The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-06-09

With the elements in a ferment, the rain |
pouring in torrents, the wind blowing, amid |
impep petrable darkness, Jack Germany, one |
Of the most reliable engineers in the State, !
sits on the box of his favorite locomotive, |
with his trusted fireman close by, thinking |
no doubt Of happy return to his home in
short hours time. II is the midway
period between midnight and the dawn
The wet rails gl;sten under The light of the
locomotive as he watches them On the
train rolls. Jack has guided trains under
like condition for tweuty-four years: he
knows that the storm threatens iDjnry 10
the track, but he has no fear. lie has his
train moving not faster than seventeen
miles an hour. for in his pocket are the
orders from headquarters telling him net 10
exceed that speed and to be careful. His
watchful eye keeps a sharp lockout and his
train enters cut The grade was steep,
and he lets the train run down of its own
momentum. As II comcs from a cut, and
the eye Of the engineer giances down the
rails on the cmbaukmert he can detect moth
ing wrong.
Suddenly the engine bcgins tc drop. In
one instant the engineer realizes that what
he supposed was n great solid embank meut,
is au abyss. lie barely realizes the situa-
ton. In Que moment more the engine has
struck thirty feet below. and the engineer
and fireman have been hurled into eternity.
The sleeping passengers are awakened by
sharp shock, followed by q fearful crash
fhcfe is not sound save the continued roar
of the rain and wind, and the kissing of
escaping steam. So1r the noStri;s of the
passengers detect the smell If human flesh
burning.
The above is in brief the ory of the hor-
lible railroad accident by which engineer
Jack Germany and fireman Thomas ID.
Henry. of the Richmond s. Danville rail
roai lost their lives mt 3:5S O'Clock ycstcr-
day morning. at point just two miles and
half on this side of Ridgcwny. only lwcu-
iy.onc miles from Columbia.
The sad intelligence of the death of the
popular Jack Germany and his gentlcmanly
fireman spread over ihe entire city and it
was not long before crowds were going
towards the Richmond x Dauviile Offices ID
ask for details. Mr.. Germany was very
popular with NIL classes Of people
1t was 1910 before the special returned
TO the city, bringing the passengers of the
ill-fated train, who had been transferred.
and the remains of the engineer and fire.
man. There was an immense crowd Mt the
depot to meet them.
ROASTED BODIES.
Mr.. Germany was fcarful,y scaldci. But
he had been dead before the steam touched
him, as was shown by y large wound in the
forehead ani the bruised condition of the
body. An examination showed. too, that
the vcrtebral column had been broken. 6
The treman's body was badly mutilatcl,
II anything, even worse than that Of the
engineer. There was n hole through the
head rs large as ones finger aud about two
inches in depth, where Il bolt had gone
through. The skull was broken in several
other places.
The railroad shops were shut down and
the employees showed their high regard for
the two men who had lost cir lives by the
manner in which they assisted when they
were pcrmitted to do so. The death of no
man in the service could have affected them
more than that Of Jack Germany.
HOW THE BODIES WERE EXTRICATED.
1DDlipeer Germany was found pinned
ai.u If the boiler with his back
nsYLc tender turned