The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-10-21
was at full speed. No. 36 was run
ming at about Is miles an hour.

ming at about 35 miles an hour.
The most graphic story of the wreck
was told by Charles Michael, the col
ored fireman of engine No. 70, who
gave me his experience as he watched
me make the 4asty sketch of his favor
ite engine. which IS so well engraved
by the artist, Mr.. A. w Hamiter.
Michael says that as they came out of
the curve, they saw the headlight of
| No 80 flashed forth from the opposite
cut. Engineer Bell merely had time
to reverse his engine and grasp the
danger cord as he exclaimed: That
is 35. Then he jumped from one
side while Michael jumped from the
other. Michael glanced at the but
ton on his coat which bore the inscrip-
ton, Il am insured in The Travellers, y
as he remarked, ''I thought it vas all
over with me-" But he has been in
the business for many years and has
been in several bad wrecks. He says
as he struck the ground there was a
fearful crash. When he landed one
foot went in hole and he was pitch
ed head first long distance, his
shoulders finally striking stump.
He felt himself to see that no bones
were broken and then tried to get back
up the embankment to find Mr.. Bell.
The train blocked his way. Then he
went forward where voices were call
ing Tor help. He said the crash had
been dreadful. He thinks Mr.. Thomas
was instantly killed. He did not know
anything of Mr.. Ulmer, but under
stood he was between the ex-
press car and the first coach when
the crash came. He saw nothing Of
these two. He only remembers seeing
a mans leg protruding from beneath
the wreck. lie met Engineer Petit
and found that he was all right. Then
they heard Mr.. Lines hollering.
Conductor Taylor rushed up and
asked where Lines was They went
near the car, which was badly tele
scoped and smashed and found the
flames beginning to break out. MIR.
Lines was inside the car pinned down
by the mass of trunks. He said be
had not been hurt, bat could not extri-
cate himself. Heand some other train
hands got axes and tried to cut their
way in the side of the car, after he
bad tried to get in through the roof:
Meanwhile the flames broke out and
| the FIRE spread with dreadful rapidity.
They worked all the harder, Mr..
Lines begging them most piteously to
save him from being burned to death.
Finally when the fire had gotten so
hot they could scarcely stand il and
the side of the car was in flames, they
got a hole large enough to enter.
They pulled out two pieces Of baggage.
He then crawled in and managed to
get hold of Mr.. Lines hand. The
heat was intense; he strained every
muscle to extricate the unfortunate
man, but could not move him. The
whole car was a6re by this time and
he had to fee for his own life. He
left Mr.. Lines in standing position,
his left arm resting up on trunk
AS the flames drew nearer to him
terror entered his eyes now bloodshot
| from the intense heat. His lips con-
tinued to repeat the piteous appeal,
My God, save me; my God, save
! me-" Then came the horrible scene,
the scenethat made the blood of the
spectators run cold. The flames
swept around the doomed victim, and
all had to stand powerless and see
him burned alive. His lips continued
to moveas if in prayer tothe very last.
Before he lost Consciousness one-half
of his arm was seen to burn OFT and
drop aud the skull bone could be
seen. Finally he sank down IN the
| debris and was seen no more. Many
had to turn their backs.
AS stated the car was full Of
baggage and Mr.. Lines was at his
desk in the forward corner OF the car
when the wreck occurred and the
baggage was piled against him.
Express Messenger T. G. Farmer on
36 happened to have his car door open
when the emergency cord was pulled.
He knew what it meant and ne jump
ed, following Michael down the en-
bankment and stopping colliding with
| a telegraph pole. Extra MessengerF.
w. Price remained in the car which
telescoped and mounted the engine,
taking the cab away, but was not In
| iured, being extricated from the bag
gage piled on him without difficulty.
Baggagemaster Palmer Of SO was
considerably shaken up, but not in
iured. Mail Clerk James, colored
man, also escaped any serious Injuries.
There was no other warning to any OF
the people aboard the trains than the
application of the emergency brakes.
After it was seen that the flames
could not be stopped the train crews.
assisted by the passengers, uncoupled
the Pullman cars and one by one they
were pushed back to a place Of safety
and thus saved. They were taken
back to this city and Savannah respec-
lively. The mails and practically
everything aboard train 80 were de,
stroyed.
It is quite r~markable that not a
single passenger was injured in the
wrecks. The railroad authorities OF
this line, which, by the way, has never
before had wreck that was at all seri-
Gus, the worst being that near Savan-
nah last spring, did everything they
| could for the convenience OF the pas
sengers, and were quick to getto work
to clear the wreckage.
Mr.. Lines spent his last night on
earth at the Grand Central hotel in
this city. Mr.. Ulmer has family
living in Michigan.
The fire was started by the overturn-
ing OF the stoves. Train 35 had come
through from Charlotte and there was
a coal FIRE in each stove. Had train SO
not come from the south, it would
likely have had fires in its stoves also,
and no doubt would have been burned.
Otherwise this train was broken up as
badly perhaps as the other.
The authorities OF the Southern road
at this end of the line did all in their
power to render assistance and several
OF their men went to the scene Of the