Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-01-04

SiCksnlag and HsartrsHdlHs Detalis-Surr
Vey Of the Wreck.
Our Reporter at the Scene Of the Disaster
Yesterday morning about 10 O'Clock the
rumor went abroad hat q terrible scci-
dent had occurred on the Mississippi
Central road, and many persons in the
city having friends or relatives who were
possibly on that highway, hurried to the
telegraph office, and there learned that
the disaster had b~efsllen passengers and
others on the Mississippi and Tennessee
road. Such has been the uniform good
fortune and management of President K,
VI. White and his subOrdinRtes, that the
story was hardly credited when il was
said that twenty-five persons had been
killed on this road, a few miles south OF
the city. The passenger train from Gre
NADIA, Que here just after 10 O'Clock, was
running at the usual speed, about eigh-
teen or twenty miles an hour, when il
reached the strongly built bridge of brick
and iron, with spans of about hfCy-dYs
feet, Just before the train reached this
bridge, when not more han 100 yards
from it, Mr.. A. @. TrsadWell, a we'll
known merchant of the city, felt a slight
shock. He says that he "brRced himself
firmly against the back of the seat he oo-
cupied, conscious that the bottom of the
car had given way" He thinks that an
axle of the car, the one next in front OF
that assigned to ladies, was at the instant
bent or broken. Aninstant afterwsrd the
shock came, and the car had plunged
into the ravine. It was broken into count
less fragments. Passengers in this car,
many of them bruised and 8 few burnt,
but none saw one seriously or danger
ously injured, have ample reason TO con-
gratulste themselves on their good for
tune. Nearly every seat was occupied.
Mr.. Tresdwell was unframed, having es-
capped through the top Of the car as it lay
on Its side, broken into fragments. The
first person he recognized was the
agent of Keck's omnibus line, fRmiiiarly
known as Billy White. He had es-
capped, badly burned, from tie forward
car, occupied by q multitude of negroes.
In this car the stove was overturned
by the violent conclusion. The terror
Of the unfortunate negroes was indes-
cribable. A negro msn at the instant
of The accident lesPed through a win
dow, and every occupant of the coach
sought egress through the same win
dow. Both doors of the car were open,
bat the frightened men, women and chill
] 4AEA 4DDA6u AO4 AO 0HubE Way Oh 6EIGHas
Packed upon one another, thrown ViO-
lently from seats that were broken from
their f~sstenings, the car on fire from the
overturned sJove, they crushed one an
other; children were suffOcated and
| crushed under foot and many met hOr-
rible deaths. There were seven bodies
found and the charred skull of a negro in
the very midst of the Goals that fell from
the broken stove. The negro that was
forced into the stove must have
been sent forward from his seat
like q cannon shot, by the sud
den ~concussiOn of cars. Billy White,
when he came from the wreck to Mr..
Treadwell, was perfectly conscious of
everything that had occurred. He COM
planned Of the sufferings to which he was
subjected by charrsd fingers ends, and,
especially, because OF Injuries to bis
face. The very bones OF his nose are
chsrred. Mr.. T~resdWell tied a handker-
chief about his face, and the unfortunate
youth, to whose tolls a mother and sister
are indebted for maintenance, though suf-
fering fearful anguish, will probably re-
cover. His fingers of the left hand are
burned of, but his physicians say be did
not inhsle the flames.
TIL ACCIDENT.
From all accounts, and our investiga-
ton has been thorough, it appears that
this was a pure sccident-the first one
that has occurred on this road during its
history. The Superintendent, Mr.. Liv-
ermore, during an official career Of eight
years on the Tennessee and Mississippi
road, made a reputation for careful man
sgement which is as bright as that of any
man holding a similar position in the
United States. The breaking of an axle,
as every n knows who is at all ac-
qusinted with rsilrOading or even with
1890 Ta IN nunwk nF r-10~A,g- $780,
renee. No one can tell when the iron
becomes crystalized. Frost has a very
deleteriOus effect on iron in this respect.
Continual and severe shaking also causes
a displacement of the particles in such 4
manner as to cause brittleness where it Is
least expected. Even Of two sXles made
out of the same iron and forged at the
same time, one may erysts lize and the
other be perfectly tough. There Is no &C.
counting for this-less is known about il
even than about boiler explosions. And
when accidents result from this cause
reasonable people will he cautious Of at
taching blame without a thorough inYes-
tigBtion.
EXCITEMENT AMONG THK NEGROES.
All sorts of absurd stories were adoat
among the negroes here and at the scene
of the disaster. They said that the Off
GERS of the road were drunk, and that
bubAk CD4OLCA 1LlbDAAD uhu Bcbl AubblbADu- ]
ally and ruthlessly murdered. Some i'm !
agined that there was a -precOncerted plan
for this slaughter. The more reasonable
soon discovered that it Waa very strange
that the smoking car, occupied by white
people, went down and was broken into
fragments, while the car appropriated by
negroes was only turne over, being
wrenched from the trackwRy by the car
behind it. The calamity to negroes came
of tho fanf Fh0t thar "a mas rv,l /
denly wrapped In flames and their terror
was such that they were incapable Of
proper efforts to escape. Mainly for the
purpose of removing these impressions, /
and of establishing the faultlessness of the
conductor and engineer, an investigation
will be held at Flaherty's, OF Second
this morning.
There was nc n on the wrecked train 4
yesterday from Grenada
ANoRLE pELLow.
Burreu White, a negro who was coming
10 this city to pay $500 TO his commission
merchants, to whom Burreu is indebted
advances on cotton, was the first
10 escape from the car that was burned, I
toiled heroicslly to save those mad
1ened by heat and blinded by smoke. He
disco yered at length that she car which
had fallen through the bridge was in
of being burned. To prevent this,
mEde saperhumsn exertiOns, and to
lim many a bruised passenger is Indebted
Tor escape from a fearful death.
The rest of the negro men
hat escaped were stupehed By terror and
could mol be induced by Mr.. Treadwell
md others to aid in eXtinguishing the
clothing of women that were wrapped in
lanes. The conduct Of Burrsll White
lot only deserves unmixed praise, but
,nduring recognition OF his worth. While
Engaged in saving the lives of others, his
.arpet-saok, containing his boarded gains,
vas burned.
CONDUCTORS LUCK,
Conductor Kirby was gathering the
of passengers in she negroes ear
When the accident occurred. He was
brown near the stove. His nose and
orehesd are burned, but not very Sc
His strong watch chain was
and the watch lost. He cannot
ell very clearly how he escaped from h9-
Ieatb many negroes who we're piled
ipon him. he says that he never before
a d uch struggles. When once out
ide the car he forgot his bruises and
and devoted himself to the task of
aving others and of relieving the suffer-
ngs Of the burned and bruised negroes.
All The baggage of passengers Lett at the
7reck was brought to the city yesterday
f~ter1Oon.
MOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE FRIGHTFUL
AnnfnEuF /.