The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-01-10
TRAIN NRECKERS.
TWO DAsTARDLY ATTEMPTS TO DE.
sTBOY LIFE AND PROPERTY
ny WHOLESALE!
TWO PASSENGER TRAINS DEMoLIsH-
ED by RUNNING INTO OPEN
SWITCHES.
A FIREMAN KILLED AND THE ST.
CHARLES MILL BURNED.
The Passengers Escaped with their Lives
As If by Miracle.

| As III by miracle. .
On last Sunday night about 7o'clOck
the entire population of Brookhaven was
thrown into wild commotion by the
sudden ringing of the fire bell Religious
services were just opening at the Method
st and Baptist churches, and most of the
congregations at each church forgot their
devotions for the time being and rushed
out upon the streets in response to the
alarm. 1t was soon learned that report
was current that No. passenger train,
which had passed here at half-past six
going south, had beeu wrecked at Cedar
Hill Switch, two miles south of town, and
that the train was burning, together with
u number of killed and wounded passen~
gers.A large number of our citizen at once
started to the scene of the accident, but
were soon met by Conductor J@wett. and
some of the passengers, who brought he
welcome news that while the train was O
complete wreck, the passengers and train
crew had escaped without serious injury,
and that the fire had all been extnguish-
ed before it got under way.
The wreck, however, was notable one
at best 1t seems that at Cedar Hill
Switch, which Is used by Mr.. w. C.
Chamberlin for loading lumber from his
mills, there were five freight cars stand
ing on the side-track, three of which
were loaded with lumber, one with corn,
and the fifth empty. On Sunday evening,
after the last train had gone north, some
demon incarnate, broke the lock to the
switch, and when the passenger train
going south came laundering along at
the rate of IS miles an hour, 1t dashed in
to the switch and collided with the stand
ing freight cars with force that was
heard for two or three miles away. 1t is
reported that engineer Jarvis discovered
the open switch an instant before run
ming into it, but too late to do anything
but apply the air brakes, and didn't even
have time to reverse the engine, before
the crash came. Old railroad men and trav-
elers say they never saw such railroad
wreck before without serious loss of life
and limb. The engine dashed into the
front freight car, which was loaded with
lumber, including several heavy timbers
12x12, and was completely dismantled and
crushed, splitting the car in twain, and
scattering the lumber right and left.
The top of the engine cab, smoke-stack,
tender aud express car, were thrown sew
eral feet east of the switch and almost
buried in tImbers. The smoking car was
khrown from the track and stood upon it's
side with one end crushed in, aud the
mail ear was thrown still further east and
stood between tho smoker and express.
Just few feet north of the smoker, stood
the ladies' coach, ut right angles across
the switch and main track, with plat
forms torn off, and lastly, the sleeper
stood little north of it, OF its tracks and
badly creaned to one side. All the, freight
cars which had been standing on the
track were; more or less smashed, with
about one hundred feet of platform, and
the whole presented a scene which would |
compare for destruction, with Bcaure-
gard the morning after her memorable
cyclone.
1t seems nothing short of miracle
that no one was killed or seriously hurt. |
That such wreck could occur aud not at |
least score of people be killed aud
wounded, appears incredible.
Engineer Jarvis remained on his cab
seat, and besides the shock and slight
cut OH the head, was not hurt, though |
everything else about. :the cab was swept
away. The negro fireman jumped and
was afterwards picked up stunned, but
not seriously hurt, and with the exception
of few scratches aud slight bruises
among the passengers, there were no
other personal injuries.
The railroad hands got tO'work Sunday
night clearing the wreck and repairing
the track, and 10y ten o'clock Monday morn
ing had the way clear for other trains,
though it took several days longer to
straighten out the entire wreck.