Wreck of the Old 97
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The "Old 97", a Southern Railway train en route from Monroe, Virginia to Spencer, North Carolina, derailed at Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia on September 27, 1903. It occurred when the train's engineer forced the train to go to breakneck speeds to make its stop at Spencer on time (Old 97 had a perfect reputation for never being late). The train went down a steep hill and couldn't slow down when it reached the trestle at the base, sending it careening into the ravine below. Eleven people were killed including the engine crew and a number of Railway Post Office clerks in the mail car right behind the engine
The train wreck served as an inspiration for songwriters and balladeers, most notably Fred Jackson Lewey who, along with Charles Noel wrote "Wreck of the Old 97". Lewey wrote the song the day after the accident, in which his cousin Albion Clapp was the fireman aboard the ill fated train. Lewey worked in a cotton mill that was at the base of the trestle, and was on the scene of the accident pulling the victims from the wreckage.
A 1924 recording of the song, "Wreck of the Old 97" sung by Vernon Dalhart, is sometimes cited as the first million-seller in the American record industry [1], as well as the first song to inspire a major copyright lawsuit [citation needed]. The song has been recorded by numerous artists including Flatt and Scruggs, Johnny Cash and Hank Snow. Texas alt-country band Old 97's also take their name from this song.
