N&W in 1911--Wreck

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
October 6, 1911

LITTLE DAMAGE FROM TRAIN WRECK
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Train No. 3 Ditched in Crewe Yards Yesterday at Noon
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SEVERAL OF TRAIN CREW WERE INJURED
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Four Cars Were Turned Over But None of Passengers Received Injuries of Any Moment--Made Remarkable Escapes
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NUMBER OF RUMORS GAINED LOCAL CIRCULATION
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    Crewe, Va., October 5--The Norfolk and Western passenger train No. 3 was wrecked in the east end of the Crewe yards at 12:10 o'clock today.
    E. B. Jones, engineer and Ben Oliver, fireman, both of Crewe, were slightly hurt.
    Several of the passengers were slightly bruised.
    The train was running about 30 miles an hour, having just entered the yard.  A truck under the tender broke, throwing the engine and tender from the track and turning them on their sides.  They lay in the ditch on an embankment, and judging by their appearance, are badly damaged.
    The engineer and fireman had remarkable escapes.  The express messenger, named Buck, whose home is at Roanoke, was caught in his car and thrown with great violence, suffering injuries that may prove serious.
    The express and mail cars, the smoker and one coach were thrown across the tracks, and three of them were considerably broken.  The passengers in the wrecked cars were subjected to a severe shock.  Their escape from dangerous injury is regarded as almost miraculous.
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    James Davis and William Webster mail clerks on train No. 3, who were reported injured when the first news of the wreck at Crewe reached this city were found to be uninjured, in spite of the fact that the car in which they were at work turned over.
    A dispatch from Richmond says that Dolph Johnson, colored, of Bluefield was injured by flying glass.  A number of colored men who were asked last night who Johnson is were unable to locate the man or give any information about him.
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    The report of the wreck reached this city shortly after noon and soon a number of rumors were in circulation.  At the division offices it was learned that no one was killed and it was said but four passengers were injured, while three of the train crew were hurt, but how seriously could not be stated.  It was said here that the wreck was caused by the breaking of a pony truck of the engine.  The passengers were transferred and the train arrived in this city less than two hours late.
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[It's amazing that the N&W was able to get the passengers into Bluefield only two hours late after this major wreck.]

Gordon Hamilton
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