Fitzgerald leader., 1921-03-22
NO ONE INJURED
in FIRST WRECK
Receiver Charges that Someone
Tempered with Switch
ACCIDENT, SAYS MEN
Similar Wrecks Have Occurred
with Full Force at Work
(By international News service)

ATLANTA, March 22.-The
derallment of passenger train
number 4 on the Atlanta Bir-
mlngham and Atlantic this morn
ing near Douglas 'has every ap-
pearance of a deliberate attempt
to wreck the train" declared re-
.ceiver B. L. Bugg today.
Train four was bound from
Fitzgerald for Brunswick. The
engine overturned, one truck on
the first coach derai1ed. None
were Injured. Bugg stated the
switch was wrenched so the rails
led to the siding although the
target showed white.
A defense of the Newland Act
is being argued this afternoon
before Judge Sibley, in Federal
District Court by Federal Dis
trict Attorney Hooper Alexand-
er, who entered the case on in
structions from Attorney General
Daugherty. The hearing is on
a petition of the union men to
have the court rescind the wage
reduction order of the receiver.
Martin Explains Wreck
"lhe wreck at Douglas was no diff
ferent than any number of split
switch wrecks that have occurred on
the Atlanta Birmingham and Atlantic
and other railroads all over America
even with full force of efficient track
men at work to keep them in repair"
said w. M. Martin chairman of the
joint federation committee of the
thirteen striking crafts on being asked
his opinion of the wreck
Il know that none of my men had
anything to do with the wreck and
thing Col. Bugg is taking entirely
too much for granted when he says
that the switch was tampered with
by anyone" Mr.. Martin said.
1t was learned here after the wreck
that Saturday union pickets had dis
covered a loose switch on a siding
near Fitzgerald and had reported it
to railroad agents Immediately on its
discovery in order that no accident
might occur that could be attributed
to the strikers.
The wreck at Douglas could GER
tainly have been avoided by COM
petent engineer" Mr.. Martin said.
"I can see the switch points at the
siding on which the wreck occurred
at one thousand feet, ample space to
stop passenger train. 1t is an en-
gineer's business to watch the rails
as well as the signals. 1t is not at
all uncommon for switches to become
loose even with the best of care and
in the present neglected condition of
the road it is quite natural that an
incompetent engineer should wreck
train occasionally"
The switch at which the wreck oc-
cured was said by Mr.. Martin to be
visible from four farm houses. The
| last few nights have been brightly
moonlight and it is hardly possible
that anyone could have tampered with
switch without having been seen.
However, an attempt had been made
about on yere ago to wreck an At
lanta Birmingham and Atlantic pas
senger train within mile of the
switch by placing cross ties on the
track Only the presence of mind of
competent engineer prevented
serious smashup"
Blow Below the Belt
The sentiment among the strikers
here is that Col. Bugg's inference that
they were responsible for the wreck
is an undeserved blow below the belt.
I'VE have the law on our side," said
Mr.. Martin, "and public sentiment at
least in the immediate section where
we have had fair chance to put our
case, is coming to us. We have no
need to use violence"