The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-10-22
AN APPALLING DISASTER.
y Head END Collision on the Flori-
da, Central and l'cninSulnr Rail
r0nd-rhrcc Men burned While
Rescue Was in Sight.

rond--rhrcc Men burned While
Rcscuc Was in Sight
Columbia Register.
Ono Of the most terrible railroad
wrecks ever recorded in South CurO-
lima occurred on the Florida, Central
and Pcninsulur railroad, whereby
three men were burned TO death and
two more injured by reason Of Il hcnG
end collision which occurred on thu
railroad at five minutes after three
O'Clock on Wc0ncsC ay morning.
No. 30 WAS, according to orders, t,
meet No. 36 at Swansea. The crew O
No. 81 misunderstanding the order
went past Swansea, and as the scquc
proved to death and destruction but
few miles below that station.
No. 30 waits in Columbia for tn
Southern train and left one hour am
ioriy-ivo minutes latc. 1t ran o,
orders that it should pass No. SO a
Swansea, but the order was misundcr
stood and the collision resulted with {
loss Of life.
AS u result OF the misunderstanding
three men arc dead, and u horrible
dcath they met with. From what could
! -" learned the men met death bravcly
.nd cOuragcOnsly. Though they plead
cd IOr their life, yet seeing that rescue
was impOssib bic they met their fate like
men.
When the trains came together the
engineers Jumped and saved their
lives. The tircmcn did likewise and
none OF them received any injuries.
When the two trains came into COLI
sion. running AT q high rate of speed
naturally it caused IL great collision.
The tender of the southbound train
| tclcscopcd into the baggage and ex-
press car and completely demolished
| 1T. In this car were mail agent l.. A.
Thomas and express and baggage agent
w. ID. Lines. These men were not
killed, nor does it appear that they
were fatally hurt by the collision, but
| they were shut in by tho debris so that
they could not get out.
The uninjnred soon saw the difficulty
in which their friends were put and
the crews OF both trains began the
work OF rescue. The flames were rap
idly spreading and the unnjnrcd work
ed with might and main. Thomas and
Lines, piniOnad by baggage and cx-
press, were Ot3dcad, but ~ the James
gradually grew towards them they
pitcously cried for their rcscucrs to
hurry.
These worked with might aud main
and cut through the car so much as to
be able to catch Thomas hand. Thcy
! tried to pull him out. but could not dc
it. "For Gods sake save me-" the Door
man cried, but DO all they could tho
rcscucrs could not get him out. Tho
lire was burning too fierce, and amid
the hOrrilicd cries Of Thomas and Lines
the rcscucrs had to stand back and sec
| them burned to death. The fire was
beyond control then, but the crow nev
cr wavcrcd IN It's attompt to savc other
property. With all their work the
baggage and express car. the mail car
and the second class passenger car were
| destroyed.
Fiagman Umcr was standing be.
tween the second class car and the bag
gage car. ilc has not been found and
| is supposed TO be buried in the burned
dc bris.
The northbOrnd train was not badly
injured rXC,p pit the demolition of the
engine. rs snOn rs the collision oc.
currCd Mr.. l.. G. Farmer, express agent,
jumped. He received an injury OF the
leg, but nothing serious. With him
was a new map named Price, who was
making hi" first run. uo jumped with
Mr.. Farmer and received bad break
in the back Of the neck.
SO Tar Is can be learned the accident
was owing to IL Misunderstanding ol
the orders by the crew OF No. 80, or the
south bound train. 1t appears that they
received the word Swansea" fOl
"Swodcn,' and wort past tho first
named station. From what can b.
learned the southbound crew is at fault
for the collision. Conductor Taylor ant
Engineer Polite seem to be responsible
for this Misunderstanding OF ordors.
Fireman Nickel tells Il thrilling stor,
Of the Death OF Messenger Lines. A
soon as the accident occurred Fireman