The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-08-24
THE BRIDGE GAVE WAY
And tho Train Fell Into the Creck-Ssven
Persons X ilIod.

Persons KilIod.
RICHMOND. VA. Aug, 1G-A special
to the Dispatch from Danville, Va.
SAYS: An awfu! accident occurred at
tne county line trestle, just East of
Milton, g., this morning at 2.5O
o'clock Oy which two passenger coaches
ana sleeper were precipitated into
the creek below, Il distance of sixty
feet and the killing of seven persons
outright and the wuunding of a nun
per OF others. The train left here at
50 this morning and was the regular
tram bound for Portsmouth. After
passing through Milton and going over
the trestle the engineer, Peyton Tun.
stall, who says he was running at the
tate OF ten miles an hour, felt the
orluge giving way; he threw open the
throttle, and the engine, tender and a
box Car got safely over, but the passen-
ger car was too late and the span went
doWn under It's weight, the second pas
senger car and sleeper following.
Inc cars were Shlvered into klndllng
WOOD, and the escape Of any of the pas
sengerS was miracle. The water in
the creek had risen to the depth of II
or more feet, and it is the general be-
lief that the rise had undermined the
foundation of the iron piers, causing
In treStle to settle. On the train at
the time there were sixteen persons,
including the train hands, but only one
OF them, Conductor Morris Of Forts.
mouth was killed, none OF the others
receiving Injuries. In the sleeper WAS
Mrs. Harvey Giersch, two children and
nurse of Winston, n. g., Conductor
>. IL. SlZer Of Richm md and !. r,
IoWnes, a colorcd porter. The nurse
WAS drowned and the conductor and
porter, were slightly injured Mrs.
GlerSch was on her way to I.aurens-
vile TO visit friends. The depot agent
AT Milton heard the crash and immedi-
ately gave the alarm by tolling the
nell. Inc people turned out IN fun
force and went to work to rescue the
dead and injured from the debris.
Mr. ). l.. SiZer, the Pullman conduc-
Tor, IN speaking OF the accident, says:
had gotten through with my collec-
Ii%ns aud had reported to Captain Nor
rls,. VINO had passed forward on the
traln, and was preparing to retire
when the crash came. Fortunately IT,
was in the forward end of my car
MIS-. GlerSch's nurse was in the rear
end OF the car when she was found
WIN her head and chest under the wa.
Ter, ana was probably drowned. as
Inere was no heavy timbers or auv
thlng else on her body that might have
caused her death. The little thirteen
year-old daughter of Mrs. Giersch. no,
reailzlng the ianger through which
Sne had passed, said to the rescuers
'Dont mind me, am not hurt, bu
please take mamma ont" The follow
ing IS the list Of killed and wounded:
hilied-l. Norris, conductor, Ports
mouth, Va; w. II. Eliason, Alton, Va.
| Il |. fnr
| Ea; w. IL. ELAN, IF Durham, N. G.
James 5. Lowe, railroad conducto,
from the West, who WAS passen ger,
Ih0Inas Lee, colOred, Of Winston. N
-; EranclS Jenkins, cOlOred. of Salem
n. G.. ''''"''
-. Wounded Mrs. Harvey Giersch Of
Salem, \. g., slightly injured; j. l..
Hlzer OF Richmond, Pullman conduc-
Tor, loot IN tshed and hurt slightly in
Side; j. 4. Townes, col0red porter on
iuilman, slightly bruised about the
nody; Davis, llagmaD, hurt about the
nead ana lace and foot sp:ained The
iiiJurleS q: none OF the wounded Will
nkely prove serious. The dead were re-
moved to the railroad depot at Milton
where they were kept until the arrival
OF the Coroner from Halifax, G.. H., the
accident occurring on the Halifax side
Ol the creek. The loss Will be very
heaVy To the railroad company, as the
cars and full span of the bridge are a
TOTAL loss. The passengers. mail, bag
gage, irelghts, etc, are passing on
through, they being transferred ut the
creek.
MeSsrs. Elam and Davis, who were
killed, were in Danvllle yesterday and
ire 1ormer had concluded at on3 time
hoI 10 leave for home until today, but
aiIeFWardS changed his mind and went
ny an early morning train. A number
Oh persons from the two DanvillpS
went TO the scene Of the wreck, several
golng on bicycles from North Danviilp.
Captain Morris was chief of the Is. f..
lee division of the order of Railroad
Conductor, and leaves wife and a
grown son and daughter.