The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-09-20

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Fireman wounded-Narrow Escape of
the Passengers-Heartrend Details
OF Hargrove's Last Moments-The In
quest, &C., &C., &c.
The entire community was startled early
Saturday morning by the report that train on
the South Carolina Railroad had run off the
track, causing great loss of life and destruction
to property. Many we're the reports in circu-
lation relative to the number OF killed and
wounded. The excitement which was created
by these reports was not allayed until about
one O'Clock, by which time the full extent Of
the loss to life and property was generally
known.
THE ACCIDENT,
By which the lives of Sebron Hargrove and
James Gilbert were lost and consdera-
BILE amount Of property destroyed, occurred
near Kingville to the night express train of
the South Carolina Railroad about four O'Clock
Saturday morning. The train, consisting of the
locomotive W. G. Dukes, tender, ten loaded
and two empty freight cars, baggage and con-
ductor's oars, and two passenger coaches, was
on its way to Columbia, and, having crossed
the Congaree River, was moving slowly across
the trestle over the Ccngaree Swamp, when
suddenly the engine plunged down into gap in
the trestle, the tender and the twelve freight
cars followed, and all in moment lay per-
feet mass OF ruins. The conductor, Mr. W.
H. Evans, who was In bis car just in front of
the passenger coaches, felt the shock caused
by the fall of the engine, and Immediately
sung out to the brakesmen to put the brakes
on, which they did. and thus saved the pas
senger and conductors cars from going over,
the front one of these stopping within a few
inches OF the break.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
All this occurred in q moment. Before that
portion of the train left upon the track was
stopped, the cries Of the wounded were heard.
Those who we're unhurL jumped from the tres
tie down into the swamp, which, owing 10 the
recent dry weather.was comparatively dry, and
proceeded in the direction of the cries. The
first man they met was Mr.. Charles q Burns,
one OF the tiremen, who was sitting on:a log
to which he had crawlod after falling. he had
received severe cut across the forehead and
was severely bruised in other portions of the
boLx He was put in chair to which rope
was attached, and hauled up upon the trestlo
and attended to as we'll as circumstances would
permit While this was being done, others
we're endeavoring to aid the engineer. Mr..
Sebron Hargrave, whom they found lying on
his side, jammed in among some Of the ma
chinery of the locomotive, which, however,
might have been easily removed had it not
been for the weight Of the debris Of freight
car which had fallen upon 1t. Messrs. T. b.
Symmes, Express messenger, Mr.. Seyles and
James Mcguire, train hands, and others, first
attempted to remove the wreck OF iron and
wood by which the man was being crushed,
TIE pressure being upon bis loius. This was
iu,ile. and an effort was made to break the iron
with an axe, but it also failed. Nothing
daunted, however, the workers seized
some spades which were among the freight,
and endeavored to dig the dirt from under
him, hoping by this method to get him
out, but the wood and iron which appeared to
prevented them from carrying out this plan.
After they had worked for Several minutes
with the result above stated, the cry
OF fire. was rajaed, and the assemblage
was horrifed to see the flames rising
from the wreck OF the cars. The fire in mo-
raant oonananniaatod-t aonae- -kerosana OIL anu
whiskey barrels, aad they commenced to e1-
plode with loud noise. Some Of the passen-
gers, at the request Of the conductor, who
feared for the safety Of the cars on the trestle,
went with him and showed them out OF reach
of the flames. Those who were working to re-
lease the engineer ceased not their labors
when the fire commenced, for they recognized
the fact that if he we're not released very soon
he would be burnt to death before their eyes,
and they worked with renewed zeal. They
worked with spades, axes, levers, and some, in
their frenzy, tore up the dirt from around
him with their fingers; but, alas, all in vain.
The fire steadily approached, the heat IN
creasipg every moment, until at last
the workmen were compelled to leave
the unfortunate man to his fate. de saw
that he was doomed, and told those who had
been working to release him that it was useless
to do anything further. At this time, MIR.
Symmes. who had stepped aside for amoment,
came up. Hargrove recognized him, and ex-
claimed, "Oh, Tom, come here" MIR. Symmes
went as close 10 him as the fire would permit,
as the flames were nearly touching their vlc-
tim, and asked him if he could do anything
for him. To which he replied, "Oh, no, 1t is
too late; but tell my family how l died, and
that nothing could be done for Ine;" and, as
the flames were burning his hair, be gave MIR.
Symmes message for his wife. Those assem-
bled then turned away; the sight Of man
burning to death before their eyes"was more
than they could bear. They had done all that
human strength and ingenuity could devise to
release him, who now with folded arms and
prayer upon his lips calmly awaited death.
During the confusion no one missed James
Gilbert, the fremen, but when the excitement
had partially subsidized he was asked for, and
no response being made, search was insti-
tuted-all hoping that he would be found unin.
jured. But they we're doomed to disappoint-
ment. Alongside Of the tender was found the
mangled body of MIN for whom they searched
There was every Indication 10 show that he
had been instantly killed by the fall, and had
not suffered from the flames which had scorch-
ed and blackened portions Of his body.
THE PASSENGERS,
Most of whom were asleep, were suddenly
awaked from their slumbers by the shock, and
for some time could not realize that they had
made 80 narrow an escape from almost certain
doofh Tho majority uera most Zap1Oua in