The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-01-14
JANUARY Id, 1859.
The Southern Railroad Disasters.

The Southern Railroad Disasters.
II was our misfortune to witness a most
heartrendcring scono of suffering and death
yesterday morning. As the day light train
from Macon was crossing a small culyort
about milo and half from this city, the
locomotive and tender were precipitated
into the wator--the bank, which was about
four tcct high, having beon washed away
the train was moving slowly at tho time,
but tho momentum was sufficient TO urge
tho forward part of tho engine up on tho
bank, whilo the hinder part was in tho wat
or. In the roar of this was tho tender, in o
nuary perpendicular position, and so close
to the engine as to confno between the two
tho bodies of two freinen, one whito man
by the name of Walker, and the other q no.
gro, who, We understand, is the property Of
MIR. John l.. Mustian, President Of tho road.
In this situation they were crushed or seal
dod to death. Tho accident occurred about
$50 o'clock. Every effort was made by tho
hands and passengers to oxtricate the suffer-
crs, BAT without success. Mr.. Walker was
/ probably killed by tho shock, as he never
spoke aftcrward. The negro, however, was
conscious o! half an hour, as it seemed to
us that for SO long time his screams thrill
cd his sympatizng but impotcnt hearers.
The engineer, Mr.. George Smith, waB
thrown from tho engine, a distance of ten
! teot, ard either by the fall or the blow VIII On
caused it, had the bone Of his under jaw bro
ken. 1t was sot by DIR. Brozeman. from
whom we learn that ho 10 not dangerously
! injured. No responsibility can reasonably
attach to the engineer for the accident. Ho
was running very cautiously and slowly, aud
over part Of the road which had been safe.
| ly crossed 10y another train but few
min utes before. The shock TO the passen-
! onr rar yna ynrv au fficionf n
arouse one from sound sleep.
The most fatal railroad acc dent that has
ever happened in Georgia occurred ycstor.
day morning at o'clock, to the passenger
train from Columbus to k'acon. The two
trains --one tIom Columbus and the other
from Macon--had passed at the station, ana
tbe former was passing oror tho bridge at
Randalls Greek, RttCon miles from this city,
whom tho culvUrts gave way, prCcipitatiug
tho who,o train into tho swollen, angry
stream below. 1t WAS quito dark and tins
rain was falling in torrohlS Tho engrs
Immediately sunk to tho bottom and ola
car WAS thrown upon it in tho stream.
The sceno s said to have been appalling.
Tho passengers, half awakened from sleep,
found themselves incosed within the narrow
limits of u car, struggling for their lives -
IL is not known whether there was win
!, dow up in tho car or not, nor can tho per-
/, sons who were saved or rescue give any ac-
count of their manner Of escape. Tie
steam was sufficiently deep to hide the car
had il sunk, aud tbs height of the bridges
from tho water { 80 feet ordinarily was so
great as to cause the car 10 turn over in tbs
swollou torrent There woro about 2S per-
sous, including engineer, fircmen, and brake
mon upon tho train. OF this nun Dor II
} arc known to have toInd watory grave.
L. is supposed that some Of tho ladies
, have not Yet been recovered.
The passenger car iloated down the stream
and coming in collision with the wagon read
bridge, some 80 yards below tho latter WAS
forced 10 grvo way. and both car. and br dye
lloated about one milo below the scene "
disaster
D.. Phillip. of Pullman County, saved his
lite by clingng TO u tree half a mile below
tho bridge. While thus hanging to the tree,
he secured negro boy huating near binr
from an untimuly death.
A negro man belong NJ to Mr.. Mustian, of
this city, also saved the life OF MIR. Gam
melt supposed name }. tho railroad agent
at Towards station. One of Mr.. GammelIs
; RIBS Was broken.
Mr.. Snei, tho Conductor, had his nose
broken by tho fall of the car, though saving.
his ltc
The bodies Of The lost cannot be brought
now to tho city, as tho creeks are so swollen
and tho biidgos so impaired by the recent
LoIvy rains MS to render tho running of tho
trains o dangerous experiment. OF the
I number saved all arc moro or less injured.
The ladies' were oil lost Columbus Tunes
Jan l.