The explosion of the boiler on locomotive No. 214, pulling Searboard train No. 2, New York to Jacksonville, at Dinwiddie, Virginia, 135 miles north of Raleigh, at 7:45 Saturday morning, instantly killed Cid Johnson, fireman, and seriously injured Engineer O.L. Davis, both of Raleigh. Mr. Davis was removed to Richmond. He was severely burned and sustained a broken leg. Inquiry has been instituted by Seaboard officials into the cause of the accident. It is supposed that low water in the overheated boiler was responsible for the explosion, the second to occur within two months of the Seaboard lines. Three men were killed at Youngsville, 22 miles north of Raleigh, on November 26th, by a similar accident.
Running about seven hours late, and making not more than 15 miles an hour on account of the 30 inches of snow that covered that part of Virginia, no damage other than the explosion resulted. The trucks of the locomotive did not leave the track, and none of the cars was derailed. The boiler was torn loose form its mounting and hurled 100 feet.
Wrecking crews from Richmond, 37 miles away, cleared the wreckage and traffic was resumed. Little delay was caused to traffic by the wreck.
This wreck is very similar to two others that have occurred on the Raleigh division of the Seaboard during the past three years. Three years ago the engine pulling a freight train exploded at Method, four miles west of Raleigh, killing three men. Two months ago a heavy freight engine exploded 22 miles north of Raleigh, killing three men.
Mrs. C.L. Davis, wife of the injured engineer, left for Richmond to be with her husband. Mr. Davis is 50 years old, and is well known in railroad circles throughout the state. He was regarded as one of the most efficient and reliable men in the service. The body of the negro fireman was brought to the city for burial.
From the front page of the Union Herald, Raleigh, N.C., Feb. 2, 1922
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