The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-24
FRIGHTFUL LOSS OF LIFE.
An Appalling Railroad Accident Near At
lanta.

ATLANTA, GA, December 15.-One of
the most terrible railroad accidents ever
known in Georgia occurred last night at
midnight, fifteen miles from this city, on
the Georgia Pacific Railroad. The East
Tennessee and the Georgia Pacific Rail.
roads use The same track to Austell, and
last night the Georgia Pacific mixed
train, withsa q coach and one sleeper,
stopped al the tank to get water. The
coach and sleeper were on a trestle thirty
feet high. The East Tennessee fast pas
senger train, going at a speed of thirty
miles per hour, struck the sleeper and
the engine went nearly half way through
it.
The wreck was terrible. The fireman
sprang overheard and received slight in.
iuries. The engineer held to his throttle
and was unhurt. The following persons
on the Georgia Pacific train were killed,
or have died, since: Bernard Peyton of
Charlottesbirg, Virginia; Nathan Han;
ley of Admission, Alabama; Jacob and
Mary Banks, B. Bright (son. n.in-law of
Banks) and wife and two children of
Jonesboro, Georgia; wealthy Texan
and E. T. Huyty, of East Point, Georgia.
Two children who are dead are unknown.
The following were fatally injured
Mrs. Eliza Brown, home unknown; Will
liam Cook of Fairburn, Georgia, and IN
unknown Texan who was in company
with Mr.. Pierce. About ten others were
less seriously injured.
The dead and wounded hava been
brought to Atlanta; 80.
The circumstances Of the wrecl .:e as
follows: The East Tennessee, Virginia
and Georgia and Georgia Pacific Roads
use the same track from Atlanta to Aus
tell where they divide, one going West
and the other North. They, however,
.leavethe city from different depots and
meet Just at the city limits and from
there both use the same track to Austell.
Just 5one mile east of Austell, toward
Atlanta, is q water. tank used BY the
Georgia Pacific Road.
The night train on the Georgia Pacific
leaves here at 10 O'Clock and the East
Tennessee train at 10:40. Last night,
however, the Georgia Pacific was some
what delayed, and when it stopped at
the water tank it was on the East Ten
nessee passenger trains time. The pas
senger came flying around the curve near
the tank, and, without a moments warn
ing, went crashing into the rear of the
Georgia Pacific train. Engineer Owen
and the fireman of the East Tennessee
train SAN. the Georgia Pacific train, but
too late to ayoida collision. The fire.
man jumped from the engine, but the
engineer remained at his post, reversing
the engine aud applying thelbrakes! He
was unable, however, to avert the col
lision. The engine tore its way into the
rear coach, and the rear coach telescoped
the one, ia frohtof it, which was forced
into the next one ahead of it.
The rear coach was filled with passen.
gers, many of whom were 80 pinned
down by the wreck that they we're unable
to stir, and the escaping steam soon
caused the death of FIVE or six. The
cries of the wounded rent the air. All
was darkness, and the statements of those
who fastened to the scene are to the
effect that words fail to describe the
awfulness of the situation. As soon as
possible the East Tennessee train was
backed from the wreck and the work of
removing the dead aud wounded COM
menced from Austell.
A message was sent to Atlanta appris.
ing the officials of the road of tho acci-
dent and asking for help. At 2:25 a. No.
the train left here bearing physicians and
several of the railroad officials. The
officers of the road Immediately set at
work to have the track cleared, and at
$40 this morning this work had been
done.
About 7:40 a. NJ. the train left Austell
for Atlanta with the dead and wounded,
arriving here at sos. The killed were
placed on biers in an undertaking eatab.
lishment and hundreds of people have
crowded its doors all day.
Blame for accident cannot yet be-
placed, and an investigation will be ne.
cessary to settle it. The East Tennessee
conductor says he was on his time and
following the schedule and his directions
in full.
The Georgia Pacific conductor says
that he had no official knowledge OF
night passenger on the East Tennessee
and. ran out as. he had always done. =.
The coroner's inquest has been going
on all day. In the examination of DR..
Roy, surgeon of the Georgia Pacific, he
said that when he arrived on the scene
the engine had telescoped the sleeping
coach, passing through the entire length
of the car, within few feet Of the end,
and water and steam from the boiler
gushed through and flooded the whole
train. According to his examination not
a single one Of the dead died from exters
nal Injuries, but al metdeath by being
scalded or from Inhalation of steam.
Ground again" he asked, as the