The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-29
WRECKED BY ROBBERS
A Railway Train Thrown From a Bridge
and Dead and Dying Robbed.
PROBABLY THIRTY LIVES WERE LOST
Fire Adds Horrors 90 tho Wreck and
the Flames Soon Lick UP the
Wrccltnge Including tho k7umnn
Beings Pinned ncuanth It-Sot
One Of the Trninmcn Escape.

birmingham, Ala. Dec. 2S.-Twenty
or more lives were crushed out yester-
day morning in 4 werck on the Birming
nam Mineral railroad, n loop line that
extends all over this section taking in
the mines and furnaces. The wreck
occurred at what is known as the Ca
haba Bridge, about fifty miles from
Birmingham, between Guerney and
Blocton. OF the total number of per-
sons, crew and passengers, on the train,
but seven escaped.
The fact that the train was destroyed
by fire almost Immediately after the ac-
cident and before wrecking trains could
reach the scene. makes il impossible 10
accurately estimate the number OF vic
Tins; it is believed a number of bodies
We're burned beyond recognition.
The train was Il small local passenger.
which, starting from Birmingham at q
Il. M, runs to point near Guerncy, then
goes over Il connecting link OF track
controlled by the Southern railway, and
known as the Brieriicld, Blocton and
birmingham road. The train returns to
the Louisville ana Nashville tracks ut
Bloctun and makes the return trip to
Birmingham. after circuit touching
numerous mining towns in that region.
a TERRIBLE LEAP
Between Guerncy and Blocton the
tracks cross The Cahaba river, an unm-
p'l'aiit SlItdn Wnicn, except IN time OF
heavy rains, is quite shallow. The
bridge was about ninety feet high with
n two hundred-foot span in the middle
ana approaches several hundred feet
long. The train jumped the track, and
into the bed Of the Cahaba the pas
sengers and crew were plunged. Almost
Immediately the train, which consisted
OF an engine, Il combination baggage
and express car and two coaches. took
fire. increasing the horror of the cal
amity. That any lives were saved is
probably due to the fact that the crash
was heard by the telegraph operator ut
HarEo. He reported to the train dis
patcher about sis o'clock. and half an
hour later the news that the train had
gone down was carried 10 I8locton, siX
miles away, 10y man who also heard
the noise. \ relief train. bearing the
physicians of Blocton and about fifty
citizens, was made UP hurriedly and
sent to the scene OF the wreck. closely
followed by others from birmingham
and Bessemer.
The Louisville and Nashville officers
are especially careful in discussing any
theories as to the cause Of the disaster,
as ii occurred on the tracks of the
southern railway. they say. and the
complications likely 10 result will no
doubt prompt very rigid investiga-
ton. Not n member OF the trains crew
of I'VE men lives to tell a story OF the
accident If, indeed, any one on the train
was aware OF danger until The crash
occurred.
The seven persons who escaped death
are badly injured. They include one
family consisting of man, wife and
two children.
ON the approaches of the same bridge
yesterday afternoon another fatal ac-
cident occurred. y bridge carpenter was
killed ana several persons were injured
by a collision between an engine and
one of the wrecking trains sent to the
rescue of the victims of the first acct
dent