American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-07-31
Terrible Railroad Accident.
From Daily Avalanche. July 20. ]

From Daily Avalanche. July 29l
Within the past few weeks several
terrible catastrophes have occurred
on railroads in the North and East,
involving great loss of life. The
railroads of the South, and especial
ly those centering in Memphis, have
been comparatively free from acct
dents for the past few months, and
no frightful catastrophe has occurred
on any of the railroads for very
heightened period. The citizens of
Memphis were, however, greatly
startled at an early hour yesterday
morning, when rumOr became
prevalent on the streets that fright
full catastrophe had occurred about
one O'Clock in the morning at Budd's
Creek, about eight miles south of
GAINESVILLE, on the GAINESVILLE divis-
ion of the Memphis and Louisville
Railroad, to the passenger train
which left Memphis at three o'clock
on the afternoon of Tuesday, and
that very large number of persons
had been killed and wounded,
The following special dispatch. to
the Avalanche, from Capt. Hamilton
Pike, son of Gen. Albert Pike, who
wasa passenger on the Inflated train,
was the first received in the city,.
GAINESVILLE, Tenn, July 2S.-
Between twelve and one o'clock yes
terday, the three p. m. train fe.
through the trestle bridge at Budd's
creek, twenty five miles west of here
The train was literally demolished
and afterward bur'ied, one car ex
copied. The fireman and engineer
and one other railroad official, be
lieved to be the exp ess agent, ant
one or two passengers killed son ,
twenty five or thirty badly wound
ed {; hardly any one escaped fire.,
from injury. Baggage all lost. Sis
ter and myself both safe.
HAMILTON PIKE.
The express train in question, al
has been previously stated, left thu
depot in this city at three O'clock OIL
the afternoon of Tuesday, and wa
composed of an engine and tender
an express and baggage Car, tw,
passenger coaches, and couple o
sleeping cars. At Humboldt an adj
ditional sleeping car, from New D.
leans, was attached to the train. an,
the train proceeded on it's way. Ev,
rything went well until Budd's creek
which is covered by trestle wOr
about one hundred yards in lengt
and forty feet in hight, was reached
The train was ION time" and all o.
board. with the exception of til
employees of the train, had compose,
themselves to sleep, when in an in
slant the entire train, with the eH
ception of the New Orleans passer
ger coaches, plunged through til
trestle work into the bed of the cree
below. A frightful shout arose fror
the suddenly awakened passengers
and the scene which ensued beggal
ed description.
The engine and tender lay at til
bottom of the gul y, with the cars a
piled on top of each other, while til
poor affrighted and wounded passer
gers were endeavoring to crawl Oh
from among the debris. In the mitls
of all the terrible confusion the trigh
full cry of I" fire " was raised, and tn
terror of all WAS increased temfold
and iii a few minutes all the carr
with one exception, were in a blaz,
The passengers who had managed t
get clear of the wreck stood tor
moment paralyzed and stricken a
this new and terrible calamity. n
time, however, was to be lost, an
those who bi d escaped unhurt wen
to work with a will to effect the res
cue of those who had been less fol
tuuate.
NASHVILLE, July 2S.-The passel
ger train, which left Memphis d
three i. IN. ye 'terjay met with u
accident at on, O'Clock IL. M. eigl
miles south of GAINESVILLE. Til
train was bl mt, together with til
bridge on the road. The cause of til
accident is yet unknown. Eugen
Riley, engil eer, and Chas. Shield
brakeman, and Hugh Mccall, a pa
senger from New Orleans, were XII
ed. Mrs. Mccall. JOS. West, judy
Caulkins and wife, of New Orleans
Ii. Il. Micl ae j. j: Buck, j. Bue
G. Ii. Sage, Z. A Branch, j q. Dus
gan aud L. Henderson. were badl
wounded. Sume sixieenOtbers Wei
slightly wounded.
LOUISVILLE, July ga speci
train arrived here at five O'Clock til
evening, from Clan ksville, bringiu
the passengers that were saved, al
many of those that were wOundt
who were able to travel. The fl
, lowing were taken to the st. JOSEF
lnfirmary, where they are receivlI
every attention Mrs. Mccall. Ne
Orl' ans; q. Ii. Says, Fulton, N. Y
, VIM. Mccall, w. G. Shepaad,. Ne
: Orleans.
= The latest from the Superintende
of the GAINESVILLE Division says til
Dugan, the express messenger. is Ii
dead but doing well. All the 9th
passengers, seven in number, are
GAINESVILLE, and are doing well
=. present.
The trains OH tho road are ra
: ming regularly, the transfer takiI
3 place at the scene of the wreck.
new trestle- work will be built wit
out delay.