The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-12-31
REPORTS TO RAILROAD OFFICERS
Meager Details of the Wreck Near
n II

Meager Details of the Wreck Near
hfrmfn CHAM.
Louisville, Dec. 27.-Reports to the
superintendent OF transportation. George
Evans, of the Louisville & Nashville
railroad. indicate that the fatalities in
today's disaster near Birmingham, will
be at least 22.
OF the total of persons, crew and pass
engers, on the train, but seven escaped.
and the number of dead can only be con-
jectured, for no one knows exactly how
many people there were on the train.
The fact that the train was destroyed
by fire almost Immediately after the ac-
cident and before the wrecking trains
| could reach the scene, also adds to the
uncertainty on this point, as many bodies
were burned beyond recognition. and
some have been totally destroyed. The
| train was local passenger, which, start
ing from Birmingham at 6 a. M, runs to
! a point near Guerney, then goes over a
connecting link of track controlled by the
Southern railway, and known as the Brl-
arfield, Blocton & Birmingham road.
The train returns to the Louisville &
Nashville tracks at Blocton, and makes
| the return trip to Birmingham after a
| circuit touching numerous mining towns
| In that region.
| Between Guerney and Blocton the track
crosses the Cahabo river, an unimportant
| stream which, except in times Of heavy
| rains, Is quite shallow. The bridge was
about 80 feet high, with a 200-foot span in
the middle, and approaches several hun
dred feet long.
Into the bed of the Cahabo the unfor-
tunate passengers and crew were plung-
ed That anyone escaped with their life
Is little short of miraculous. Almost Inn
mediately the train, which consisted oi
an engine, a combination baggage and
express car and two coaches, took fire
increasing the horror of the calamity
That any lives were saved is probably due
to the fact that the crash was heard by
the telegraph operator at Hargo, three
miles from the river. He reported this
to the train dispatcher about Sl5 o'clock
and half an hour later the news that the
train had gone down was carried tt
Blocton, six miles away by a native, WHIT
also heard the noise.
A relief train bearing all the physicians
of Blocton and about 450 citizens wa
made up hurriedly and sent to the seem
} of the wreck, closely followed by other
, from Birmingham and Bessemer.
: There is nothing in the reports to tn
general offices here upon which to bas
a theory as to the cause of the accident
The last report from the company's ply
E scians was that the known dead number
: ed %.
Not a member of the train crew of hv
men lives to tell the story of the accident
e II indeed anyone on the train was awar
i of danger until the train was launche
e into the air.
n The seven persons who escaped deaf
e are badly Injured. They include one fan
$ lily, consisting of a man, his wife and tw
I | children.
+ A bridge carpenter was killed and se'
" eral persons injured by a collision b.
q tween an engine and one of the wreci
a ing trains sent to the rescue OF the vi
tins of the first accident.
RaiIyond List of Dead.
Z The railroad company tonight furnis
Il the following as a list of the dead;
a James Boiling of Guthrie, Ky.
1t Frank White of Birmingham.
-e A. p. Connell Of Helena.
r George Carney of Birmingham.
i'd r. w. Webb of Birmingham.
ie Bruce Phillips of Bocton.
W L. w. Martin of Brookwood, Ala
Mr. Henry Hanberry and two childr
III of Birmingham.
;h r. H. Bloant of Birmingham.
I'd Miss Ada Powers of Blocton
an d. r. Powers of Blocton.
,v Mrs. Emma Powers and two childr
ao of Blocton.
40 Mrs. r. Little of Blocton.
"A Mr.. Gardner of Blocton.
Mrs. Gardner of Blocton.
Miss Gardner of Blocton.
:" One unidentified body, supposed to
- Tom Struther. colored porter.
This makes q killed, instead OF q,
no previously reported.
ne The relief train from the scene of
eo wreck reached Birmingham at ocle
tonight, bringing 10 corpses and three
lily jured persons. Ten other dead bod
lie. were left at Blocton. where the decea.
OF resided, and one at Brookwood.