Chattanooga, TN Train Wreck, May 1907

Unusual and Fatal Accident Near Chattanooga

Chattanooga, Tenn., Dispatch, 16th,

Three men were killed outright, two so seriously injured that they will die and three others badly injured in addition to the crashing of a freight engine and 11 cars through a bridge into Chattanooga creek; the destruction of three residences and a pile driver nearby, as a result of a premature explosion of a blast about 4 o’clock this afternoon at the foot of Lookout mountain on the Stevenson extension.

The bridge was crushed by several tons of rock hurled by the blast just as the freight train was going on the bridge. Other pieces of rock hurled for 400 yards crashed through the pilot of the pile driver of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis railroad, which was at work driving piles in Chattanooga creek for a new viaduct, killing Engineer SHAFER and Fireman HYDER instantly. The third man killed was a negro fireman on the Southern railway. Other pieces of rock hurled 500 and 600 yards struck residences on the side of Lookout mountain, crashing through the roofs and floors of the buildings.

The blast was set off, it is said, by J. Foard, a powder man, employed by the contractors.

The Landmark, Statesville, NC 21 May 1907
__________________

Transcribed by Jenni Lanham.