The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-04-24
THE PASSENGERS PLUNGE.


ger train due in a tlanta at $40 a. m
came rushing along the road over which
the freight had gone in safety. The traiu
was composed Of mail car, two aches
and two sleepers. Engineer Everett was
at the throttle and beside him rode Fire.
man Marion Burke. Conductor James
was in charge, and as the train rolled on
to its doom he went through the coaches
looking after the comfort Of his passcn.
gers. Two miles North of Big Shanty
while running rapidly and easy, Enginee
Everett felt his engine auiver aud at the
same instant begin to sink down
Quickly he realized that he was in a
washout, but believing that he had gone
too far to stop he gave his engine all the
| steam there was in the boiler, and closing
his eyes prepared TO meet the conse.
Guence. The sinking sensation was soon
passed, but it was followed Dy a motion
of the engine which warned both men
that the pondcrous machine WAS going
over. Knowing that it meant death to
remain longer at their posts both men
sprang through the darkness and the rain
to the ground. The engine was upon an
embankment and the engineer rolled
down to the solid earth. He was not
stunned, and getting upon his feet he saw
that his engine was lying upon its side
motionless, while the tender had sns.p-
ped the coupling link and WAS hanging
down over the track. AS he saw this he
heard the most pitiful cry.
ooh, my God let me out. Break
open the door, s;r burning 20 death"
Plainly the voice came from the mail
car which WAS hanging over the opening.
Forgetting his own danger the brave en-.
gineer sprang up the bank, and with Il
piece of the tender which had been
broken oil, began trying to knock hole
in the postal car. While he was thus
engaged the earth began crumbliDg away
beneath his feet, and as the earth fell
the opening grew larger aud larger. But
unmindful of his danger he knocked and
knocked until the car began sinking. As
the car sank it carried with it the dirt
upon which Engineer Everett was stand.
ing. Feeling himself sinking he realized
his danger and tried to escape, aud sue.
ceeded only by hard climbing. At that
time tho opening was only about twenty
feet, and the tender and mail coach alone
occupied it. But US the mail coach sank
down it drew the baggage car with it.
This made the opening larger and soon
the baggage car was followed by the
smoking car which went only partly
over. The gap by this time was fully
sixty feet. The cars did not 60 down
rapidly and it is good that they did not
for had they followed one another quick.
ly the loss of life would have been fear.
full. Immediately after the mail coach
tilted over, the mail matter caught fire,
aud in a second the car was burning
brightly. The car WAS filled with mail
matter and the fire made swift hcadway.
The coach was soon entirely destroyed,
and then the baggage car which was also
on fire, dropped into its place. This WAS
also quickly destroyed, and then the
smoking car dropped down to the bottom
of the burning pit. The flames had
already caught the ladies' coach and it
was entirely destroyed.
When the engine broke loose from the
tender the automatic brakes did their
work well, and the cars stopped on the
opposite side Of the gap. The stop was
sudden, aud told all on board that some-
thing was wrong. Conductor James wa
sitting in the front of the ladies' Cur and
was pinned tight to the seats being drawn
together. lie called for help, and as
soon as he was relieved quickly unloaded
his passengers. The unloading was
done hurriedly. AS the passengers were
leaving the cars the wheels were slowly
rolling forward carrying the cars nearer
and nearer to the terrible pit which was
growing large, constantly. Finally every
body wes out and then the two sleepers
were uncoupled. BY this time the burn
ing mail coach gave plenty Of light, and
believing that the entire train would
burn, the two sleepers were pushed back
and the ladies given seats therein.
The scene presented beggars descrip-
ton. The burning cars, the crying wo-
men and the cries for help from the burn
ing cars all went to make up the awful
tableau. As soon as the passengers were
removed Conductor James began to see
the extent of the damage. He soon as
certained that his engineer and fireman
had escaped death. He found mail
agents, Ed Hills and j. w. Gi!lespsic,
and from them he learned that Mr.. Il.
Il. Merrill, the mail weigher, had gone
down with the car.
Yesterday big wrecking force worked
to clear the two tracks. There were no
trains on the road and The Atlanta ticket
Office was closed until the Marietta ac-
commodation went cut yesterday evening.
The passengers were transferred by u
lumber train engine which was at Big
Shanty, and were brought to Atlanta last
night. Mr.. Kontz, the local manager
for the Pullman car company, who went
up yesterday morning, was aboard, and
after his arrival he gave graphic account
of the accident. Said he:
at was the most horrible thing l ever
saw. The freight wreck was all you have
heard. 1t was bad enough, but the other
vas worse. You see Everett felt the
road sinking and by pluck got over all
right. The road sunk until everything
went down. The burning cars were
awful. The shrieks of poor Merrill
must have been terrible The engine is
now laying half on and half off the EN-.
bankment. The gap is fully fifty feet
deep. and the rails are hanging bent
over the edges of the chasm ike reeds.
The remains of Merrill, charred, and
guess beyond recognition, could be seen
lying across the trucks of car, half
covered by dirt and car wheels. After
he was dead pair Of trucks, which was
all that was left of the car which bufned
on the track, rolled down on him. Why,
to see those car wheels turning slowly,
rolling along TO the opening az the burn.
ing below made room for them, was ter.
rible. tell you it was an awful sight,
and one a man wants to zee only one
time in his life. Tie remains will prob.
ably be recovered tonight. The road
officials are doing all in their power"
THE MAIL DESTROYED.
The mail that was destroyed was very
important one. The train brings one OF