The log cabin Democrat., 1917-02-08
WRECK HERE TIES UP ROAD B HOURS SWITCH TEMPERED WITH Trainmen Miraculously Escape Injury
 in Wreck Which Ditches
 10 Freight Cars.

Two enginemen, the conductor and two brakemen miraculously escaped probable fatal injuries near the Con- way Cotton oil mill half mile north of the passenger station at 7:50 o'clock last night, when the engine and 10 loaded cars on Iron Mountain extra freight, 1915, south bound, ran into "split switch" The train was in charge of Conductor Jim Williams and Engineer Ben Williams.
 Engineer Williams said his train was running about 15 miles an hour, having slowed down to that speed from about 25 miles an hour in order to stop to pick up three cars on a side track here. Brakeman Rainwater, riding in the engine cab, noticed the switch was about half thrown, and attracted the engineers attention. Williams immediately ap- piled the emergency brakes, but too late to prevent a wreck. The train ran about six car lengths after the engine was derailed.
 The engine crashed into the half open swith and was derailed. The following 10 cars were ditched, most of them being overturned.
 The wrecking crew arrived upon the scene about two hours later, and the track was not cleared until 9 o'clock this morning. Traffic was blocked 13 hours.
 Investigation disclosed the fact that the lock on the switch had been unlocked and thrown upon the ground near the swith post. When passen- ger train No. 103, due at Conway at 6:10 p. m., running an hour late, passed the switch, it had not been tempered with, it is believed No clue as to who turned the switch has been found
 The wrecked freight was following the passenger on the block, 40 min utes behind it.
 Conductor Williams was riding on top of the first car from the engine. When the engine was derailed, he re- alized what had happened, he said, and after being almost thrown from the car when it was derailed, he caught hold of the running hoard and held fast. His presence of mind probably prevented his receiving se- rious injury.
 When the engine was derailed the engineer stayed in the cab, but the fireman ran out upon the running board. He did not jump off, how ever. A second brakeman was riding on the pilot, but was unhurt.
 Two years ago Conductor Williams, in charge of freight train, nar- rowly escaped injury when another train crashed into the caboose in which he was riding at the same point last nights catastrophe occurred.
 Passenger train No. 1O6, due at Conway at 9:55 p. m., arrived here about 30 minutes late, and was tied up all night, leaving this morning at 9 o'clock. It was the first train to pass the wreckage.
 Throughout today the wrecking crew has been at work removing the debris, and placing the derailed cars, which had been dumped into the ditch in order to allow the passenger trains to pass, back upon the tracks. It probably will be tomorrow before the wreckage is cleared entirely.
 The noise made by the crashing of cars was heard blocks away, and large crowd assembled afterwards. Throughout the night curious crowds witnessed the work of clearing the tracks.
 George B. Howden, train master, who went to Little Rock last night on train No. 103, came back on No. 1O6 and assisted in experimenting