Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-07-29
LATE RAILROAD DISASTER.
Further Particulars Memphis Peo-
pie all ssfe-Narrow Escape Of the
Down Train--.Ffve Persons Dead.

general conversation. People will talk.
It's a relief to tell thing over several
hundred times, and thus get used to the
shock. Coming in on the train this
morning we saw an old gentleman nudge
his neighbor in the next seat, and re-
mark dolefully: "That was a terrible
affair on the railroad the other night
three men killed outright and the train
burned" He sank back in his seat with
q sigh of relief, as if he had discharged
an unpleasant duty, and the cloud was
partially broken on his face.
The telegraph has furnished few par
ticulars additional to what was published
in yesterdays LEDGER. But out of the
debris of reports and conflicting rumors,
we are enabled to sift pretty clear &C.
count. A gentleman from the scene Of
the wreck brings some interesting partic-
ulars not before published. The trestle, he
states, was thirty feet high. The engine
and tender crashed through and landed
fat in the bed of the creek or ravine.
The express and baggage car came next,
and fell on top of the engine. Then the
smoking car was added to the grooming
heap, next a passenger coach or two, and
then the Memphis sleeping car plunged
down almost endwise, but the rear end
rested almost against the top of the
bank. The lower end stood on or rested
against the seething, shrieking pyramid
of broken cars which had gone headlong
through the treacherous bridge. This
car, fortunately, contained but few
people.
The New Orleans sleeping-car, which
was taken on at Humboldt, was last, and
the only one which did not 60 over the
bank and through the bridge. 1t was en-
trely capsized by the shock, and rested
against the upper end of the Memphis
car, on the brink of the steep bank. 1t
was. full of people, and nearly oil were
hurt. Mr.. Mccall, and his wife, of New
Orleans, were in this car. A few mo-
ments after the accident, the down
train came along from the station
above. 1t was behind time, and was
only saved a worse fate than the
train that went down by that fact. Had
it been on time, it would have in all human
probability gone through; and those who
examined the ground say the results must
have been far more serious.
DR.. Watkins, Of Memphis and of
Brownsville, Director of the road, was
on the down train, and was the only doc
tor on the ground. He comprehended the
situation at once, and promptly rolled up
his sleeves, and went to work with all the
energy of generous-hearted, stout-built
man. In his efforts to assist the wounded
from the wreck he was ably and eff
GENTLY assisted by nearly all who were
able to work. And the best efforts
of all we're required to save
the living from more horrible death
than the one they had just escaped,
for the wreck caught fire at once from
the engine and spread with rapidity.
The flames soon broke out and cracked
like fends holding carnival of exulta-
ton over the work of ruin so terribly
wrought. The wounded we're speedily
found and assisted TO place Of safety,
and few minutes after the last one was
carried away the flames Tapped out their
red, glazing tongues high above the up
per end of the Memphis sleeping car,
which became soon after smoking,
burning chimney for the hotter conAa.
grafton below. The New Orleans car
barely escaped burning. The rest were
consumed entirely, and nearly every
piece of baggage. Mr.. Fontaine, we un-
derstand, saved one trunk. The passen-
gers unhurt were glad to escape with
their lives, and many did not for some
time think of their clothing.
DR.. Watkins cared promptly for the
wounded and dressed all who needed
assistance. He found gentleman from
Alabama, Mr.. Ed. Stove, With an arm
and leg broken. he set the limbs and
thinks the man will soon recover. Mr..
Stowe is evidently q man of nerve aud
GOODNESS, for he wrote, crippled, as he
was, telegraphio dispatch to his wife
soon after be was dressed. A little girl
had her collar bone broken. Mrs.
Fontaine, of this city, was bruised on
the arm and side, bat not seriously.
Strange to say, her husband and
three little children escaped without
any Injury, and they have proceeded to
Louisville. Mr.. Dugan, the express
messenger, we are glad to learn, will
probably resoEeF, Mrs. Mccall, of New
Orleans, is badly hgrt, and may not live.
Mr.. Mccall, her husband, was killed ill.,
simultaneously. His neck was broken by
the conclusion. There we're three killed
and eight seriously wounded. Many we're
slightly wounded; in fact, scarcely any
one escaped some injury. The Clarks-
Vile people paid all possible attention to
the wounded, The loss in baggage was
heavy, for nearly all the passengers we're
gsiug North to spend the summer, and
carried extra trunks, especially the
ladies and families. Captain Ham Pike,