The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-18
THE NEWS IN THE CITY.
Scenes at the Depot-The Victims of
the Wreck.

Scenes at the Depot-The Victims of
the Wreck.
The news of the disaster was received in
the city at II o'clock and created intense
excitement. The first reports were greatly
exaggerated. The erailroad officials, although
they were besieged with inquiries, could
give very little information. and it was not
until late in the afternoon, when telegraph
connection was established, that any reli-
able information could be obtained.
All that was known up to o'clock was
that the first section Of the south-bound
West India fast mail had gone through a
trestle one mile north of Blackshear and
that upward of fifty people were killed and
injured.
FASTENING TO THE WRECK.
Supt Fleming left on a special relief
train with DR.. William Duncan, chief sur
geon Of the company; Ch eff Operator Davis
and force of telegraph linemen as soon as
the news of the wreck was received and
reached the scene at o'clock. The wires
were cut and a telegraphic station was es-
tablished and communication opened
vestibule train arrived at noon,
and will not go out until this morn
ing. when it will be sent via Jesup, Bruins
wick and Waycross. The Atlantic Coast
Line express which leaves here going south
at 80 O'clock cid not go out all, and the
first train after the relief train, which went
SOUTH was O special which left at o'clock
and carried undertaken Dixon, with thirty
coffins and force of telegraph operators
and linemen.
COMPTROLLER M'KEE's STATEMENT.
The first authenic information concern
ing the wreck was the following statement
made by Comptroller w. B. Mckee:
"The first section of the fast mail train
which left Savannah on Saturday morning,
March II met with terrible accident at
$40 a. M, just after crossing the Hurri-
cane river, and about one mile east Of
Blackshear. The baggage car of the train
mounted the track a quarter Of a mile from
the bridge, which the train crossed
safely, but on the other side
it crashed through the trestle., The entire
train, with the exception of the locomotive
| went down and was completely wrecked.
| The locomotive ran to Biackshear and
physicians and citizens from that place
| hurried to the assistance of the wounded
| AS soon as the news reached Savannah Sn-
perintendent Fleming had train made up
| and went to the wreck, accompanied by Dr.
| William Duncan, chief surgeon of the com
pany Physicians also went from Jesup
| and Waycross. A special train was sent
out in the afternoon with collins in charge
of Undertaken Dixon, to care for the re-
mains of the killed.
The statenent was accompanied by list
of the killed and injured, which up TO 6
| o'clock was nineteen dead and 81 injured.
Later reports increased the number.
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
At z O'Clock Comptroller Mckee received
a telegram from Snpt. Fleming stating chat
the accident was eau ed by a broken axle
under the baggage car that left the
track quarter OF mile
before the train reached the bridge. The
train passed over the bridge. but went
through the trestie on the other side. About
400 feet of the trestle went down. The
train was composed OF a combination bag
gage and smoking car one day coach, two
| Pullman sleepe and "a private car OF the
Lehigh Valley railroad. All Of the
| cars except the private car were
compile ely wrecked. Supt. Fleming has a
full force at work and every effort is being
made TO have the wreck cleared aud the
| damage repaired. Mai. Mckee said that
communication win be opened direc with
Florida in day or two. In the meantime
arrangements have been made to run all
ira rs over the East Tennessee, Virginia
| ard Georgia railroad via Jesup to Bru S.
| wick, and thonce over the Brunswick aud
Western 10 Wavcross. The officials Of
these roads and Supt Hege Of the Central
railroad have rendered every assistance to
the savannah Florida and Western that
they are able to give
SCENES AT THE DEPOT
Crowds of people gathered at the depot in
the afternoon, and the railroad off,
cials were besieged by anxious
nuuiries. The absence Of any
reliable information and the exaggerated
rumors caused the widest excitement
Every report was picked up for what Il WIS
worth The Western Union Telegrap ph
Office was overrun with inquiries, aud " hen
tue first bulletins giving the list of the
dead and injured were posted at the
MORNING NEWS there was rush there.