Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-11-09
KILLED IN
v. { AL. { n.
WRECK
Twelve Injured, One Fatally, in
Collision of Freight and Work
Trains Near Gainesville.

Tracks were cleared and traffic re-
sumed on the Western and Atlantic
railroad this morning after the road
had been blocked for fifteen hours by d
wreck that killed eight persons, prob
ably fatally injured one and more or
less seriously hurt eleven others. All
the dead and injured were employees
of the Western and Atlantic and
Louisville and Nashville railroads.
The dead are:
a. b. Baker, Dalton, foreman w. e. A..
work gang.
Ed Blankership, Cass Station, as
sistant foreman ". & A. work gang.
/ Six negro laborers, members of w. &c
A. work gang.
Probably fatally injured:
: A. A. Edison, Kennesaw, L. & n.
fireman.
Others injured:
w. A. CASTOR, Atlanta, W. & A. con-
ductor.
w. G. P. Newman, Dalton. w & A.
engineer.
II. G. Edwards, Atlanta, L. & \. en-
gineer
Ernest .. Head, Tunnel Hill, w. & A.
! fireman.
j. A. Jordan, Atlanta, w. & A flag
man.
-- White, L. & n. brakeman.
| Five negro laborers members Of w.
6, A work gang.
i Seven other laborers escaped injury.
| Wreck Near Acworth.
1 49,
afternoon between Barlow and Ac-
worth, when l.. & n. southbound
! freight train No. 9. coming to Atlanta,
I collided head-on with a w. & A. worl:
train going to Emerson to take a sid
{ ing for the night. The two engines and
several cars were demolished and the
tracks completely blocked.
For fear other victims might be un-
der the wreckage, the wrecking crews
rushed from Atlanta, would not burn
| the wreckage last night, removing II
with derricks. A relief train from Car
tersville was hurried to the scene and
the injured were taken to that city for
medical attention, while the dead were
turned over to undertakers to be pre-
pared for burial
Because Of the wreck it was neces-
sary to detour all w. & A. and l.. &, N.
trains except those of the Blue Ridge
line of the latter road, which leave
the w. & A. at Marietta, south of Ac-
worth. The late afternoon and night
l.. & n. trains to and from Knoxville
and the north were routed over the
Seaboard Air Line between Gainesville
and Atlanta. Those of the W. & A.
to and from Chattanooga and Nash
willie were sent over the Southern
tracks between Atlanta and Dalton.
Victims Caught Unawares.
misunderstanding of train orders is
assigned as the cause of the wreck
The heavy freight train, with a mis-
cellaneous cargo of coal, lumber. mer-
chandise and manufactured products
was bowling along at lively clip when
the string of five fiat cars, pushed by
the light engine of the work train, hove
into sight 1t was too late to avoid a
crash. The freight plowed through the
flats and was derailed when it struck
the work train locomotive.
The work gang foremen and negroes
were riding on the fiat cars. They were
taken completely unawares and those
who did not have the forethought to
jump and save themselves were crushed
to death or injured. The engineers
saved themselves by jumping. Fire
man Edison, however. was caught on
the wrong side and could not save him
self from being crushed.
Fireman Head. though hurt, ran back
two miles to a telegraph office and re-
ported the wreck. Then the relief and
wreck trains were ordered out. Those
on the two trains who were unhurt
and people from the countryside re.
moved some of the injured and dead
from the wreckage before the relief
. train arrived
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