The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-12-30
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HORRIBLE ECATAS1ROPITE r..

A Frssght Train Runs into a "Breah
Loose" With Fatal Results-A Faitl,f,,
Engineor's Brnvery = Several Persons
Killed and Wounded.
CHARLoTTE, N. c.. .Dccember 27.--
Intelligence Of another frightful rail-
roud disaster reached this city this
anorning abont eight o'clock. 1t oc.
cured on the Air Line Railroad, five
hundred yards beyond Paw Creek
trcstlc, nine miles from the city, about
sovcn o'clock.
Two freight trains, Of tho usual
size, left Charlotte yesterday morning
iTscctions-one about fifteen minutes
behind the other. At Paw Creek tres
tic fourteen cars of the forward train,
Engineer Anthony, broke loose and
stopped, after running short dis
tance. In tho rear car were Flagman
Bob Griffith, Of this city, and six pas
scngcrs, thrco Of whom were colored.
When the detached cars stopped Flag
man Griffith jumped of, and, having
told the trainmcn to notify the passcn-
gers that they had broken loose from
the remainder Of tho train, Immediate
ly started back TO signal the second
section, which he knew must be only
u few miles behind. He had not gone
back far before lc heard the approach-
ing train blow, and thcn realized the
fact that he could proceed no further
because Of The trcstlc, which is one
hundred and fifty yards long and very
high. lie waived lis flag rs tho en-
ginc, in charge Of Engineer Wiscn-
bcrry, came in sight, and the engineer
expressed his recognition Of the signal
by immediately blowing on brakes,
but his trnin was heavy, and he was
ncaring the bottom of one of tho big
gcst grades OH the road. Hence it was
impossible to stop. AS soon as, he
realized this fact, and before crossing
tho trcstlc. ho reversed his engine and
continued to blow on brakes. Real
iZinng the catastrophe, he left his seat
and, standing in front Of tie fire box
with his hand on the lever, awaited
the shock. 1t came, and he was par
tally knocked down by q stick of
wood from tho tender, but was other
wiso unhnrt, though almost entirely
shut in by the mass of debris which
was thrown against tho engine. Ills
life was probably saved by the fact
that the rear OF the tender was thrown
to ono side, thus divcrting tho full
momentum of the train from tho en-
gine to tho side of the cut, against
which the shattered cars were piled
up. All the passengers in tho cab of
tho foremost section were either killed
or seriously injured. Thomas A.
Cal ithcr, of this city, escaped with
broken ribs, but Philip S. Wisrant,
also OF this city, Charlie Sellers, of
pinhook, and negro named Ned
Stroud, were instantly killed. The
wreck caught fire and burned up, and
at least one man was burned alive, us
his cries could be heard, but nothing
could be done for him. Mr.. Gaithcr
was the solo survivor Of tho passengers
in the cab. a large force of men is
now engaged in moving tho wreck and
building u track around il.
Another Tragedy-AdditIonal Particulars
of tho Accident Oh the North Cnrolina
Central.
A still more serious accident than
that on tho Air Line occurred on tho
Carolina Central, q short road lcadino
from Charlotte to Lincolnton, q few,
days previous. The engine Ind lust
passed over tho Indian Creek trcStlc.
about fifty-livc feet high, when it CAV G
way and fell, carrying with il three
freight cars, one combination and two
passenger cars. These piled ono upon
another, caught fire, and roasted four
passengers alive aud burned two more
so badly that ono at least has since
died. Tho names of tho killed arc
j. IL. Bloom, of Charlotte, mail agent ::
5. M. Gootlson, Of Statcsvillc, agent
OF tho Richmond and Arlington Life
Insurance. Company; T.. W. Smith.
salesman, OF New York; and Bill Nc
Kcnzic and James Warlick, colorctl
brakcmcn. The bodies taken from
he wreck were umccogniZablc. Both
blakcmcn are thought to have been
killed in the fall, Bill Mckenzie hay
ing been seen i'll the burning debris
tMnsfiXcd through the breast with q
piece Of shattered timber.
Goodson, Bloom, Mckenzie and
Warlick were burned up. Smith was
not dead when his pitcous appeal for
help reached the cars Of tho engineer,
who rushed to the spot where Smith
was Jammcd in among tho wrecked
cars. AS soon as the suffering man
saw assistance near at hand, he be.
sought the engineer in the most heart,
rcnding appeals to save his life. En-.
gincer Hall made the most heroic at,
tcmpts TO 90 so. lie set cncrgctically
to work to cut away the debris by
which Smith was held, in order to re-
liovc him from his fiery prison, but as
all OF tho brakcmcn and passengers
were either killed or disabled he coult
get no assistance. At every blow o.
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