, colored.
was caught between the engine and
the tender and both legs were crush
ed He was sent Immediately 70 the
Memorial Hospital. Mail Clerk A.
d HUMPHREYS. of Fayetteville, was
slightly bruised and one of his hands
was cut
The through train consisted of the
engine and tender. mail car, an &C
cOmmodation car, a regular passenger
coach and six sleepers, Another loco
motive was Immediately provided. and
with. the exception OF the mail car.
the train was pulled out, brought 10
Richmond and sent on its way. The
mail was transferred to another car
and left Richmond a few minutes
later.
AS soon as the passengers and mail
had been gotten under way wreck
Ing crew was sent to Ciopton to clear
the tracks. The main line is open.
and consequently no traffic will be
delayed. even II the siding is closed
to use AS matter Of fact. however.
the siding will be cleared this after
noon and reopened as if no wreck had
taken place.
AS the express was travelling at a
good rate OF speed when it entered
the open siding. much Of the track
was torn up and. had the passenger
train not struck the line of box cars
It II believed that il would have been
derailed and part OF IL possibly over
turned In this latter instance the re-
suitant damage, both 60 the trains
crew, it's passengers and property
The scene OF the wreck is about 200
yards from the station at Clopton. and
q bend in the track exists between the
spot where the smash-up took place
and the depot.
The front OF the engine was de-
moiished. as was the front end OF the
mail car, which was partly telescoped
by the tender Two OF a half dozen
or moro loaded box cars which were
or the siding were telescoped. one Of
which was reduced TO splinters. Leaf
tobacco in hOgsheads. which formed
the contents Of the wrecked box cars.
was scattered distance of a hundred
yards or more.
-Four OF the box cars were driven
ny the force OF the compact a hun
dred yards or more up the track. and
1has. too. in spite OF the fact that the
wheels OF one Of the cars were thrown
entirely free OF the rails and was
dragged along on the ties
That fatalities did not result is con-
stdered little short OF miraculous. Es-
peciaily is this true as regards the
partial telescoping of the mail car.
cab OF the engine was reduced to a
mass of twisted steel and iron. the
woodwork being ground almost TO a
pulp.
Although a wrecking. crew quickly
obtained order out of chaos. much Of
the wreckage yet strews the tracks
Tor zoo yards or more. The main line
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ers walked to the scene OF the wreck
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was quickly opened, traffic by this
IL AK Viewed it.
~ Thu engineer prevented a proha-
BILE loAs of life by heroically sticking
to his throttle, succeeding in mate
rally reducing the speed at which the
train was going at the time il entered
the switch by throwing open the
emergency brakes. The shock awak-
ened sleeping passengers and created
terror among them, which was not
abated until il was known that all
dang, Iwas over.
NJ 4 Clerk T9umphries was injured
abO' both legs and about the body.
He fas, however. able TO return TO
his duties. Fireman McDougal. who
was the more seriously injured of the
trains crefv. is opposed to have been
caught between the tender Ind boiler
head OF the engine when they were
forced together by the impact.
Conductor Cotton Immediately took
charge of the situation. and, after al
laying the fears Of the passengers, no
titled Train Dispatcher c. r. Grigg
who. in turn. notified Chief Dispatch
er A. "A. Mckay.
lie daWRgs to the engine was con-
49, <'I 9,sse2l as damage to the
T-ome 80 $500. "a IN the wrecked
mOnd. There S@fscS Scs--Asls1 q l Iii err
r. and SchISioer was intrOduccsSEs
- sarfe,n LOUISE N2o
me sene of this N0ss.
The escape of foASSS-.T IfsAe@l--ks.
cred miraculous. They wer5 in the
forward end OF the mail car, which
was completely wrecked. and We're
thrown ia a heap 10 the opposite end
by the impact With the exception of
HUMPHREYS, all escaped injury. They
were Reams Alley and Hunt, Of
Washington, and SmCot. of Bowling