"Dispatcher's Fault"

[NW Mailing List]

I've been mining the on-line newspaper archives available from the
Library of Virginia at http://virginiachronicle.com for information
about various things at Virginia Tech, I ran across this short item,
but have no other details since the on-line accident reports don't
start until 1911.

TRAIN DISPATCHER'S FAULT.

The Engine Crews Saved Their Lives by Jumping, But Conductor Caught

(Special Dispatch to The Times.)

BLUEFIELD, W. VA., March 3.— There was a head-on collision this
morning near Davy. The telegraph operator at Vivian, it is said,
failed to deliver an order. The crew on both engines jumped and all
escaped excepted Conductor Harris, who was slightly injured, and C. H.
Williams, fireman, who was severely injured. He was taken from under
an upturned car, and was found to have sustained a serious injury to
the knee joint, the ligaments being torn and the knee joint forced
backward.

He is also hurt inwardly and is expected to die.

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The Times, Richmond, Volume 17, Number 21, 4 March 1902, pg. 5


Bruce in Blacksburg