Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-03-23
NO ONE INJURED
IN FIRST WRECK
Receiver Charges that Someone
Tempered with Switch
ACCIDENT, SAY MEN
Similar Wrecks Have Occurred
with Full Force at Work
(By international News Service

ATLANTA, March 25.-The
derailmeht Of passenger train
number 4 on the Atlanta Biz
mingham and Atlantic this morn
ing near Douglas "has every APP
pearance of 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 derailed. 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 Sib1ey, in Federal
District Court by Federal Dis
trict Attorney Hooper A1exand-
er, who etitered the case on in
structions ff6tn Attorney General
Daugherty. The hearing is on
a petition of the tfhion men to
have the court rescihd the wage
reduction order of the receiver.
Martin Explains WFSck
The wreck at Douglas was ho diff
terent than any number of split
switch wrecks that have occurred 6ri
the Atlanta Birmingham and Atlantis
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.
81 know that none of my men had
anything/to' do with the wreck and
| think Col. Bugg is taking entirely
too much for. granted when he saws
t5t the switch was tempered with
BY anyone" Mr. Martin said.
1t was learned here after the wreck
that Saturday union pickets had dis
covered loose switch on a siding
near Fitzgerald and had reported il |
% 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
-ainly have been avoided by COM
oetent engineer" Mr.. Martin said
1 can see the switch points at the
siding on which the wreck occurred
1t one thousand feet, ample space to
stop passenger train. 1t is an en-
business to watch the rails
as well as the signals. 1t is not att
all uncommon for switches to become
oose even with the best of care and
n the present neglected condition of
the road it is quite natural that an
incompetent engineer should wreck a
train occasionally"
The switch at which the wreck oc1
cured was said by Mr.. Martin to be
visible from four farm houses. The
asst few nights have been brightly
moonlight and it is hardly possible
nat anyone could have tempered With
switch without having been seen.
However, an attempt had been made
loout one year ago to wreck an Al
anita Birmingham and Atlantic pas
'enger train within a mile of the
witch by placing cross ties on the
rack. Only the presence of mind Of
competent engineer prevented a
erious smashup."
Blow Below the Belt
The sentiment among the strikersi
lere is that Col. Bugg's inference that !.
hey were responsible for the wreck
an undeserved blow below the belt |
We have the law on our side" said
Mr.. Martin, "and public sentiment At
east In the immediate section where
se have had a fair chance to put curl
ase, IS coming to us. We have no
- Il.