Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-10-10

The evidence as we'll as an exami-
nation of the material involved If this
accident indicates that this dera;lment
was caused by an explosion
The marks and condition of the rail
point strongly to the theory that an
explosive was placed between the head
and base of the left rail. which when
exploded by the passage of the left
forward engine truck wheel forced the
rail outward and upward creating the
outward bend and leaving the impress
sion of the chiller marks of the wheel
on the head of the all. The explo-
sive also worked downward shatteriua
the ties taking off portion of the
base of the rail bending its ends down
ward, the center being directly over
tie. 1t is believed that at the same
instant that the engine was raised by
explosive the left forward engine
truck wheel was driven from the axle
bending it slightly, and the foce of
the explosion together with the move
ment of the train threw the wheel for
ward with a rolling motion until it
came to rest at the top of the bank.
The fact that comparatively little of
damage was done to the locomotive
particularly on the under side is ex-
planned on the theory that the left
front wheel being nearest the explos-
i've received the violence of the shock
while the other parts of the locomo-
tive being more distant received a
less severe blow but still sufficient
force to raise the engine from the rail
At the time of the accident both
engine and train crew had only been
on uty one hour after having been
off duty 26 hours.
An examination was made of the
engine, its truck, axle and wheel, and
site of the derailment inspected by
Mr.. James E. Howard. Engineer
Physicist, whose report upon the
derailment next follows:
Report of Engineer-Physicist
The derailment of train extra No.
lO2 on the A. B. & A Ry,. at Cascade
Crossing, Ga, was clearly the result
of an explosion which occurred TN
der the forward end of the engine on
the left hand side. The time of the
explosion with reference to the posi-
ton of the engine was apparently
when the forward left hand wheel of
the pilot truck was over the explosive
The place occupied by the explosive
seemed to have been near or upon the
inner flange of the outer or high rail
of the track. the track curving to the
right at this place. and at point near
ly or quite underneath the overhead
bridge of the highway crossing.
Certain parts of the engine, the
high rail, the ties and the roadbed
furnished conclusive evidence OF there
having been an explosion, while the
testimony of TIL personnel of the
train, together with that of residents
of the vicinity was confirmatory of
this fact, and still further the recovery
of certain unburnt explosive material
from the debris, in the immediate VIC
Unity of the derailment, furnished tam
gible evidence of the presence Of an
explosive
Sufficient evidence was presented
of positive character to enable iudg-
ment to be formed upon the probable
order of events all of which took
place within a very brief interval of
time, measured by seconds or fractions
of second.
The violence of the explosion oc-
Cured when the forward left wheel of
the engine truck was Immediately ov-