Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1891-08-29
WHAT CAUSED THE WRECK
THE ENGINE DID NOT LEAVE
THE TRACK FIRST.
The Evidence IL Somewhat Con.
hictinR, But the "Daisy" Was
Apparently the Fiwst Car to
Leave the Track-BaRgaRe Prob

Apparently the FirSt Car to |
Leave the Track-BaRRaYe Prob
ably Robbed.
SrATEsvILLE, N. c., Aug. 2S.-[Special
The absorbing question here this after
noon is, who was responsible for Thurs
day mornings disastrous wreck?
The twenty-three ghastly corpses, and
twenty-five manned and dishgured sur
vivors Of the terrible calamity, have, for
the most part. been sent to their homes,
and public interest has turned to the
cause OF the diaster.
About all the railroad A.agnates are
here, among them Col. A. B. Andrews,
Superintendent Bridgers W. A. Turk,
W. H. Green. general manager of the R. &
ID. system, K. p. Foster. and the division
superintendent of the Pullman company
The authorities of the road claim
that the wreck was due to the work OF
wreckers. In support of this they say
that the spikes and bolts which held the
| rails and crOssties to the wooden string
,rs across the yiaduct, had been de-
liberately drawn by some persons un-
known, and the train thereby wrecked.
To prove this they will produce as evil
dence spikes, with marks upon them in
dicating that they had been freshly
dra wr. and bolts with the taps removed
with no marks or breaks in the threads
to indicate that it had been done by yio-
ence. These bolts and spikes. under
stand were found upon the top ot the
bridge by Superintendent Bridgers, and
as soon AZ he discovered them number
of the crowd were called to witness their
position and condition.
THE CITIZEN representative was unable
to view the wreck until this morning,
after all the damage to the rails and
crossties had been repaired, and can give
no opinion as to its cause.
Editor Caldwc,I's Opinion.
Editor ]. p. Caldwell gives it as his
opinion that the track spread by reason
Of rotten ties on the fill Immediately east
T the viaduci, thus causing the accident.
Mr.. Caldwell stated to THE CITIZEN
that he saw these rotten ties when he
visited the scene of the wreck shortly
after it occurred.
One thing appears to he reasonably
sure, and that il that the engine did not
leave the track first.
The track for fully half mile east OF
and across the bridge, is down grade and
perfectly straight. The approach to the
bridge is upon very heavy hll, and the
train no doubt moving at very iap'd
rate, as the structure is of such Il char
actcr az to be thought as solid ns the
earth itself. 1t is built of rock and brick,
and has five arches or spans. 1t is per-
haps 200 feet long.
, The entertainments on either side are
very abrupt, and the height from the
ground at the centre arch to the track
level above 10 70 feet.
The train was composed of engine
combination baggage aud smoking car
frst-class car, the sleeping car "Saluda,
and Superintendent Bri11ers' private
car Daisy"
In the wreck the engine was resting
against the western embankment, para
lei with the track, its tender reaching
down to about the level land. The bag
gage and smoking car was in the Hat
lis forward end upon the tender of thu
, engine. The hrst-class coach almost
covered the smoker. Superintendent
Bridgers' car, Daisy, the rear one in thu
train, was piled upon the tlrst.clas
coach. and the sleeper, "Saluda," th'
last coach but one in the trains make
up, was on top, its rear end almos
touching the embankment on the east.
A Theory.
This position of the cars has given ris
to the theory in the minds of many tha
the Daisy was the first car to leave tn
track, and that she pulled the remande
y, of the train after her, the whole goin
7 from the bridge with sidelong sweep.
The track, together with the cross ties
throughout the whole length of tn
bridge, were swept clear from the string
ers and carried into the gorge with tn
+ wreck, but the bridge itself was left will
out mark Of damage upon it. Til
steel rails were twisted into every cor
ceivable shape, and interviewer in tn
wreck in every direction.
1t has been asserted that at lea.
some Of the baggage on the wrecke
T train was gone through by robbel
Up. Mudd, d. NJ. Drenncn, Mrs. v
n, Malone and Miss Jean Daniel, OF Bi
mingham, Alabama, and Miss Ella Hou
ton and Miss Emma Houston, OF Athcn
4, Alabama, had baggage on the train, co
ssting of clothing, diamonds and 9th
jewelry, valued at $4,000 This part
got off the train at Statesville. The
had been visiting Morehead, and we
- coming to Ashcville to spend some tim
and stopped at Statesville at the earne
request si the ladies of the part
TO break their journey by day
rest. The condition OF some of the
trunks lof which there were six after b
., ins taken from the wreck was such as
lead them to believe that they had be
robbed. No jewelry was found.
&c. Bodie, of Chicago, a drunm
also had valuable diamonds in his ba
gage, it is said, and only one ring, SIS
one, was recovered. This was found
the fob pocket OF his trousers, togetl
with 500 bill, when he was being I
dressed, and the discovery was due
'' the suggestion OF someone who had Sc
him put the money in that particu
pocket the day before i'll Statesville.
The trunks and valises taken from
we're were almost torn to shreds, and
they were piled On the platform and in
freight depot at Statesville for asso
mcnt, presented a confused and jumb
MI mass. Nearly every article was &C
plete loss.
Their Necks Broken,
One remarkable feature connected W
those killed outright was that the ne
of all but two OF them were found
have been broken.
.EE The Man whe Took up the Rs
we SrATEsvlLLE. n. c., August 2!
Especial. l-Adolph Hubbard and
liam Henry, both colored, of Mar
age have beeu accounted for s.
your last report. Both were inju
,p,,. neither badly. Sink and the remair
of the wounded are better today.
The unidentified body of white
eliv. seuger appears to be one Wardlow
,out Carinth, Miss.