Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-01-19
TRAIN WRECKERS.
Two DastardIy Attempts to
Destroy Life and Property by
lVp,..na.otn

Destroy Life and Property by
Wholesale.
Gu last Sunday night ebout Z O'Clock
the entire popula ton of Brookhaven
was thrown into Wild commotion by
the sudden ringing Of the FIRE bell.
Religious services. we're Just opening at
the Methodist and Baptist churches,
and most Of the Congregations at each
church forgot their deyotiops for the
time being and rushed out upon the
streets in response to the alarm. Il
was soon learned that report was
current that No. l passenger train
which had passed here at half past SIX
going South, had been wrecked at
J Cednr Hill Switch, two miles South oil
town, aud that the train was burning
together with number of killed and
wounded passengers. A large number
of our citizens 1T once started to the
scene Of the accident, but were soon
met by Conductor Jewett, aud some OF
the passengers, who brought the vel
come news that while the train was 4
complete wreck, the passengers and
and train crew had escaped without
serious injury, and that the fire had al
been extinguished before ii got undei
way.
The wreck however, was notable
one at best~1t seems that at Cedar
Hill Switch, which is used by slr. W.
G. Chamberlain for loading lumber
from his mills, there were five freight
cars standing on the sile-track, three o.
which we're loaded with lumber, ONT
will, corn, and the fifth empty On
Sunday evening, after the last trail
had gone north, some demon, iucar
nate, broke the lock to the switch, ami
when the passenger traia going soutl
came laundering along at the rate Q
50 miles an hour. it dashed into the
switch and COLI led with the standing
freight cars With a force that was her,
for two or three miles away. 1t is re.
ported that engineer Jarvis discovered
the opeu switch an instant before ran
ming Into it, but too late to do any
thing but apply the air brakes, an,
didn't have timo to reverse his engine
before the crash came. Old railroa,
men and travellers say they never say
shuch a railroad wreck before withou
serious loss of life aud limb. TIL!
engine dashed into the front freieh
car. which was loaded with iumbel
includi 6 several heavy timbers l2x12
AMI was completely dismautlod an,
crushed, splitting the car in twain an,
scattering the lumber right md left
The top Of the engine cab, smoke
stack, tender and express car, wer
thrown several feet east of the sWitcl
and almost buried in timbers. TIL,
smoking car was thrown from the trac
and stood upon its side with one en-
c,ushed in, and the mail Car wa
thrown still further east and sloo
between the smoker and express JAS
few feet north of The smoker; stoo
the ladies' coach, at right angles aeros
tie switch and main track, with plat
forms torn off, and lastly, the sleepe
stood a little north Of it, off its truck
and badly creaned to one side All TIL
freight cars which had been standin
on the track were more or lees
smashed, with about one hundred fee
Of platform, and the whole pres' nted
scene which would compare for destruc
ton, with Deauregard the mOrnin
after the memorable cyclone.
1t seems nothing short of miracl
that no one was killed or seriousl
hurt That such a wreck could oceu
and not at least q score Of people b
killed aud wounded, appears Incredible
Engineer jarvis remained on his ca
seat, and besides the shock of a sligh
cut on the head, was not hurt, thong
every thing else about the cab wa
swept away. The negro iremal
jumped and was afterwards picked u
stunned, but not seriously hurt, an
with the exception of few scratche
ana slight bruises among the passen
gers, there we're no other persona
injuries.
The railroad hands got to work Sun
day night clearing the wreck and repair
ing the track, and by ten o'cloc
Monday morning had the way clear 70
other trains, though it took several day
longer to straighten out tho entir
wreck.