The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-12-28
HURLED 100 FEET TO DEATH
TWENTY PERSONS KILLED IN an
ALABAMA RAILROAD DISASTER.

Train Plunges From a High Trestle to the
Rocks Below-Accident Happened ON the
Birmingham Mineral Road-Scene of the
Wreck a Heartrending and Sickening
Spectacle.
Birmingham, Ala, Dec. 27.-The most
horrible train wreck in the south since
the famous one at Statesville, S. c., in
1891, occurred at an early hour this
morning near this citw when passen-
ger train crashed through a trestle to
river ITO feet below. 1t is known
that twenty lives were lost, and more
complete search of the charred train
may reveal more. 1t is also most GER
tain that the wreck was caused by
fiends for the purpose of robbery.
OF those on the train nine escaped
death and several of these will die of
serious injuries. None of them can
give a correct account Of how the ac-
cident occurred.
The train was a local on the Bir-
mingham Mineral railroad, branch Of
the Louisville and Nashville system.
1t left Birmingham at $50 a. M, to
make the daily circuit of the mining
towns II that section of the country.
and the most of the persons on board
We're miners and their families, taking
advantage Of the excursion tickets on
sale for the holidays
For a portion of the way the line
uses the tracks Of the Southern Rail-
way company, and it was on the twen-
ty-seven miles of this road from Bir-
mingham that the accident occurred.
| In crossing the Cahaba river there Is
an iron trestle, surmounted by wood
work, ITO feet above the water, which
at this stage is only four feet deep,
The bridge Is only four years old, and
was always considered perfectly safe.
1t is 800 feet long, the main span being
ITO feet in length. This, with the span
next beyond, went into the river with
the train.
The engine fell at right angles to the
line of the bridge with the cars piled
on top Of it and around it. Engineer
White was found with his charred
hand still grasring the throttle.
| To add fury to the even the flames
from the stoves in the coaches ignited
the wreckage and the entire mass was
burned to the edge of the water The
only one of the train crew that es-
capped with his life from the wreck was
the colored fireman, Sam Spencer He
! jumper from the engine while 1t was in
midair and falling into the water es-
capped almost by miracle with only a.
broken arm. Wild with fright, he fled
for the nearest station to give the
alarm, but before he reached there a
| farmer passing saw the condition Of
! affairs and went to a telegraph station
with lis horse at full speed kilograms
were sent to Birmingham and a relief
train went to the scene, but before 1t
reached theme the flames had done all
their work and the destruction was
complete.
The train was made up Of an engine,
baggage car and two passenger
coaches.
| A rail had been removed from the
track and, when the engine struck this,
800 feet of the bridge gave way and
went down with the train. The pas
sengers and trainmen, who were PIN
ioned under the debris, were burned to
death In sight of other victims of the
wreck.
Some of the passengers, not SO badly
hurt, managed to crawl out and do all
they could in assisting others, but
with little avail
The dead are: Frank White, engi-
neer; George Carney, fagman; A. r.
Connen, conductor; Jordan Powell,
wife and eight children Of Blocton; Mrs.
Henry Hanberry and two children Of
Birmingham; James Boiling, express
messenger; L. w. Artin, Brookwood;
Bruce Phillips Blocton; s. W. Tibbs
and wife, Campbelltown; Andrew Bry-
son, Blocton; George Glendale, Helena,
and four others unidentified
The injured are: Ed. Echols, slight
ly; Henry Hanberry, ribs broken;
- Powell, child, feet badly burned;
Mrs. Walker, of Bloctor, internally, will
die; Mrs. Walkers three children,
| slightly; Miss Booth, Blocton, inter-
nally, will die; Sam Spencer, arm
broken.
The bridge was a ponderous wooden
structure with an iron span of 200 feet
/ in the center and it was Just at the
beginning of the iron work that the
I train wreckers had pulled the spikes
and removed one of the rails When
the engineer discovered this, as was
evident from the position of his throt-
| tie and reverse lever, he attempted to
stop, but was running at such a rate
of speed as to carry down the bridge.
| AS soon as news was received here
both the Louisville and Nashville and
Southern Railways sent out relief
trains loaded with physicians and 9TH
ers. and everything, possible was done
for those who had been fortunate
enough to get out of the wreck of the
flames. Many Of the dead were charred
| beyond recognition.
The exact number who perished will
never probably be known.
To cap the climax, one of the relief
trains which left here ran into the rear
end of the wrecking train, which was
stopped about $50 feet from the bridge.
and came near knocking it on top Of
the burning train.
| In the accident the following were
injured: Sam Eattis, will die; William
Rast, will die; Wood Campbell, lie,
broken; Charles L. Stone, legs badly
hurt; John Rittenbury, ankle broken. -
| Runaway on Orange Street.