Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-19
Frightful Accident TO q Florida Train
TWcnty.Tnree Persons Killed.

Frightful Accident to n Florida Train
Twcnty.Tnree Persons Killed.
The first section OF the cuban fast mail, from
New York for Jacksonville, went through trestle
On the Savannah, Florida and western Railroad
Just after crossing the Hurricane River. mile
east OF Blackshear, Pierce County, Ca, about 30
O'Clock saturday morning. Twenty-three were
Killed and between thirty and forty injured. The
Train was composed Of an engine, a combination
baggage and smoking car. q passenger coach, two
Pullman sleepers and the private car OF A. p Will
Dur, president o; the Lehigh Valley Railroad The
train had crossed the river and the engine gotten
GEAR I the trestle when the rest OF the train
broke through and fell 40 feet to the ground The
computation car struck first. and the others
tunpled on IL, crushing and grinding everything.
work 10 relieve their low-passengers who were
In tne wreck. The people from Blackshear gave
issuance AS soon as word OF the frtghtful accl-
aent reached savannah a relief train, with four
Teen doctors and big corps of assistants left at
once, ana shortly afterward another relief train,
MIN elgnt surgeons and many volunteer nurses
LIon among the guests Of the hotels, were sent out
OF Jacksonville to the scene
ddn .restie OF Hurricane river is about 500 or
10, teet IN length, and the break includes 400
ieet at the west end the tender OF the engine lodg
ing against the abutment. The baggage car left
tne track on the treStle, which accounts for the
ACCIDENT. The ties show where the trucks cut
deep into them. 1t was this car that careened the
rear cars, and by its strain dragged the tender
Gown. Had II not been for the presence OF mind Of
nelneer Richard WEIGH, much more horrible
IaIe Would have been In store fOn the wounded.
Hurrledly dipatching the engine with a fireman to
blackshear he ran down TO the wreck, and with
sne assistance OF the porter OF the Pullman car
MINERVA, extinguished the fire which had broken
oG, IA tne baggage car. The accident Is the nrst
since IL was built, thirty five years ago.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
The following is list OF the killed: VIM. A..
Martin, Union News Co., Bridgeport, Ohio; w. B.
Geiger, of Savannah; c. A. Fulton, master OF
transportation Brunswick and Western Railway
I; NJ; smith, the Pullman conductor; Jno. Il. Ray,
BiacKahear; Jn0 II. Pate, Hawkinsviile, Ga; +. p.
thompson. n. Y; Mrs. G. W. Kelly, Palatka, Fla.
W. A. McGrin, Columbia; Mrs. w. A. Shaw and
daughter, Jacksonville, Fla; NJ: A. Wilbur, son OF
+. p; Wilbur, Bethlehem, Pa; Chas. Pear and COf-
fee Williams. Naldosta; Lloyd Dawson and Caesar
roster, Waycross; Moses Gate. Waycross; j. II.
hnIi09rt, Philadelphia, Pa, and five unknown
The list OF the injured embraces thirty-nve
names, some seriously perhaps fatally. hurt.
New lork, slightly; /. B; Wilbur, president
hehlgh Valley Railroad, bethlehem; W. A. Wilbur,
Betnehem, Pa; r. !. Wilbur, Bethlehem, Pa. !;
ger agent Rome, Watertown and OgdensDurg
Railroad; Capt o. W. Wallace travelling agent OF
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, dangerously
injured internally; Gen. Ferrere and wife, New
York. badly injured; Fred. Maynard OF Utica, N.
T., reported killed, was but slightly injured.
homes, and Others will be embalmed and sent.
The severely wounded are still at Waycross. MI.
Gould and his wife and the Wilbur family are at
BlackShear, near the scene OF the accident, and a
special car has been placed at their disposal by
The savannah, Florida and Western Railway.
GEO. GoULD's WONDERFUL ESCAPE.
Geo. j. Gould and wife, with their child and its
nurse, had taken the train at New York to 60
jacksonville TO meet the formers father, Jay
Gould, who was expected there in his yacht. His
- huf sprip SU tn
Jured. He SAID the accident occurred so suddenly
there was no time to think. They were speeding
along when the whole train went through the
treStle, with the exception OF the locomotive The
cars pied ON one another, and the wreck took fire.
Had II not been for the promptnesS with which
the flames were subdued great many more lives
would Ii I'VE been lost, as great many OF the In
lured were pinned in By the wreck and could only
De released by being cut out with axes. 1t was
dreadful TO hear the cries Of the wounded, who
realized their awful danger The passengers
worked hard to relieve the sufTeriags OF the in
jured, and strove valiantly TO eXtricate those In
the wreck. Men showed their nerve, and the
women did too. Nearly every one in the sleeper
with Mr. Gould'5 party was either killed or Sc
rlously Injured Though Mr.. Gould spoke very
mOGeSt!y about his own work, his fellOw-paSSen-
gers say he was one or the hardest workers in
helping the men clear the wreckage off from the
unfortunate ones ana In assisting the wounded
Mrs. GOULD also acted Ike a brave woman. The
entire party was much unneryed by the calamity
but very thankful Tor their escape.
Mr.. Geo. Could and wife arrived at Jacksonville
reporter Mr. Gould said: "Neither myself nor wife
Is much injured, but our escape was miracle My
vile, although not seriously injured is very stiff
from the shaking up caused b. the sudden stop
and turning over OF the coach. The only injury I
received was slight cut one ear and one ON the
forehead, which ala not amount TO anything l
came down to meet my father, whom | expect to
arrive at FernandIna in his yacht in a day or two
lie left st. Thomas Tuesday afternoon, and eX-
pected TO remain Two days in Nassau On his way
Florida"
j. H. Hurlbut. who was killed in the accident,
was member OF the firm OF Huribut q Bean, per-
trip TO the South for his house. He leaves a wife
and child.
President Wilbur. OF the Lehigh Valley Railroad
left his home at Bethlehem Pa. on Wednesday
last. 10 attend meeting OF the stockholders of his
road in Philadelphia. This meeting was to have
been held on Tuesday, but, on account OF the
storm, was postponed until Thursday. ON Thurs
day afternoon, at ~ 30 O'Clock, Mr.. Wilbur LETT for
The South in his special car Minerva. He was ac-
cOmpaned by his wife and three sons, Roland and
Warren Wilbur, both OF whom had their own fam
lies with them, and Merritt Wilbur. The party
was bound for Jacksonville. Only a short time ago
the last transportation boat OF the Lehgh line was
launched and, with many miSglvings, it was
named the Z. =. wilbur. The misgvings were due
TO the fact that three former boats had been named
after Harry Packer, Robert Packer, aud Mr.. Mer-
cur, officers or the iine and all three men died
within three years. Merritt Wilbur, who was
killed, was thirteen years Old. President Wilbur
has very severe scalp wound. W. A. Wilbur has
a neSh wound on the chin, cut deeply but not
seriously. K IL. Wilbur, another son OF President
Wilbur has his left wrist Spralned and is bruised
In the side, not serious.