The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-31

Some had their heads burned off and OF
others nothing was left but the mere
skeleton. AS rapidly as possible the re-
mains were taken out and laid in row
| on the river bank.
At o'clock twenty bodies had been
found and no more were in sight. 1t is
possible, however, that there are still
others under the wreck and also that some
may be hidden by the water. Of the sur
vvors Sam Spence was the only one OF
the train crew that escaped alive. lie
was the colored fireman. He jumped
from the engine while it was in mid-air
and landed in the water some distance
from where the engine landed. His only
injury was a broken arm. He left the
scene for Blocton on foot almost imme-
diat ely after the wreck apparently crazed
with fright.
The railroad officials have not yet been
able to see him and get Il statement. VI
the eight other survivors three were
children, all of whom had their feet burn
ed and mashed and lady who had both
feet crushed Their names have not yet
been learned. The other three were
Henry Hanbury, conductor, from! Birm,
ingham, who was taking his wife and
Gardner and Andrew Bryson, miners,
from Blocton. Hamburg was in the same
seat with his wife and children when the
crash came. The latter three were killed
and he was pinned down and would have
been burned alive had he not been res
cued by Bryson and Gardner. These two
men also saved the unknown woman and
three children who were likewise pinned
down and appealing piteOusly for help.
by they, by the time they had rescued
those five persons, had to desist in their
work of rescue, as the flames became so
intense as to make it impossible to get
near them. 1t is thought that fully three
fourths of the dead were killed outright
in the crash, while the other five persons
who were pinned down were rescued only
in time to save cremation. Gardner and
Bryson were both badly hurt, and Han
bury will probably die
The flames had completed the work of
destruction before any help arrived. The
country around the scene of the accident
is sparcely settled and the few farmers
who heard of the wreck and went to
the scene arrived too late to be of any |
assistance except to the survivors. |
DR.. Ray, a Blocton physician who at
tended Gardner, one of the survivors, tel |
tonight the statement made by |
Gardner says when he felt the cars leave |
Gardner as to the cause of the wreck.
the track he looked out and saw three
men rushing from hiding
place down towards the waters edge |
and that after the wreck they went |
through the wrcckage robbing the dead
and wounded and then fled to the woods.
They did their work quickly and offered
10 assistance whatever in any way. This
story, however, has not yet been corrob
,rated, but other facts lead to show that
t was the work of train wreckers.
An examination of the engine shows
hat Engineer White had shut off the
steam and reversed it before going down,
that he saw danger ahead as
lie approached the bridge and tried to
stop his train. His charred body was
ound with his hand on the throttle. The
survivors all agree that the train left the
rack and jumped along the ties and then
With a crash plunged through the bridge.
expert engineers say that there is every
Indication that Il rail was removed, which
lerailed the train and caused it to pull
he bridge down. The cross ties show
he marks of the wheels. TO add to
his is the fact that three men tried to
wreck a Southern Railway train near
Henry Ellen, fifteen miles east of here,
restle ninety feet high, The fast ey
ross left the track. hut the engineer,
,v sunerhuman effort. managed TO sion
= hofpra If torn down The trcstle This |
was regorded as most remarkable es-
.ono In This case three men were seen
mining from the Mace and n crowbar
With which the spikes had been drawn |
dents are in wild, mountainous coun- |
'rr "'' ~ WING '''''
trbo roi,rood officials furnish tbe fol- |
on,;n,, LET Of load ot a latn hour tonight.
lanes Roil;n~ Gntbrie XIV eynTess
,,ossnnSor '7' >''
Eroni? White onpineer birmingham.
" ID C,onnoli cnndnctor Rirminghom
Gooroo 1'nrnav focman Rirmingham.
- Wohh R;rn;n"5am
R y, ' Pb;,lins RIocton
Nv Iianrw p IJandhurv and Two chill
1ran p;rm;noban ''''
''TTn' ' Warf;n Rroo,,wood
p IT Rinnnt Ripmin%hom colored
II. IL llouh'' IN ih'h5h"" N'i''N'