Locomotive Engineer - Instant death while driving a locomotive
FATHER
Richard M. Tatum, North Carolina
Mother
Selenia Edge, North Carolina
ENGINEER TATUM VICTIM OF FATAL ACCIDENT WEDNESDAY
Struck Wood Rack While Leaning From Engine Looking Backward
At noon Wednesday Starke people were shocked on account of the sad news that J. M. Tatum, a very popular citizen, had been killed while driving the engine of the Wannee branch train, a short while before. The particulars of the accident were vague and could only be fully learned on the arrival of the train in Starke.
About 4 p. m. the train reached Starke. A stop was made at Madison street, where a large crowd of anxious and sympathizing people had collected, and the remains of the popular engineer, who had left Starke only a few hours before in his full strength. smiling and waving his hand at friends, were removed from the train into the undertaking rooms of DeWitt C. Jones. Later the details of the fatal accident were made known.
Engineer Tatum was known as an extremely careful man, and it seems that this trait urged him to his death. Fireman Charley Strickland, busy with his own work, noticed that Mr. Tatum had crossed over to the left side of the engine and, holding on to the handholds of the gangway, was looking backward. This was nothing out of the way, as engineers frequently look backward to see if any cars have parted from the train. At that particular locality a view could probably be had better from the left side than from the right. Had he looked forward the accident is not likely to have happened. The locality was a little east of Bell station, the train going westward at a rate of speed of about fifteen miles an hour.
A few moments later Mr. Strickland saw to his horror that his chief had vanished. He looked back and found that they had just passed a wood rack standing very close to the south side of the track. The engineer must have collided with the structure and was either badly hurt or killed. Mr. Strickland stopped the train as soon as possible, then backed it to where his chief lay on the ground. The inmates of the train swarmed out to learn what had happened, and it was found that the left side of the forehead and chin had been crushed in causing instant death, while the lower portion of the face was partly crushed.
The body was put on the train, and as soon as Bell station was reached, a physician was summoned, who declared that the severe blow had caused instant death. All he could do was to hide the ghastly injuries with bandages. Mr. Strickland took charge on the throttle, another fireman was picked up and the train proceeded to Wannee, its terminus, the nearest point provided with a "Y" for turning, then returned to Starke.
The time for the funeral has not been set at this writing, as it cannot be decided before the arrival of Mr. Rufus Tatum, one of the sons of the deceased, from Washington, but will probably be held today or tomorrow. All Starke mourns with the bereaved family and extend to them their sympathy.
The Bradford County Telegraph
Starke, Florida
Friday October15, 1920 Page 1
FATHER
Richard M. Tatum, North Carolina
Mother
Selenia Edge, North Carolina
ENGINEER TATUM VICTIM OF FATAL ACCIDENT WEDNESDAY
Struck Wood Rack While Leaning From Engine Looking Backward
At noon Wednesday Starke people were shocked on account of the sad news that J. M. Tatum, a very popular citizen, had been killed while driving the engine of the Wannee branch train, a short while before. The particulars of the accident were vague and could only be fully learned on the arrival of the train in Starke.
About 4 p. m. the train reached Starke. A stop was made at Madison street, where a large crowd of anxious and sympathizing people had collected, and the remains of the popular engineer, who had left Starke only a few hours before in his full strength. smiling and waving his hand at friends, were removed from the train into the undertaking rooms of DeWitt C. Jones. Later the details of the fatal accident were made known.
Engineer Tatum was known as an extremely careful man, and it seems that this trait urged him to his death. Fireman Charley Strickland, busy with his own work, noticed that Mr. Tatum had crossed over to the left side of the engine and, holding on to the handholds of the gangway, was looking backward. This was nothing out of the way, as engineers frequently look backward to see if any cars have parted from the train. At that particular locality a view could probably be had better from the left side than from the right. Had he looked forward the accident is not likely to have happened. The locality was a little east of Bell station, the train going westward at a rate of speed of about fifteen miles an hour.
A few moments later Mr. Strickland saw to his horror that his chief had vanished. He looked back and found that they had just passed a wood rack standing very close to the south side of the track. The engineer must have collided with the structure and was either badly hurt or killed. Mr. Strickland stopped the train as soon as possible, then backed it to where his chief lay on the ground. The inmates of the train swarmed out to learn what had happened, and it was found that the left side of the forehead and chin had been crushed in causing instant death, while the lower portion of the face was partly crushed.
The body was put on the train, and as soon as Bell station was reached, a physician was summoned, who declared that the severe blow had caused instant death. All he could do was to hide the ghastly injuries with bandages. Mr. Strickland took charge on the throttle, another fireman was picked up and the train proceeded to Wannee, its terminus, the nearest point provided with a "Y" for turning, then returned to Starke.
The time for the funeral has not been set at this writing, as it cannot be decided before the arrival of Mr. Rufus Tatum, one of the sons of the deceased, from Washington, but will probably be held today or tomorrow. All Starke mourns with the bereaved family and extend to them their sympathy.
The Bradford County Telegraph
Starke, Florida
Friday October15, 1920 Page 1
Locomotive Engineer - Instant death while driving a locomotive
FATHER
Richard M. Tatum, North Carolina
Mother
Selenia Edge, North Carolina
ENGINEER TATUM VICTIM OF FATAL ACCIDENT WEDNESDAY
Struck Wood Rack While Leaning From Engine Looking Backward
At noon Wednesday Starke people were shocked on account of the sad news that J. M. Tatum, a very popular citizen, had been killed while driving the engine of the Wannee branch train, a short while before. The particulars of the accident were vague and could only be fully learned on the arrival of the train in Starke.
About 4 p. m. the train reached Starke. A stop was made at Madison street, where a large crowd of anxious and sympathizing people had collected, and the remains of the popular engineer, who had left Starke only a few hours before in his full strength. smiling and waving his hand at friends, were removed from the train into the undertaking rooms of DeWitt C. Jones. Later the details of the fatal accident were made known.
Engineer Tatum was known as an extremely careful man, and it seems that this trait urged him to his death. Fireman Charley Strickland, busy with his own work, noticed that Mr. Tatum had crossed over to the left side of the engine and, holding on to the handholds of the gangway, was looking backward. This was nothing out of the way, as engineers frequently look backward to see if any cars have parted from the train. At that particular locality a view could probably be had better from the left side than from the right. Had he looked forward the accident is not likely to have happened. The locality was a little east of Bell station, the train going westward at a rate of speed of about fifteen miles an hour.
A few moments later Mr. Strickland saw to his horror that his chief had vanished. He looked back and found that they had just passed a wood rack standing very close to the south side of the track. The engineer must have collided with the structure and was either badly hurt or killed. Mr. Strickland stopped the train as soon as possible, then backed it to where his chief lay on the ground. The inmates of the train swarmed out to learn what had happened, and it was found that the left side of the forehead and chin had been crushed in causing instant death, while the lower portion of the face was partly crushed.
The body was put on the train, and as soon as Bell station was reached, a physician was summoned, who declared that the severe blow had caused instant death. All he could do was to hide the ghastly injuries with bandages. Mr. Strickland took charge on the throttle, another fireman was picked up and the train proceeded to Wannee, its terminus, the nearest point provided with a "Y" for turning, then returned to Starke.
The time for the funeral has not been set at this writing, as it cannot be decided before the arrival of Mr. Rufus Tatum, one of the sons of the deceased, from Washington, but will probably be held today or tomorrow. All Starke mourns with the bereaved family and extend to them their sympathy.
The Bradford County Telegraph
Starke, Florida
Friday October15, 1920 Page 1
FATHER
Richard M. Tatum, North Carolina
Mother
Selenia Edge, North Carolina
ENGINEER TATUM VICTIM OF FATAL ACCIDENT WEDNESDAY
Struck Wood Rack While Leaning From Engine Looking Backward
At noon Wednesday Starke people were shocked on account of the sad news that J. M. Tatum, a very popular citizen, had been killed while driving the engine of the Wannee branch train, a short while before. The particulars of the accident were vague and could only be fully learned on the arrival of the train in Starke.
About 4 p. m. the train reached Starke. A stop was made at Madison street, where a large crowd of anxious and sympathizing people had collected, and the remains of the popular engineer, who had left Starke only a few hours before in his full strength. smiling and waving his hand at friends, were removed from the train into the undertaking rooms of DeWitt C. Jones. Later the details of the fatal accident were made known.
Engineer Tatum was known as an extremely careful man, and it seems that this trait urged him to his death. Fireman Charley Strickland, busy with his own work, noticed that Mr. Tatum had crossed over to the left side of the engine and, holding on to the handholds of the gangway, was looking backward. This was nothing out of the way, as engineers frequently look backward to see if any cars have parted from the train. At that particular locality a view could probably be had better from the left side than from the right. Had he looked forward the accident is not likely to have happened. The locality was a little east of Bell station, the train going westward at a rate of speed of about fifteen miles an hour.
A few moments later Mr. Strickland saw to his horror that his chief had vanished. He looked back and found that they had just passed a wood rack standing very close to the south side of the track. The engineer must have collided with the structure and was either badly hurt or killed. Mr. Strickland stopped the train as soon as possible, then backed it to where his chief lay on the ground. The inmates of the train swarmed out to learn what had happened, and it was found that the left side of the forehead and chin had been crushed in causing instant death, while the lower portion of the face was partly crushed.
The body was put on the train, and as soon as Bell station was reached, a physician was summoned, who declared that the severe blow had caused instant death. All he could do was to hide the ghastly injuries with bandages. Mr. Strickland took charge on the throttle, another fireman was picked up and the train proceeded to Wannee, its terminus, the nearest point provided with a "Y" for turning, then returned to Starke.
The time for the funeral has not been set at this writing, as it cannot be decided before the arrival of Mr. Rufus Tatum, one of the sons of the deceased, from Washington, but will probably be held today or tomorrow. All Starke mourns with the bereaved family and extend to them their sympathy.
The Bradford County Telegraph
Starke, Florida
Friday October15, 1920 Page 1
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