The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-04

five Persons Killed, Wounded and
Missing-Loss Estimated ae SBOO,OOO-
Thrilling Details. Dt
----' iG .,t- tat 0d
The dreadful accident which befell q passen-
ger train on the ClarksvllIe division OF the
Memphis and Louisville Railroad occurred at
point eight miles south of Clarksville, Tenn,
at one O'Clock in the merning Of Wednesday,
the 2Sth. -Four persons were killed outright
and forty or afty wounded, more or less seri-
ously. The Courier. Journal furnishes the fol-
lowing details: ~.
The accident occurred TO tie second or night
passenger train from Memphis to Louisville
In crossing the bridge and Mestle over Rudd's
Greek, eight miles below Clarksville, at one
O'clock in the morning. the greater part Of the
structure gave way apd precipitated the whole
train into the'valley or bed or the creek, from
an altitude OF about thirty feet. The train
consisted OF locomotive, oaboose. exprese and
baggage car, two passenger coaches. and one
sleeping car, oil Of which were dashed almost
TO splinters, and awards. with the excep-
ton of the sleeping car, entirely destroyed by
fire. .rns ,,,
.AIr. Hugh Mccall. ore of those instantly
killed was well known cotton merchant in
lew 0Eseans.s @ gSst: u .(. * ~ - \
The are made nearlya complete ruin of the
saved their baggage. Al! the remaining pri-
vate property, save the garments, money and
jewels upon the persons OF the passengers was
ywere saved, and from them it is oscertalned
that There were abont $10O 900 in the safe. At
last accounts from the wreck the safe had not
been recovered he destruction OF the cars,
express ana mail matter and baggage involves
loss little If any short Of three hundred thou
sand dollars.
! The south-bound train reached the scene OF
renee, afording all needed relief to the suffer
ers. The whole of them were tax en- back TO
Clarksville, where the dead were nea .ly dress.
Cd and placed 10 metallic burial eases. subject
were kindly ministered to by the citi1eps of
the place. The train which arrived here at
2. NJ: yesterday brought eighteen Of Che
wounded, none of whom arc In dangerous
condition.. -Four Of these. Mrs. Mccall and
Norman Mccall, (wife and son Of Hugh Nc
Call, killed, OF New Orleans, G. d. Sage, Of
Fulton, e. New York, and W. @. Sheppard, Of
New Orleans, were conveyed to St. Joseph's
!nnrmary. and the others were cared for at the
homes OF their relatives and friends in the
city. Some OF the injured remain at Clarke
vile, where everything in humAnpower is be-
ing cone for their comfort and restoration. !.
j STATEMENT OF TIE PAssENaEns.
lfated train when It went down, the s,tuation ion
the sleeping travellers were aSakened by
sudden rough movement Of the train, az fit
were on the track. After this jolting motion
the train appeared to come to stand-st,il. and
those who had been aroused congratulated
themselves that all was right again. Just at
tnas lnstant they Say. the train wa on poise.
ready to fall over the trestle height In apofhl
or second the whole line Of oars had pitched
DOWNWARD, and lay crushed aud 0hastly heap
In the basinfof the creek. Notwithstanding
the turning and shatterine Of the cars and the
inalscIlmnate ias wreck & ct human beings, hardly
found as death. Two spans Of the bridge.
ABOUT ntty rect each in length, and four bents
Of the trestie tell. The speed was 80 high tfnt
other side Of tina creek. The train fell in a zig
1ae or letter position, and go lay upon the
ground. a'~i'3s'.f y p 20
EnIERGINa FROM THE RUINS. = = y
As s22E ss,. as those who we're but slightly dis,
abled recovered from the shock they set about
e1trIcating the less fortunate of their COM
Aanlons, The dead aud MANNED were all re-
moved to ths most comfortable localities
around, as and the cushions and bedding from
use. 1t is q fact not q, little singular that the
children, Of whom theraswas q goodly number.
we're perfectly quiet during ths desperate ac-
jured. They seemed to take Tie fearful lean % a.
one OF the incidents of railway riding to be ex-
pected il not deslIed. = a9I ~ 3 49,
While the unhurt passengers we're humanely
engaged IN releasing and caring for those in
c.pab bic Of helping themselves, the debris of
the train took fire from the engine furnace.
This occurrence dire as it might have appe r.
ed, created no undue excitement, owing to the
performing the worE oi eatrication! e TSe se fire
burned slowly, beginning at the engine and
gradually approaching the rear sleeping coach.
the entire train aud contents. as We have stat.
sleeping car, which was badly damaged Near
ly all OF the bridge and strestle-work also fell
q prey to the conflaeration.
MELANCHOLY. SURROUNDINGS. :. -
, On the side OF the trestle upon which the
train fell is dense thicket, and the place has
q generally dismal appearance. The wounded
barefooted, suffered greatly from exposure to
the night air, which was sharp and chilly.
Iheir situation was forlorn indeed. No one
knew whence to look for assistance. 1t was
the ground and lind means Of succor. In about
two hours after the cStHstrophe-t hours of
lnconceivabse afhiction Of mind and body--the
south-going train arrived upon the scene. The
living and dead were tenderly transferred to
this tram and taken to Clarksville. Here the
victims OF the deplorable and fatal breakdown
received the most devoted attention at the
hands OF the citizens and the officers Of tie
railroad.
MIR. Hugh Mccall met his death from tie
pressure Of apiece OF timber upon his breast
iss he lay in his berth. which was the very
ohant Of high standing In New Orleans, and IGa he
ana bis vile and son were en- route to the east
ON to1r Of pleasure. His body will be brought
70 this city and deposited IN Cave Hiil uDtii
the recovery OF his bereaved wife and son. WHO
are now at st. Joseph's 1niarmary. ~ g
The engineer, Eugene Raey,i war. killed by
the escaping steam 5of his engine. He leaves
4 wife and child at Bowling Green, Kentucky,
Nhere he had lived some time. He was regard
ed as one Of The most discreet engineer o. the
road he served. and stood high In the 'estina-
tao1 of all who knew him. SOD rl 4 a97:} Isl,
Charles Shields, the fireman, also died from
the Inhalation of steam. He was q resident Of
Bowling Green, and leaves vile and family. y
). Several hours nfter the accident the body OF
q man was exhumed from tke 5ashes OF the AZ.
stroyed train, bat it was'se charred and mutt
lated as to be almost unrecognizable. "A ilis-
patch from Clarksville says that this body
Nashville. N y
!, YonDg sir. Mccall. Of New Orleans, was
tossed from lis berth into that Of q lady on
the Opposite side Of the car .Tha ladsz Era.