One engineer nearly ruins two companies.

[JCagle]

October 29, 1901 was a dark day for "Buffalo"  Bill Cody and his  traveling Wild West Show, and it almost doomed the fledgling Southern Railway.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show was a fixture of the youngsters of the early 20th century. Cody brought the wonders of the wild west to all corners of the Union. The show was conceived to bring animals such as bison, elk, and cattle from the wild frontier of the west right to the hometowns of Americans everywhere. Cody also recruited cowboys and cowgirls from the ranches of the West, as well as Indians, and other wondrous acts. Rodeo skills and exhibitions with arms were also part of his show. The show is often credited with popularizing western culture in America.

On October 28, 1901 Cody and his traveling show performed in Charlotte, North Carolina in front of 12,000 people. After tearing down the show they boarded the two show trains and prepared to head to Danville, Virginia for the last show of the year. They departed Charlotte about midnight and began the journey North to Danville. The first section of the train was made up of mostly passenger cars for Cody and most of his performers. The second section was full of stock and equipment under the care of some Indians and roustabouts.

About 2am they had passed Lexington, NC and were heading towards Linwood (home of the NS Linwood Yard). The first section approached a Southern freight train that had taken to the siding,The engineer signaled to the freight train that a second section was following. About a mile out of Linwood the second section noticed a headlight coming right at them at a high rate of speed. Both trains applied the brakes only to realize that both trains would not be able to stop. The engineers and firemen bailed off both trains. It was too late and the steam engines collided head on with both still moving. Neither engine wanted to give and they ended up each half inside the other mashed together and raring into the air.

Most of the cars were made of wood and the sudden stop caused them to shatter on impact. Splinters impaled the animals that were aboard the first few cars of the show's train. Nearly all of the livestock was lost or was put down due to injury. Many of the surviving animals were pastured on neighboring farms for the next few weeks.

Show props and costumes landed in a swampy area and were carried away by the creek running through it. In the following days many of the locals scavanged what they could find from the creek banks as "souvenirs".  Locals could not beleive the show that had unfolded in front of them. When all was said and done most of the show equipment and stock was lost.

For nearly a year the accident claim by Cody was tied up in court, so the show could not continue. The railroad knew the stakes were high since the young Southern Railway may not be able to pay the  hundreds of thousands of dollars that the suit was after. The railroad was growing fast and soon paid off the claim.

If things would have been a little bit different the Southern Railway may have not made it out of it's infant stages. The Wild West Show never recovered from the accident fully. Eventually the show was turned over to creditors following some bad investing on Cody's part.

Jason Cagle