Palestine, TX Bad Railroad Accident, Mar 1887

A BAD RAILROAD ACCIDENT.

Palestine, Texas, March 15. -- Wreckmaster NELSON, of the International and Great Northern Railroad, early this morning left a lot of cars near Neches to be loaded with wood, and with engine No. 730 and a crew of 10 men proceeded to Price's Switch, 14 miles east of Palestine, to collect the debris of the passenger train wrecked at that place on Sunday morning last. When half a mile this side of the switch the engine flew from the track and was hurled against the high embankment, crushing itself to pieces and scalding and wounding in a more or less severe degree every man of the crew.
The spine of JOHN FINLEY, a colored laborer, was broken, and he will die. Wreckmaster NELSON was badly scalded and cut on the arm and head. Section Foreman J. McELYEA had his left arm broken in two places, and arm and hand terribly scalded. YOUNG McGOWAN was badly scalded on the legs, and a machinist was scalded on the head and face. Every man aboard was injured to some extent, and from the nature of the accident it is strange that no more than one life was lost. The cause of the accident is belived to have been a brakeshoe dropping on the track. The badly injured were brought in and placed in the company's hospital this evening.

The New York Times New York 1887-03-16
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!