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<DIV><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">Bluefield Daily Telegraph<BR>March 24,
1909</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=4>THREE BADLY BURNED AND TWO MAY DIE</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>First Serious Wreck on Virginian Railway Occurs in
Tunnel Just Below Rock</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center> </DIV>
<DIV align=left> The first serious wreck on the new Virginian
railway occurred yesterday morning at 9:10 o'clock at the first tunnel just
below Rock, known as Rock tunnel. Details of the disaster are meager, however,
that at least three men were seriously injured, two of them being so badly
burned that their death may occur at any time.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> From the best information obtainable it seems
that engine No. 402 (blurred, best interpretation shown), pulling a heavy train,
the west bound local struck a rock which had fallen on the track after entering
the tunnel and the tender of the engine turned crosswise, knocking down timbers
and causing some of the roof of the tunnel to fall in. A steam pipe was
broken and the men held captive by the wreckage were literally cooked.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> It was said that it would require at least
thirty-six hours to clear the track. The injured men are:</DIV>
<DIV align=left> GEORGE HILL, conductor in charge of the
train, fatally burned.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> CHARLES WADE, engineer, seriously
burned.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> F. N. FOSTER, fireman, terribly burned,
injuries probably fatal.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Conductor Hill received the most serious
injuries. When taken out the skin came off of his arms and breast and his
finger nails dropped out. The nails in some instances, it is reported,
hung by little shreds of skin, and were cut loose by one of the train men.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> It is feared that Fireman Foster is fatally
burned also, and very little hope is entertained for his recovery.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Engineer Wade, while severely burned, was
able to walk after the accident.</DIV>
<DIV align=center>-----</DIV>
<DIV align=left>[<EM>It's ironic that the accident was caused by a rock in Rock
tunnel near the town of Rock.</EM>]</DIV>
<DIV align=left> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Script size=6>Gordon
Hamilton</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>