The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-08-16
.,crVEER ADAMS MANGLED TO
cath AND FIREMAN DIXON
RECEIVED FATAL INJURY.
RAD WRECK ON THE CENTRAL

,4rg Train Plunged Into an Open
switch. and Heroic Action of Engi-
,oar Saved Lives of Many Passen-
cors. Several Dawsonians Being
Among Them.
Central passenger train No. IL
am Macon to Montgomery and due
arrive in Dawson at 6:45 a. m.
nj with a disastrous wreck Satur-
.,r morning about one mile this side
Americus. and at a point where a
az siding had been put in at a fer
&tizer factory.
The train. which was thirty min
.,os late and running at high rate
speed. turned over at the switch,
rbicb apparently was open. Engi-
COR Edward F. Adams of Macon was
nripd beneath the tender Of the
ngine and mangled beyond recog-
bition. Death was instantaneous.
fireman Douglass Dixon, who was
-iding extra, received fatal injuries.
/ The regular fireman, a negro, was
.lninjured.
The engine left the rails, turning
Over on it's side, and plowed it's
Eav through the sand at the side of
\ he track for fully a cars length be-
ore it stopped, a worthless mass of
ent rods and twisted steel. The
ender followed, and piled itself In
kerted on top Of the cab. Engineer
adams and Fireman Dixon, the latter
hot in service at the time, but riding
bn the engine "deadheaded," were
buried under the load of coal and the
sebris of the cab and tender. En-
kneer Adams threw on the emer-
ency brakes just as the engine left
i he rails, and thus saved the passen-
hers. The mail car was thrown by
lie impact a considerable distance in
fOnt of the engine.
! When the first rescue party arriv-
ID nothing but the feet of the I'M
Fortunate engine driver was visible.
be had to be dug from out the ruins.
Fireman Dixon was caught in the
Freck of the cab also. He was not
Head at the time he was taken from
be wreck, but his neck was broken
ld he died shortly afterward.
The third occupant of the engine
FaS the negro fireman, NJ. Dewberry,
pho was at work with the shovel
Then the engine left the rails. He
lsO was buried under the coal, but
damaged to wriggle his way out to
be air before he was suffocated. He
TaS unhurt
The mail car added to the con-
uSiOn and horror of the scene by pill
lg on top of the tender, Mail Clerk
#eckman being slightly hurt in the
hakeup.
The next two cars of the train, the
Raggage car and secOnd-class coach,
FeTe also derailed, but they remained
an upright position, and the worst
lurt that any of the passengers re-
Reyed was a bad scare.
The shock of the wreck when the
fagne struck the switch was felt by
RI OF the passengers, among whom
were a dozen or so Dawsonians, and
many OF them were severely bruised
.Pnd shaken, but none were seriously
83luFed. The impact was so sudden
aat backs of seats were torn from
s1er tastenings and all the water
EgOIerS were thrown from their
places
The wreck is one of the most dis
ES1ous and complete ever occurring
ynIS Vicinity, and it is surprising
railroad officials that the list of
'S ID, did not reach higher.
Inc railroad officials are convinced
lat the disaster was the work of
lam Wreckers, it being the second
Tempt within eight days to wreck
central passenger train. The whole
iau OF the criminals, they say, was
.oIuly TO be seen when the wrecking
~" got to the scene after the acct
SIl Not only was the throw-rod
!ls beside the track disconnected
8Um lhe base Of the switch, but even
D' coJter pin and bolts, which had