The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-12-31

A horrible railroad accident occurred on the
Carolina Central railroad, near Linconton,
\. c.. bv which six Of the nine persons on tho
train lost their lives. passenger tram, com
posed of the engine, three box-cars, one com
bination car With the mail, express and bag
gage in il, and one passenger coach, was gong
from Shelby TO Charlotte. When the train
reached what 10 known as the Indian Greek
trestle, and just as the engine had crossed It,
the whole framework gave way, and the entire
train, except the engine and tender, went down
with a fearful crash into the ravine. distance
oi seventy feet There was only snlAhi iivu-
let at the bottom Of the ravine and the cars,
in falling were uncouped and turned over,
the combination car on It's side and the passen-
ger car bottom upward1 Scarcely had these
fallen, and their creakiifg tfmbers ceased trem-
bling, when the whole Of the huge trostie-work
came down upon the passenger and mail cars,
literally lattening them, and completing tho
work of destruction. The only two witnesses
of this fearful sight were Engineer Hall and
Fireman Smith. The engine tseh was stopped
for moment by the jeik of the falling train,
aud before il could start again the engineer
stopped IT, and the two jumped OF and went
10 the wreck viii III was only reached by taking
a circuisous route. They were hcrrified at see
ing flames bursting from every part OF the pas
senger and combination cars, In which there
had been red-hot stoves, which were upset
in the fall. The engineer cried My God
Smith, we are the only survivors left To tell
the story" He caught up has AK and began 10
knock down the side OF the passenger car
from which the flames were bursting ia several
places. He saw inside one Of the passengers,
f. N Smith, who had been caught under a
seat, which was pressed down on him by an
immense beam that had fallen from the tresSle>
work. The engineer made berOdc efforts 10
save the unfortunate mans life He rushed
in the burning debris and attempted To hit hun
up, but found that this could not be done until
the big timber which pressed down upon his
legs above the knees had been removed. With
The assistance Of the fireman he found be could
ut lift the timber and he set TO work to cut IT.
Solth was perfectly conscious, and, as he saw
Lle flames nearing him rapidly, he piteousiy
srugged under the weight which p nned him
=, hepessly in the track of the devouring
element and called upon the axman TO
do his best The engineer wicked with super
human energy and rained tho~bl0ws upon the
brittle wood thick and fast in the few minutes
which We're hours OF suspense TO the engineer
and the poor fellow who was hold ina vlse-iike
grip. The brave man with the AK could make
but slow progress in his efforts to rescue the
victim. Soon both the engineer and Smith
were In the midst Of the circle Of flames. The
timber was half cut through. The sweat
upon the engineer face was boiling from the
heat, wnue tne SKID upon the phch Oi Lls
hands was cracking and shrivcling in red and
white slreaks. The victim was slowly roasting
alive. His face and hands were already bis
tering. while the scorched remnants OF his
garments were falling from his body
In his mad contortions. HIS agony was
Intense, but he bore his stifferings like
man, and called bravely to the heroic
axman For GQd's sake try and save my lie !"
10 which the other replied urging him to DO OF
good cheer, for lie would save lin If human
effort could accomplish anything. But tho
flames went faster than the TX could cut, and
the engineer had 10 see the man he was trying
to rescue roasted alive. He was soon
forced TO abandon his POSITION, but
he did not do SO until his clothes
were literally burned from his body. The i'm
prisoned passenger was burned alive, and re-
tanned consciousness until his arms Were nearly
burned from the trunk. Before going ne
thanked the engineer for his heroic efforts. The
other passengers were all buried under the
cars, and were burned, Only their charred
! bones remained
The bodies of the dead were d,sfgured be-
| yond recognition.
The engineer and fireman at first counted the
conductor among the killed, but lac was after
ward found III the woods, a raviug maniac,
and blood oozing from ghastly wound In the
] head