The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-03-17
MISSISSIPPI CENTRAL m
M. DISASTER.
~.,.,stntemcnt OF Colonel Tate.

press, y Ruckner's Trestle, near Oxford, on
dfnSs last and they are so far from being
L Iooc:t. | deem il a duty owe to myself and
eeIIsosd as well as the public, to make this
u-.scial statement OF facts
or I've done nothing but build and operate
I,nLasds for 10 wears. and think / know
klnatbino Of my duties and responsibilities.
sous on tbis unfortunate train from Grand
zion TO the fatal spot and shared all its
disabilities and dangers. When the
re- arrived at CIR ind Junction. / found IL
Tam hind time fifty minutes. / said TO the
ggssdactor, ''get off from here as soon as pos
" Y. ~ nccupy as little time in transferring
siolS .-oS,a az YOU can" The first miles OF
b rom this point to Davis Mill, is a new
nar track. most of it laid within few
nsats. ali are new, large, ties: over that
"'.eo1, of the track, the train very proper
4 made good time-when the engine stop
y o. water at Davis Mill, / walked for
PlIi 70 the engine to see who was running
VIZ WI found Mr. Louis kell, one of our best
H. 9a,ost experienced men, in charge. |
ahj rim. .Kell, the track is not so good
"a y here 10 jacksonville, and you must
l1 h moderate and steady speed to that
tAhe Ne said. Il fear | shall not be able
po, -aake nv passing point with the up train
U T lily SPRINGS | replied, ~ GU had bet
a. ', ,oiss YOUR passing point than take any
Iel ~ lie said. "all right" On returning
Ilsn Mace in the car, l met Mr.. John
70 ~ the Conductor, reported to him what
5i.J aid to Kell. the engineer. and said to
J a. II ,ook to this; and when you get to
A. 5l'I'lnTville report to me your time, / will
y lime whether you can make your pass
oe. .,Llint at Holly Springs or not" took
ny md then on the back platform with
%! posd-master. Mr.. Mcdonald, and watch
" dls'oaciaIly, the running of the trains I'M
e ti go srriyed at Jacksonville, and know
y. y. .,,ss run at a very moderate speed. just
= he train was stopping at Jacksonville, the
= J,ctor. Adams. came to me and said, he
" nientv OF time to make his passing point
Ia "a uppiIv Strings. l asked, how much? He
l1s. I'd seventeen minutes to run miles,
IelII'IfiI miles of that next Holly Springs is
anl an line / said, ego ahead, but run
e.aaSaiv Ifanything occurs that you don't
- he straight line before your time is
- Nag your train at once YOURSELF he
t'roJ ..alI right" we proceeded. These
Iepi .Sa only conversations had with either
a.. a. Conductor or Engineer on that day rela-
~ N running of the train. l gave no 9TH
- i,structions. Mr.. Mcdonald, ROad-mas-
20, and myself stood on back platform all
sbe wav. watching the running of the train
AMI he with his hand on the brake, by NV
directions. to stop the train II the engineer
gttempted to run any extra speed. Some
NAV ask. why this precaution! ] answer.
bectuse | knew the disposition of Railroad
men TO make up time when behind, and had
a very heavy load of passengers and did
not intend to take any risk. We arrived at
Holly Springs at 2.I7 p. m, all right having
left Junction at lilo, making the run. 70
miles. in hour, minutes. we dined tnere,
orcupying only Is minutes, and leaving at
30 n m. : and ran on to Oxford, making the
nsusi stoDs. end arrived there at 4O2; dis
tqnee lgI. miles, time, l hour 30 minutes
The regular schedule time being l hour, 80
minutes. We left Oxford at 4.l0 p. IN, and
& niles South, when running not exceeding
schedule time. 20 miles per hour, and Just as
the engine and tender passed on to Buckner
Tre,tle 100 feet long and 80 feet high, on
a slight curve the mail and express car be-
inc next to the engine broke pedestal,
dr5ppipg the end of axle, forced the fiange
Of The wheel over the rail on the outside of
the curve, iamming the truck and forcing
the track ont Of line rs the truck went over
on the cross-ties. 1t ran over the first sew
entv feet OF the bridge, on the ties, before
any portion Of the bridge gave way, that
norton still standing after the accident,
wit. all the marks of the Aheels on the ties
after all the rear part of the train had pass
ed over II, the wheels breaking the ties in
Two and spreading the stringers, the trucks
fell through low enough to strike the cross
cap or the trestle near the middle OF the
bridge, knocking it forward and pulling the
side sills and falling against the next 6ents
in front with the front part OF LIE praln on
them, carrying away the remainder OF the
bridge in front of where the first Dent was
knocked down.
The engine and tender going on safely, the
mail and express, the baggage and I'd class
ear going over with falling part
Of bridge and tumbling Down the bank on
the south side of ravine, the next passenger
ear dropping into ravine almost level, by
which time the space in middle OF the bridge
was open and the last car pitched end fore
most from the top of the highest part of
restle aud struck the car that had gone
lowH just ahead of it, near the centre on
he roof aud passing entirely through it.
rushing 1t to pieces, Here was the greatest
ataty.
Twas thrown to the trout end of last car
lud went down with it, with 40 or so per- !
ons laying on me for 20 minutes. crushing |
ne very severely. In five minutes after | !
vas relieved from the wreck, / inquired of /
Conductor Adams. if he had sent man
back 10 nag the approaching train; he said |
he hat. | also ordered a man to Water VAL !
ey with the engine for Physicians and aid !
Tor the sufferers. Mr.. John L. Watkins, a |
gl5rk in the superintendent's office, was on |
he er CINE at the time of the accident; after |
lssisting a few minutes to rescue the pas |
engers, ne walked back to Oxford, three
niles aud there met and notified the APP
train of the sad affair, and re-
Iuested all the Physicians in the place to go
o the aid of these people. many of whom,
! well as citizens did SO and gave every as
stance in their power. SO much for the
that q Mr.. Edgar miracGlously
sved the approaching train, as stated in !
ONE Of the newspapers. l had man sta I
Toned more than quarter OF mile from
ne break, to stop it, and another walked |
hree miles to meet it, and did so, and gave it !
otce, as will appear from the certificates |
herewith attached. twill be seen from the |
latenents. that the train ran of the track |
etore II reached the Trestle and that nefth- /
defective trestle nor track, could possibly |
ave caused the accident. 1t was simply /
ne OF those unfortunate accidents, that has !
ONE By the breaking of machinery when
ne train was running at regular schedule
Ime, out happened at most unfortunate
pot Whefe the ears fell a distance OF forty |
eet' ana II Is well known that no cars are |
car oe Dulit to stand fall of that DIS
lnce without being smashed up especially |
men gong t the rate of 20 miles IN hour.
men speed y demanded by the public. and
not UNUSUAL. These ears were all new /
M quilt in the most substantial manner.
for the satisfaction of the public, who
eem 70 have feverish anxiety about the
onditlon OF this road. will state, that alter
nc close or the war the whole of the cross
les on the road had to be renewed; the
csrelty of labor and means to do this work |
rapidly as the public demanded Ii, rem
ered It necessary for the Company to put
every character of timber and size and
aspect ties they could get. Many Of these
es N'ere decayed when l came on the road
July 1863. commenced at once remov-
g these ties. especially joints. centers and
larters, and have put down 10000 new ties
the best. quality since have had charge
the road. l found it necessary to con-
act for ties elsewhere than on this road.
have contracted for every tic 1 could get
the road; have increased the price Is per
INT. and have contracted for 100000 cypress
6 near New Orleans, and fifty Thousand
ore on Paducah and Gulf road. together
lth all could get on the line of this road,
ID am now hauling and patting them in
e track as rapidly as IL can be done and
eep trains running. Have put in ten thou
.ho month for the past seven months. I
ave rebuilt every trestle and bridge on the
ne as fast as it required it, have now two
cam pile drivers and large bridge force at
la work. have recently imported a large
mount of foreign laborers,and expect more,
Ut l re-asSert, that bad track Is not the