The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-07-31
Train Wrecked near Columbia.

COLUMBIA, July 2s.-A terrible freight
wreck occurred at o'clock this morning
on the Columbia aud Greenville Road,
just three miles north of the city. An
engine was made old iron and seven cars
were totally destroyed, but miraculously
no lives were lost, though Engineer Mad
den and Fireman Mcdonald were seri-
ously hurt.
AS far as could be learned the wreck
occurred as follows: The regular freight
train from Greenville, in change of Con-
ductor Robb and Engineer Land, had
reached heavy grade near the city. The
train consisted of forty-seven cars, and
when the engine got to the steep grade
just north Of the cemetery it was stalled
and could not pull over. Conductor
bound to do under any circumstances,
but he knew that special freight train
was Just behind him. It is said that the
engineer thought he right succeed in
making the pull over the grade, and in
attempting to do so coupling pin broke
and five cars rushed back wards down the
grade. The fagman was on duty, but he
could do nothing, and the cars rushed
backwards, gaining velocity at every
turn of the wheel.
Just about this time the extra train
came in sight, and, knowing the hard run
he had to make up the grade, Engineer
Madden was running at about forty-ive
miles an hour. Seeing the cars coming
down on him he reversed his engine, and
had hardly time to do that when the
crash came. His engine was knocked
completely off the track and jumped di-
agonally across it to one side.
The wreck covered both him and his
Co. <>cr I'd ND
the escaping steam made 1t almost GER
Both, however, after extraordinary efforts
pulled themselves out, and though badly
injured they will not die.
The wreck Immediately caught fire
from the engine, and soon the seven cars
were reduced to ashes. The engine, too,
was so badly damaged that nothing re-
mains of it except mass of iron.
The collision made loud report, which
was heard in the city. AS soon as 1t was
all over runner came to Columbia and
gave information about the wreck, and a
train was Immediately sent out. Large
crowds visited the scene to-day, and the
Palmetto Fire Engine was sent out by
the city to extinguish the fire and enable
the wrecking train to clear the track.
| So far as can be learned none Of the
train crew was at fault. Conductor
Robb, as soon as he realized that the en-
gine could not pull over the grade, went
forward. He left a negro on the rear of
| the train and sent Brakeman Townes
back the regular distance. When the
! train broke the negro on the cab, seeing
the danger, jumped and was not injured.
Engineer Madden and Fireman Nc
Donald were sent to the hospital. It was
learned that neither of them have received
| any internal injuries and that they will
be out again in few days.
Where the wreck occurred the State
Penitentiary had about fifteen cords Of
wood stacked up. This was all burned.
The rear train had only few boxes
besides the engine. Only one of these
| boxes was thrown off the track and was
burned. The others remained uninjured
on the track. The burned cars were
loaded mostly with cotton seed hulls,
which, with the engine, will represent a
loss Of nearly $4,000 to the Southern
Railroad.
! Another wreck occurred from similar
causes at the same place several years
ago, and, as in this case, no lives were
lost, although several people were seri.
ously wounded. So far as can be learned
the accident seems to have been una
vcidable. Trains often stall on this
| grade, and it is often the case that they
have to be divided before they can be
brought to the city. It was likely the
intention to do this this morning, but the
breaking of the coupling pin upset all
calculations and caused the accident
| Special to NeaOs and Courier.