Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-08-17
FALL OF SIXTY FEET
SEVEN PERSONS WERE KILLED
Tressle Undermined by Frcshet and
Gsys way--Liss or Killed and
wounded

RlcnxoSn. Va. Aug l0.-A special 10
the Dispatch from Danville says: Al
awful accident occurred At the county
line frestle. just east Of Milton. this
morning at go o'clock by which two
passenger coaches and a sleeper were
precipitated sixty feet into the creek
below, killing seven persons outright
and wonnding a number Of Others The
train left here at .55 this morning and
was the regular train bound for Porte
mouth.
After passing through Milton and GO
ing over the trestIe. the engineer. Peyton
Tunstau. who says he was running at
the rate Of ten miles an hour. felt the
bridge giving way; he threw open the
throttle and the engine. tender and a
boz car got safely over. bat the pas
senger car was too late and the span
went down under its weight. the ecctmd
passenger car and the sleeper following.
The cars were shivered into kindling
wood. and the escape Of any Of the pas
sengers was miracle. The water in
the creek had risen 10 thedepth OF twelve
or more feet. ahd il is the general belief
that the rise had undermined the foun-
dation Of the iron piers. causing the
trestle to settle On the train at the
time were about sixteen persons. includ-
ing the train hands. but only one Of the
latter Conductor Morrisof Portsmouth
was killed. none OF the others receiv-
ing serious injuries
In the sleepers were Mrs. Harvey
Giersch. two children and nurse. of
Winston, North Carolina. Conductor j.
l. Sizer OF Richmond. and j. ID. Towns,
colored porter. The nurse was drowned
and the conductor and porter were
slightly injured. Mrs Giersch was on
her way 10 Lawrenceville. TO visit friends.
Help Summoned.
The depot agent at Milton heard the
crash and Immediately gave the alarm
by tolling the bell. The people turned
out in full force and went 10 work at
once to rescue the dead and injured
from the debris.
j. l.. Sizer, the Pullman conductor. in
speaking Of tho accident. says: Il had
just gotten through with my collections
and had reported to Captain Morris.
who had passed forward on the train
and was preparing TO retire when the
crash came. Fortunately. was in the
forward end OF my car. Mrs. Giersch's
nurse was in the rear end OF the car.
where she was found with her head and
chest under the water. and was most
probably drowned. as there was no
heavy timbers or anything else on her
body that might have caused her death
The little l3-yca old daughter Of Mrs.
Giersch. not realizing the danger
through which she had passed. said ~
the rescuers: Don't mind me; | am
not hurt; but please take mamma OUT
Killed and Wounded.
The following is the list OF killed and
wounded:
Killed-H Morris. conductor. Ports
mouth. Virginia; w. II. Ellison. Alton.
Virginia: j. q. Davies, farmer of Bask-
erville. Virginia; W. r. Elan. Durham.
North Carolina; James ;. Lowe, railroad
conductor from the west. who was pass
enger; Thomas Lee lcoloredl. Winston.
North Carolina; Francis Jenkins (col-
ored). Salem. North Carolina.
Wounded:. Mrs. Harvey Giersch OF
Salem, y. c., slightly; J. l.. Sizcr. Rich
mond. Va, Pullman conductor. foot
mashed and hurt slightly in the side;
j. r. Towns. colored porter on Pullman
car, slightly bruised about the body:
- Davis. fagman. hurt about head
and face ard foot sprained. The injur-
les OF none Of the injured will likely
prove serious
The dead were removed 10 the depot
at Milton. where they were kept until
the arrival OF the coroner from Halifax
court house. the accident occurring on
the Halifax side Of the creek.
The loss 20 the company viii be very
heavy. az the cars and full span Of the
bridge will be a total loss.