In 1903, the southbound mail train, the 97, crashed when it failed to make a curve while descending into Danville, killing 11 people. That portion of railroad was considered a rough road because it ascends from the James River at Lynchburg, crosses a rise, then descends to the Big Otter River crossing. It then ascends a second rise before descending to the Roanoke River crossing at Altavista and then ascends a third rise before descending to the Dan River crossing at Danville. Most country songs tell a story and have a moral or a takeaway at the end. What is humorous about this song is that after describing this horrific accident, the moral is for women to be nice to their husbands.