N&W in 1912--Explosion

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Thu., March 21, 1912

ENGINEER KILLED AND SECTION HAND SCALDED
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Attempt to Inject Water Into Boiler When It Was Too Low Caused Fatal Explosion
    Roanoke, Va., March 20--About 7 o'clock this morning as a special freight with two engines in front and one in the rear was moving up the western slope and within 200 yards of the mountain summit near Blue Ridge Springs drawing fifty cars, each weighing an average of 45,000 pounds, the front engine blew up. It is supposed that an attempt was made to inject water into the boiler when it was low, blowing out the crown sheet, killing the engineer, John Hunter, and scalding Jeff Flood, a section hand who was passing on the side track. Both victims, were brought to Roanoke on No, 1 and it is believed that Flood cannot survive. Engineer Hunter has been in the Norfolk and Western service many years. He had a comfortable home in Roanoke, and leaves a wife and several children.  R. L. Bowler, roadmaster, was soon on hand with two wrecking cars and by noon the wreck was clear.
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[What happened to the fireman on Hunter's engine?]

Gordon Hamilton
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