The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-26

ing, and only this fact prevented shat
might have been . far moro disas-
trous wreck. 80 snpsHetrable wac ths
fog that the sWitchmsn Sho NeTe pilot
inG the trains through the yarda, dla
not see the danger until TOO late,
The big frcight engine eollided with
the tender Of engine No 26S, which was
backing into the yard pillliNA The
coaches coupled TO its pilot.
The five men who were killed were
riding between the niot Of engine No.
26S and the first coach. Carey
SChlInkman, Williams and White were
riding on tho pilot ana were caught
between the pilot and the platform OF
the coach and killed Instantly. baylor
was ridng on the platform OF the coach
and was thrown from It when the EN-
gnes hit and crushed between the plat
form and engine with the other four
receiving injuries from which he died
nthe way to the hospital.
Delay May Be Cause.
The accident Is said to have been
caused by the delay Of Is minutes In
getting engine No, 1857 out of the
roundhouse. Both trains are said to
have had rght-of- way over the track
at the time, as the freight engine at
that time should have been out OF the
yards, leaving the track clear for the
work train.
Engineer Freel is said to have stated
that he did not hear the bell Of the
approaching work train.
The work crew train, commonlS
known as the 'Kloodlum," left the Nc
LemOrc station at $40 am carrying
| the employees at the shops to theil
work, The train consisted of yard en-
gine No. @6S. In charge Of Engineer Ho-
gan, five passenger coaches and HiN
baggage cars equipped with benches for
| seats, Each coach was crowded to ca.
paClty and the men we're oven hanging
| TO the steps Of the coaches and crowd
| ing the platforms
On entering the yard limbts trains are
no longer under the control OF the
train dispatcher but are piloted by th'
| switch crews. The work crew traiI
| had reached the vicinity Of the shops
| In fact many Of the worknen were
| already getting off when the engines
| hit.
LEGAL Engine Late,
r.. II, Rreel, engineer m charge o.
engine No 1867. which was to pub thu
| Dyersburg local train due TO leave IN,
| yards at $3.50 am, had been delayed u
| getting his engine out of the round,
| house and had oWly proceeded about l0C
yards from tho roundhouse on his way
| to pick up his train, whom he heard the
| bell OF the approaching work crew trair
and instantly reversed his engine, hui
| too late 20 avoid tho collision. The en-.
gines were only slightly damaged, and
neither the engines nor any OF the
coaches left the track, but the force
Of the impact was sufficient to crush
| out the lives of the unfortunate men
caught between the platforms Of the
coaches one set of trucks was
knocked from under the first coach,
| but II did not turn over, Crowded as
| the cars were, the passengers were
4 Nftn
| more or less seriously hurt by being
| hurled through the windows, against
| doors and TO the floor,
Except for wrecked pilot, Engine
| No 1857 showed no evidence of the
| collision, and Engine No, 263 WAS not
! seriously damaged,
| Injured RNshed to City
In the darkness of the fog, and amid
| the screams ana cries of the injured
| ana frightened passengers, IL scene ot
| utmost confusion snsWed LANTERNS
| were ~ li|tlo avail Hhen even the
| strong headlights Of the locomotives
| than few feet The Hreatsst feaf
| siezed upon tho passengers, NOT knoS .
| ing 4Nst what had happehed ana not
| beinR ahlF 20 see. Those who $erS mot
hurt quickly went 60 the assistance of
those ~h1 were The dead and 'he
| b%NlN fDlhFtu WNIH pvt pANa hF'H wv
| Goa ches ana n special train brouehe
them back 20 the city, where ambW-
| lances conveyed the injured 20 the hos
[ pifals ansf the dead ~ the moiBuas
An amhulancS ~ the Emma Wilburn
! Undertaking company, which was con
| SoyinG one ~ the nNRlO victims oS the
| accident from the sCcNe, coilAeH with
IA street car at Che intersection Of Ray
! burn boulevard and Gilbert styset and
4 was wGeCked The body ~ the dead
! man was removed to the undertaking
1 pHrlors In another automobile. The
! driver Of the ambulance eaCaEed injury.
SO great was the shock to tho pas
| senRers that even those who were not
| injured had no thought of beginning
| their days work. and after the wreck
| was cleared the shops We're almost
| deserted, only the most necessary work
| being done.
No Property Damage,
Tho wreck was Immediately cleared
| within two hours ouly a small fire OF
| burning rubbish marked the place Of
| the accident whore only short time
4 before was scene Of utmost confusion
l sud distress Gathered In an orderly pile
| were a few pieces Of broken bumper
! bars and brake chalus. The damaged
coaches had been removed entirely
one thing that may have confessed
| the minds Of the trainmen was that
| the DyersburE local leaves the yards
one hour earlier on Saturday than OH
the other days Of the week. Had there
! been no delay at the roundhouse Sat
| urday morning engine No, 1867 would
have been out NJ the yards and on lie
! way before the arrival Of the work
train But there was TO train order 70
20 by and the crew Of the work trair
did not know of the delay. Trusting to
| the pilots at the head Of the engines
10 guide the train through the yards
and give warning Of danger, the cnEi
neers could do no more In the dense
fog than listen Tor the bell OF approach.
| ing engines But even the trainmer
ruiding tn" onglnes failed to see ol
hear in time to save their own lives