Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-09-04

among tEe terrlD!e experiences narrated
of the earthquake at Charleston is the fol-
lowing: Near Ten.mie Hill u fatal acci-
dent occurred on Tuesday night. The down
Columbia train jumped The track The en-
gineer, Burns, and the fireman, Arnold (col-
ored), were badly injured by the tremendous
leap which the train took in the dark under
the unseen influence of the shock that dis.
mantled the road. 1t is said that the earth
suddenly gave way, and that the engine
first plunged down the temporary declvity.
1t was then raised on the top OF the succeed.
ing terrestrial uGdulation, and having reach
ed the top OF the wave Il sudden swerving of
the force to the right and left hurled the
i'll l-fated train down the embankment. How
it was done vas plainly indicated in many
places along the track Of the South Carolina
and Northeastern railroads, and for spaces
OF several hundred yards in width the dread
ful energy Of the earthquake was extended
in two particular ways: First, there were
intervals OF hundred yards and more in
which the track had the appearance of hav-
ing been alternately raised and depressed
like line Of waves frozen in their last posi-
ton. TIE second indication was where the
force had cscillated from east to west, bend
ing the rails in reverse curves, most Of them
taking the shape Of q single and others of q
double letter S placed longitudinally. These
accidents occurred almost invariably at
tresles and culyerts. There were 10 less
than five of them between The Seven-Mile
junction and Jedburg. In other places the
track had the appearance of being kinked
for miles. but always in these cases in the
direction of the rails.
The train at the time Of the earthquake
was running along at the usual speed, and
when about Il mile south Of Jedburg it en-.
countered Il terrible experience 1t was
freighted with hundreds of excursionists re-
turning from the mountains. They were
all gay and happy, laughing and talking,
when nll Of a sudden, in the language of one
OF the excursionists, the train appeared to
have left the track and was going up, up,
up into the air. This was the rising wave.
Suddenly it descended, and as it rapidly fell
it was flung first violently over to the east,
the side of the car apparently leaning over
at less than all angle of forty-tige degrees
Then there was reflex action, and the train
rghted and was hurled with roar as of
discharge OF artillery over to tie west and
finally subsidized Oh the track and took
plunge downward, evidently the descending
wave. The engineer put down the brak es
tight, but so great was the original and
added momentum that the train kept right
ahead. 1t is said on trustworthy authority
that the train actually gal!oped along the
track, the front and rear trucks of the
coaches rising and falling alternately. The
utmost confusion prevailed women and
children shrieked with dismay and the BRAY.
est heart quailed in momentary expectation
of more terrible catastrophe. Tho Rev.
Ellison Capers CHANGED to be OH hoard, and
he lost no time in conveying as best he could
in the agony OF the moment, the best advice
and counsel he could offer. The train was
then taken back in the direction Of Jedburg,
and on the way back the work of the earth.
quake was terribly patent. The train had
| actually passed over one of those serpentine
curves already described, and it is the sim.
pie truth to state that every soul on board
was saved solely through the interpostion
Of Divine providence