Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-28
A RAIL WAS REMOVED.
Another Version of Cnhaba Bridge
HorrOr-Two Spans of the
Structure Fell.

Birmingham Ala. says: Fiend in human
fern wrecked the Birmingham Mineral
passenger train, No. 10, at Cahaba river
bridge, twenty-seven miles from here, at
$50 O'Clock this morning and twenty lives
were lost. That number Of bodies has been
recovered from the wreck, and further
search may swell the list of dead. The
wreck is regarded as almost certainly ac-
complished by the removal of a rail on
the middle span of the trestle. This de-
rallied the train, which caused 1t to fall
dowE the two spans and precipitated 1t
into the river, 11O feet below. The wreck
was the worst that has ever occurred in
the state and the survivors are so few,
and are so badly hurt that they are unable
TO give any detailed description of how
It all happened. II is not known, and may
never be ascertained, just how many pass
ergers were on the train. Most of them
were miners and residents 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.
The Conductor Dead.
Conductor Conneil, who probably knew
better than anybody else as to how many
passengers were aboard, is dead. 1t is
thought, however, that there were not ex-
ceeding twenty-five or thirty. But one
passenger purchased ticket at Birming-
han.
The Ill fated train was local passenger,
which left here at 6:SO a. m, and was
scheduled to make a circuit of the Birm-
ingham Mineral. which Is a branch line of
the. Louisville & Nashyitfe road. reaching
the mining towns in the district The train.
consisting of an engine, Il baggage car and
two coaches left here al 6:SO a. m. and
went TO Tacco, on the main line of the
Louisville & Nashville. There 1t switched
Off to the Birmingham Mineral track and
went 10 Guerney and from Guerney to
Blocton.
The Mineral trains operate over the
Southern railways, Briarfeld. Blocton &
Birmingham branch under a contract ar
rangement. Six miles south Of Guerney is
the Cahaba river, n shallow mountain
stream, which hasa depth at this time Of
only about three or four feet. This river
is spRnned by an iron bridge, with wooden
trestles on each side.
Description of the Bridge.
Its entire length is 500 feet and thelength
of the main span where the wreck occurred
is 1l0 feet. The bridge was built only. four
years ago and was regarded as a very safe
structure. The main span and the span
just beyond it, both made of iron, gave
way and precipitated the entire 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 hurned to the
waters edge.
Nine persons alone escaped alive from all
who went down and several of them will
probably die. The first news OF the wreck
was brought TO Hargreve, telegraph
station four miles from the Cahaba river.
by farmer. who said that while passing
near the place he heard a crash. Going
nearer he saw the two spans of the bridge
broken out. He then discovered the burn
ing wreckage in the shallow water below.
He could hear the groans of the wounded
and dying but. without waiting TO see
further he rode horseback to Hargrove as
rapidly as he could, where the operator
telegruphed TO Birmingham and Blocton
for relief. Meanwhile few country people
gathcItd at the scene to render what aid
they could. but it was too late to do much.
Burned In the wrecknEe.
Nine people had gotten out and the
others had been burned in the wreckage.
when the relief train from Birmingham
arrived there was little need for the army
of physicians that had gone along. The
wounded were quickly attended to and then
sent to Blocton for further attention. The
work OF t;iking out the dead was entered
upon. Nothing was left of the wreckage
hut the smoldering remains which had
burned to the waters edge. Charred
corpses were packed in between the iron
framework where the seats had been. Most
of the bodies had been burned beyond
recognition. Some had their heads burned
of and Of others nothing was left but the
mere skeleton.
Az rapidly as possible the remains were
taken ont and laid I'm a row on the river
bank. At O'Clock twenty bodies had
been found and no more were in sight. II
is possible. however. that there are 9TH
ers under the wreckage and also that some
may be hidden by the water. OF the sur
vivors Sam Spencer was the only one of
the train crew that escaped alive. He was
the colorcd fireman. He jumped from the
engine while II was in mid air and landed
in the water some distance from where the
engine fell. His only injury was broken
arm. He left the scene for Blocton on
foot almost Immediately after the wreck.
apparently crazed with fright. The rail
road officials have not yet been able to see
him and get statement.
The Survivors Mnimed.
OF the eight other survivors three were
children, all of whom had their feet burned
and mashed. snd a lady, who had both feet
crushed. Their names have not yet been
learned. The other three were Henry Hand
berry, a conductor from Birmingham, who
was taking his wife and two children out
for a ride around the circuit, and VIII
Gardner and Andrew Bryson. miners from
Blocton. Handberry was on the same seat
with his wife and children when the crash
came. The latter three were killed and hi
was pinned down and would have beer
burned alive had he not been rescued by
Bryson and Gardner. These two men aisC
saved an unknown woman and three chill
dren who were likewise pinned and appeal
ing piteously for help but by the lime
they had rescued these five persons tht
heat had become so intense that they wer,