The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-27
HORRORS OF THE RAIL.
A Train Of t'srs Thrown Down an En-
bankment- Mar> 'ellous Escape Of
Number of La. Iss-A Number Of
Male Passene ars Injured

RocKxouNr. N. & :, March 20. 1873.
serious accident occurred on ,'ne wilmington
and Weldon Railroad near this place shis morning
The mail train due here at halfpast our O'Clock
A. NJ, encountered broken rail on tie trestle
at the north prong of Town Greek. The engine
jumped the obstacle, but two cars, first and stcond
class, were hurled over into the water belI>w.
The sleeping Car, on which most Of the ladies
were, escaped injury.
TERRIBLE RESULTS OF THE BROKEN RAIL.
X The rail was broken by the two A. M. South
bound freight train. Captain Howell, the con-
ductor, and Mr.. Prentiss the Southern Express
messenger, were slightly wounded. and four COL
ored men were more or less injured. The
wounded men are here, unable to be moved.
They give the most terrifying descriptions
OF the disaster, and represent the wailings OF
the wounded in the darkness as fearful. The sleep
ing stopped before 1t reached the trestle other
wise the slaughter among the lady passengers
would have been frightful, that car was the only
one crowded on the train. Twenty-fou hours will
be required to repair the break.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT BY A PASSENGER
Mr.. A. F. Wheeler, of Syracuse, N " a passenger
on the train makes the following interesting and
graphic statement
The accident happened about forty miles from
Weldon, between the hours OF four and five O'Clock
In the morning. The train was running, as well
as l can judge. between twenty and thirty
miles an hour. The first sensation / felt
was humping and oscillation, which told me
we were of the track. was July conscious of the
danger but sat perfectly stnl. The next sensation
can hardly be described, for the reason that IL was
over in " minute; l knew that the car had gone
over an embankment, that we
had FALLEN A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE
When l recovered myself, so to speak, was
standing upon the side OF the car Everything was
In dire confusion AS the cars went oyer the Goals
in the stove were scattered in every direction and
set fire to the car was In. In a few moments 1t
was filed with smoke almost to suffoca-
ton. Mr.. l.. +. Curtis, my companion, was
the first passenger to get out or the car, and
Immediately ran along the top and smashed in all
the windows to let the smoke out and make way
OF escape for the other passengers. Two cars went
over the embankment, which was some fifteen feet
high. Not Knowing exactly where we were, and
having fallen into a little rivuet
THE TERROR or DROWNING
was also present with us at the first moment OF
the accident. Some OF the passengers near the
stove were badly burned. The work OF removing
the passengers was accomplished In fifteen min
utes the uninjured working with q will to
save their fellow passengers. The panic was
indescribable, and can only be appreciated by
those who have been similarly circumstanced. Not
more than dozen persons were hurt, none.
acted with more cOmpOsure than the men. The
accident was caused by broken rail. The cars
wreck were between the baggage car and the
sleeping car the couplings Of which broke, leav-
ing them on the track AS soon as we had ex-
t1nguished the flames we came on to Weldon IN
the mail and baggage car. Mr.. Wheeler and other
passengers have continued on North.