A Delayed Train= The Story of a Wreck
October 27, 1906
Summary
A delayed train crashes, injuring many, and making passengers frantic as help comes.
Transcription
A Delayed Train= The Story of a Wreck
A lone representative--magnificent receptions-- a lady’s misfortune.
We reached Cincinnati about four hours late Tuesday night. The train for St. Louis had been held for us, however and in three minutes time we were speeding from the Ohio metropolis. It was but a short time afterward before we were in the land of dreams. The next morning we went into the lavatory. Some of our white passengers were up before us and safety razors were in evidence. It was surprising to note the ease with which they were used.
A White Virginian.
A friendly voice greeted us. We looked down and there sat Mr. W. C. Butler, a white gentleman, who enquired if he had not seen us before in Richmond. Mutual recognition followed and he told the story of his misfortunes. He had been mashed between cars in the region of his hips. Later, he had contracted the rheumatism, which had settled in his hips. He was now enroute to Hot Springs, arkansas to test the medical properties of the springs there.
That Fatal Wreck.
He had left Richmond at 2:15 p.m. Monday 15th inst., the very train that we had expected to take. The first thing that he knew at about 6 o’clock that afternoon was the bumping of the cars. He was thrown forward. He sat still and then he noticed the excitement. On looking out, and later getting out, he saw the two locomotives which has been pulling the train in the ditch. One had left the track on one side and the other one had left it on the other.
Swarmed through Windows.
Passengers were swarming through the windows. Many women were frantic and many of the people were bruised.
The fireman of one of the locomotives was found in a ditch of water, head first. His neck was broken. One engineer was injured. It seemed to be internal and the extent could not be learned. Two of the coaches had left the track and one was partly off. Men assisted in getting women out of the wreckage...
A lone representative--magnificent receptions-- a lady’s misfortune.
We reached Cincinnati about four hours late Tuesday night. The train for St. Louis had been held for us, however and in three minutes time we were speeding from the Ohio metropolis. It was but a short time afterward before we were in the land of dreams. The next morning we went into the lavatory. Some of our white passengers were up before us and safety razors were in evidence. It was surprising to note the ease with which they were used.
A White Virginian.
A friendly voice greeted us. We looked down and there sat Mr. W. C. Butler, a white gentleman, who enquired if he had not seen us before in Richmond. Mutual recognition followed and he told the story of his misfortunes. He had been mashed between cars in the region of his hips. Later, he had contracted the rheumatism, which had settled in his hips. He was now enroute to Hot Springs, arkansas to test the medical properties of the springs there.
That Fatal Wreck.
He had left Richmond at 2:15 p.m. Monday 15th inst., the very train that we had expected to take. The first thing that he knew at about 6 o’clock that afternoon was the bumping of the cars. He was thrown forward. He sat still and then he noticed the excitement. On looking out, and later getting out, he saw the two locomotives which has been pulling the train in the ditch. One had left the track on one side and the other one had left it on the other.
Swarmed through Windows.
Passengers were swarming through the windows. Many women were frantic and many of the people were bruised.
The fireman of one of the locomotives was found in a ditch of water, head first. His neck was broken. One engineer was injured. It seemed to be internal and the extent could not be learned. Two of the coaches had left the track and one was partly off. Men assisted in getting women out of the wreckage...
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Contributed By
Emma Roberts
Citation
“A Delayed Train= The Story of a Wreck,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 12, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/771.