The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-02-07
ARailroad Collision.

ARailroad Collision.
CHARLOTTE, N. O., January 23-
The northbound freight train which left
Charlotte last Saturday morning, consist
ing of thirty.fve cars, and drawn by big
consolidated engine No. 100, Was wrecked
at the siding at Mizpah, near Reidville,
at 9 O'Clock that night. The wreck WAS
terrible one. The Mizpah siding is the
place where the northbound and south
bound passenger trains meet. 1t is a
small siding, just long enough to hold a
passenger train clear of the main line.
It is what railroad men Gala "spur,"
AND can only be entered by the north
bound train. The northern end of the
siding terminates abruptly on the trestle
over a small creek. The switch was
misplaced and the engine turned out on
the spur, and reaching the end Of the
track. plunged down to the creek bed,
carrying fourteen cars withit. Engineer
w. A. Kinney was at the throttle, and
Fireman 81. A. Adams was shoveling
coal. As the train approached the fatal
spot the engineer had just finished his
supper, and had handed his lunch basket
to the colored brakeman, who mounted
the forward end fthe box Car next to the
tender and placing the basket between his
knees began to eat the lunch given him by
the engineer. Just at this moment the
train was approaching the siding and 60:
ing down grade at the rate Of thirty.five
miles an hour. The pilot wheels struck
the switch cliclsety.click. The engine
lurched to the right, and leaving the
main line, forged forward on the short
spur. A sense of impending disaster
flashed upon the engineer in moment
and he ,,leaped from the engine, at the
same time calling to the fireman to jump.
Before the fireman could realize the situa-
ton the end Of the spur had been reached
and he was buried under the tender with
the wreckage of fourteen box cars piled
above him. The colored brakeman, who
was eating his lunch at. the time, was
buried in the wreck and his body has ney.
or been recovered. His name was Sydney
Lee.
The scene of the wreck was terrible.
Theengine turned a complete somersault,
and the cars we're piled upon and over it,
completely covering it from sight. Inn
mediately following the crash there was
an ominious silence, which was broken
after time by the groans Of the luckless
fireman, who MAS pinned down under
the tender, and resting over and. above
the tender we're the broken remains Of
nine box cars. By and by little
tongue Of fame shot up from the wreck.
The trains crew could see the fireman
way down. among the wreckage, and
securing buckets, they bailed water upon
him to keep him from being burnt to
death. Word was sent to Reidville, and
in short time the Reidville fire engine
was on the scene and was playing on the
burning cars. The fireman remained
under the wreck until 5 o'clock Sunday
morning, when he was rescued.
When the rescuing party had cleared
away it was found that the iron, work
of the tender still pinned him down, and
this had to be cut away with coal chisels.
All this time stream of water had to be-
kept playing upon him and his rescuera.
When drawn from the wreck it Vas found
that one of his hands had been cut off
and the flesh along his side and across
his back had been cut open in great gash-
es. Several of his bones were broken and
Ills flesh was blistered. Fireman Adams
Lived in Richmond, and vas formerly
|, employed at the Tredegar iron works.
He may recover. The engineer was but
slightly hurt. The body of the brakeman
is believed to have been burned with the
cars. The switch is believed to have
been turned for the purpose of wrecking
the passenger train. The engine, one of
the finest on the road, together With four
teen cars and their contents of merchan-
disc, are complete loss to the railroad
company.