Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-06
PERILS OF A SLEEPER.
NINE PASSENGERS BARELY Es-
CAPE WITH THEIR LIVES.

A Central Railroad Sleeping Car Burned
to the Track Near Station No. 13-HOw
the Passengers Escaped-FOur of Them
Lost Their Clothing, and are Brought
to the City Wrapped in B1ankets-The
Car in Ruins Ten Minutes from the
Time the Fire is Discovered.
AS the Macon express rolled into the
Central Railroad depot at O'Clock yes
terday morning and came to stop, four
bareheaded, barefooted individuals.
wrapped in blankets and looking like
Indians from a far west reservation.
stepped down from the Atlanta sleeper,
and marching co closed carriage were
driven rapidly to the Pulaski House.
The unusual sight attracted the atten-
ton Of those who gathered in the depot,
and it was not until the news OF the burn
ing OF the Macon sleeper and the narrow
escape of the passengers was known that
the proceeding could be explained.
Master of Train Service W. W. Starr
with other officers of the road, was in the
depot and gave to a MORNING NEws re-
porter the details of the disaster. The
train was composed Of five cars. two
sleepers, two day coaches and a baggage
car, and left Macon at lis a. m. Near
SbdllOu W. 10 q passenger III IHG rear
sleeper, No. 8, discovered fire in the upper
part Of the car above his berth
An alarm was given, and the sleeping
passengers were hurriedly aroused, and
tumbling out Of their berths rushed
out with whatever clothing they
CHANGED to have on. Before the train
could be brought to a stop the interior of
the car was envelOped in flames. The
greatest confusion and excitement pre-
Id fov. 4.
to tell whether all had escaped. The pOr-
ter, Anderson May, who was in the front
part of the car when the fire broke out,
worked faithfully TO save the property of
the passengers, and forcing his way back
through the dense binding smoke search
ed the berths to see If any had been left
unwarned. He was compelled to retreat
several times, and the last time barely
escaped with his life as the roof fell in.
The burning car was disconnected from
the train as soon as it was brought to a
stop, and after the passengers had been
rescued and transferred to the Atlanta
sleeper 1t was left burning on the track.
The fire was discovered in the
upper part of the car, over a
rear berth, where it appeared to
have caught between the ceiling and roof
and might have been burning for some
time before its discovery. When it broke
out it spread with such rapidity that no
efforts on the part of the passengers or
train men could check it and barely time
was left to escape from the car before it
was a mass of flames.
The car was occupied by nine passen-
gers, including one lady. None of the
upper berths were occupied, hence were
not made up, and every opportunity for
escape was afforded. When the alarm
was given the lady who occupied centre
INN Cd inf hn ic1a md ~r1c hnA
through into the forward sleeper
before any of the other passengers
were aroused. The others in the front
part of the car hurriedly dressed and at
tempted to save their hand baggage, buC
this was impossible in the confusion that
prevailed. The four gentlemen occupying
rear berthS were unable to save their
clothing, and barely escaped by cropping
along the aisle through the dense smoke
toward the door. They were given berths
in the Atlanta sleeper, and upon arriving
in the city were provided with clothing at
the hotel.
The accident occurred about $3.50
O'Clock, Just after the train had passed
station Is. All of the passengers were
asleep and the aisle and upper portion of
the car was filled with smoke
before any were awakened. The
curtains prevented it from PEN
cause of the awaking the passenger who
gave the alarm was the cracking of the
fire In the roof just over his head. For
tunately none were seriously injured, the
! one receiving any injury at all being one
of the four gentlemen who were unable to
save their clothing, and who was slightly
burned in the face.
None of the four saved anything eX-
cept the single garment upon their backs.
Onn nonf lpmQn Lost a Vatnahla GOLD Wqfph
and large sum of money in bills. The
others lost their watches, money and jew
elry, and also the checks to their baggage.
As soon as the loss was reported to the
road, Mai. Whitehead, General Passenger
Agent, directed the purchase of new suits
| of clothes at the company's eX-
/ pense, and requested that state
ments of the property lost by each
! gentleman be made and presented
/ for payment. This was done and the loses
! so far as the company was able were
/ promptly made good. Three of the gen.
! tlemen were commercial men and lost
| their order books and price lists, which,
/ of course, it was impossible to re-
| place. The other property was
| either replaced or paid for in full
I One of the four gentlemen, the repre-
sentative of prominent New York firm,
/ was found by MORNING News reporter
at the Pulaski House a short time after
| the train arrived dressed in a new suit OF
/ black, from which the creases had not yet
| been pressed. In speaking of the
| disaster he said: 81 was In a berth
/ in the rear of the car when l heard the
cry of fire. Jumped into the aisle hall
| awake, and before L could realize where
/ l was l was overcome by the sufocating
smoke. Leaning against the side of the
| car L could hear the cracking o.
/ the flames in the woodwork and the rush
| of the air as the train sped on. Realizing
| that something had to be done, l jumped
for the bell rope and pulled it several
| times, but without any result. l theI
! began to feel my way along towards
1 the front door, and finally reached it just
! as the train came to a stop. By this
| time the curtains and bedding were
1 in flames and the car was be
yOnd saving. AS soon as all
were out it was cut loose and left to burn
| to the track. II was not over ten minutes
| from the time the train was stopped tC
! the time we left the burning wreck"
! The origin of the fire is not known, but
| it is supposed to have caught IN the ROOT
from sparks from the engine or the
stove in the car. The only for
| tunate circumstance was that it
! originated in the rear part of the car. Had
| it broken out in the front part or IN any
! car but the one at the rear of the train
| there would doubtless have been great
| loss of life.