Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-12-31
A RAILR0AD WRECK.
Twenty People Killed and Several
Fatally Injured In Alabama
TRAIN Goes THROUGH A BRIDGE.


people killed, five fatally injured and
two badly wounded Is the friRhtful re.
suit OF wreck which occurred at 1880
o'clock yesterday morning on the
Birmingham Mineral road, n miles
from this city. The wreck is regarded
as almost certainly accomplished by
the re moval OF rail on the middle
span Of the treste This derailed the
train, which caused 1t to fall between
two spans and precipitated II into the
river 10 feet below. The wreck was
the worst that has ever occurred In the
state, and the survivors are SO few and
are 80 badly hurt that they are unable
to give any detailed description Of how
II all happened. It Is not known and
may never be ascertained just how
many passengers were on the train
Most OF them were miners and resi-.
dents Of mining towns IN this district,
who had round trip tickets and were
returning to their homes along the
line Of the Birmingham Mineral road.
Conductor Cornell, who probably
knew better than anyone else as to how
many passengers were aboard. Is dead.
1t il thought, however, that there we're
not exceeding rs or 80 But one pas
senger purchased ticket at Birming-
ham. The train consisted Of an en-.
CINE, baggage car and two coaches
The Mineral trains operate over the
Southern railways Briarfeld, Blocton
& Birmingham branch under con.
tract arrangement. Six miles south Of
Guerney Is the Cahaba river, shallow
mountain stream, which has Q depth
at this time Of only about three
or four feet. This river is spanned
by an iron bridge with wooden
trestles on each side. Its entire length
Is 800 feet, and the length Of the main
span, where the wreck occurred, Is Ito
feet The bridge was built only four
years ago, and was regarded as very
safe structure. The main span and
the span just beyond it, both made Of
iron, gave way and precipitated the en-
tire train into the river The engine
landed on its side, almost at right
angles with the track. The cars piled
upon each other through the main
span. The entire wreck took fire soon
afterward, and was rapidly burned to
the waters edge. Nine persons alone
escaped alive from all who went down,
and several of them will die.
A few country people gathered at
the scene to render what aid they
could and nine people were got out,
The others being burned up In the
vreckage. When the relief train from
arrived there was little
iced for the army Of physicians that
,ad gone along The wounded were
quickly attended to and then sent to
Stockton for further attention. The
work. Of taking out the dead was en-
cred upon. Nothing was left Of the
but the smoldering remains.
which had burned to the waters edge
)harred corpses were packed in be-
ween the iron framework where the
eats had been. Most Of the bodies q
lad been burned beyond recogni. I
ion. Some had their heads burned off, {
nd OF Others nothing was left but '
mere skeletons. As rapidly as possible ,
he remains were taken out and laid in |
row on the river bank. At four clock I
0 bodies had been found, and no more
we're in sight 1t Is possible, however,
hat there are others under the wreck
ge, and also that some may be hid by y
he water. OF the eight survivors !
hree were children, all OF whom had =
heir feet burned and mashed, and a !;
ady who had both feet crushed
Another serious railroad wreck oc.
urred near the Cahaba river in the y
fternoon. A wreclng train which :"
ad gone to the relief of the Inflated
assenger train was standing on the
me, when 1t was run into by con- Y
truction train from Birmingham, o
which was on its way with men and d
i'm bers to rebuild the destroyed I
ahaba river bridge. Jim Eustis, of a
'oyles. was fatally crushed, aud sew. 2
raj workmen were more or less hurt. v