Year: 1879




Vicksburg Herald, l5th.l


About eleven o'clock yesterday
morning as the freight train on the
short line division Of the V. and NJ.
railroad was backing out from the
elevator, the locomotive, backing and
pulling four freight cars, exploded her
boiler with a report and a scattering
OF fragments that startled the whole
city: After the explosion the dam
aged engine and cars ran down the
track fully one hundred and fifty
yards, and the engineer remained in
his place all that time, jumping off
only when the locomotive had stopped
nearly still.


The report of the explosion was
heard and the concussion was felt as
far up town as Washington street, and
one lady living near the scene of the
disaster is said to have been lifted
from her bed by the jar. Yet, strange
to say, nobody was hurt.


Two negro men were standing on
the lower side of the track, which
runs along the river bank, when the
explosion occurred, and both of them
were thrown into the river. We
talked with one of them few minutes
after the occurrence, and he showed
scar on his forehead where he had
been struck violently and knocked
into the river, but not far, a barge
fortunately lying near enough to shore
to prevent him from going much be-
yond the edge. An excited darky,
who stood near by, interrupted the
conversation with the remark, Good
thing for you, old man, dat dat thing
struck you in de head. Had it hit
you anywhere else you'd been dead
niger" We asked the old man what
had become of his companion and he
answered, "Fore God | dusent know.
| spect he went up in de ar and come
down in de water, but maybe he's out.
like [ is


A little away from the track we
found, back of row of houses, a
large piece of the exploded boiler,
which had descended upon a small
frame house and taken out one entire
corner, post, pillar, weather boarding
and all. A colored woman related
that she was standing near this house
when the explosion occurred, and she
declared most positively that one of
her good teeth was Jared out by it.
She had a good deal to say, but we
hadn t time to listen to it all


When we first reached the scene
we heard that the engineer and fire.
men had been thrown about forty feet
into the river and under a barge, and
some persons were soon actually fish
ing for the bodies, but we passed on
down about one hundred and fifty
yards further, and found the wreck of
the locomotive together. The engi-
neer, Mr.. Frank Crevit, says he had
no warning whatever. He was carry
ing very little steam, and never
dreamed of an accident. When the
explosion occurred he was running
very slowly, and when he jumped off
the engine he was moved to do so
through fear that the freight cars
might run into the crippled locomotive
in such a way as to injure him.


The fireman says he remained in
the tender all the time. Just before
the explosion occurred a strange
darky got up on the step to talk to
him, and when the report came he
says that niger commenced run
ming, and don't think he's stopped
yet, The miraculous escape of the
engineer and fireman from any injury
whatever is due in part to the fact that
the engine was backing and the wind
was blowing from the south. Other
wise they must certainly have been
badly scalded.


The locomotive, the Georgia" is
probably the Oldest in service on the
road, having been in use since 1860,
and the explosion was accounted for
by some on the score Of old age. Mr..
j. b. Browne, master mechanic of the
road shops, says the engine has been
recently repaired and that the sheet
ing Of the boiler was entirely new.
What caused the explosion he would
not attempt to say, and he didn't be-
lieve anybody else could. He seemed
to think it was one of those things
which occasionally occur and against
which there is no remedy.


The locomotive was valued at about
$1,000, and is considered a total loss
except for the old iron in her, as she
will not be repaired or rebuilt. Mr.
Crevit was given a new engine in place
of his old one, and resumed his labors
at once as if nothing had happened.
He is certainly to be congratulated on
his narrow escape from a horrible
death, and the same remark will apply
a lso "a tlo 6,or,o,