Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1873-09-25

| Il m r.t
should "rise to explain
:. - - - Sih5i
THE WORK OF THE STORM.
FATAL DISASTER ON THE SOUTH CAIRO.
LIMA RyILRoAD CAUSED By THE
WASHING AWAY OF A CuLvERT ON
| SATURDAY MORNING. 2
Between nine and ten o'clock the first
definite news of an accident on the South
Carolina Railroad was received, and a
short time afterwards the details came of
one of the most distressing casualties in
the history ofa railroad which has been
exempt, to an unusual degree, from even
the disasters against which no foresight
can guard. Very little is known of the
tragedy save its resulte, as every soul
on the engine perished. The particulars
rs for as they can be ascertained, are as
follows: s.,&ss
The train proceeded cautiosly. The
orders were to take the turnouts fora all
regular trains. A freight train was met
at Ridgeville, and the night express from
Augusta bound for Charleston was passed
at the Forty-one mile turnout. The up
train waited at Birds for the down Co
lumbia train, which, however, was de-
tained by "wash up" few miles above
Branchville. The train then proceeded
slowly, running at the rate of eight or
ten miles an hour, until it reached the en-
bankment, about a mile below Reves'
Turnout, and fifty. miles from the city.
The only intimation that the conductor
and the passengers had of the accident
was quick blow from the engine for
down brakes" r,
But before the brak emen could spring
o'tbe brakes there was crash, and the.
cars came to dead halt, throwing the
persons in them from their seats. The
train consisted Of the engine and eli, h.
teen freight cars. hehind whiol, ,rcra Two.
passenger coaches. 4
When The crash came the conductor and o
number fpassengers Immediately ran to the
head of the train, and there for the first time,
perceived the extent of the calamity. The
engine had plunged into the creek, which was
greatly swollen by the heavy rains. and was
buried beneath the wreck of FIVE box cars,
which had been precipitated upon it. Nota
soul was alive to tell the tale
There were on the engine at the time of the
accident the following persons: w. H. Brick
man, engineer; VIM. Door, ,freman;- --smalls,
[colorcnga aeman; Goo. Nc Manus, train hand.
The last named was on the engine for the pur-
pose of opening the switch gates at Reave's
Station, where they expected to wait for the
down Columbia train. All four were killed.
1t was ten miles to Branchyille,ihe nearest
telegraph station. and q messenger was imme-
diately dispatched there. to send for help. In
the meantime the dawn of day enabled the
train hands to get to work, and they COM
menced clearing up the wreck. 1t was diff
cult job. The engine was completely buried
by tile wreck of the box cars and over and
above all roared the ioaming torrent of; water.
The body Of the colored fireman was not
found, and it is thought that it was freed from
the debris and floated off by the current. It
was about half past three o'clock id the morn.
ing when the accident occurred, and as the
down Augusta train had crossed over the cui-
vert scarcely an hour before,it will be per-
ceived that the wash must have been very
| sudden.
The body Of the colored fireman, smalls, was
found by the workmen yesterday afternoon, in
the water, about one hundred yards below. the
wreck. -, i
The interruption to travel was only temporal
ry. No trains left the city on Saturday night,
but on Sunday morning. the regular passenger
traius resumed their trips A strong forcefof
workmen are engaged in repairing the break
Ne,rs g. Courier. 49,
ILLAR &, DIBBLE,
i