Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-01-01
Rails Had Been Removed by GhOuls
who, 1t Is Said, Afterward
Robbed the Dead.

mngham- Mineral passenger train, No 40
at Cahabo river bridge, "a miles from here
at 1850 o'clock this morning, and 20 live.
were lost. That number of bodies have
been recovered from the wreck, and fur.
Their search may swell the list of dead
The wreck is regarded as almost certainly
accomplished by the removal Of a rail on
the middle SPAN of the trestle. This de-
rallied the train. which caused 1t to fall
down the two spans and preciptated 1t
into the river, ITO feet below
The wreck was the worst that has ever
occurred In the state, and the survivors
are SO few and are SO badly hurt that they
are unable to give any detailed description
OF how 1t happened. 1t Is not known and
may never be ascertained. just how many
passengers were on the train. Most Of
them were miners and residents of mining
towns In this district, who had regular trip
tickets, and were returning to their homes
along the inc of the Birmingham Mineral
road.
Conductor Connell, who probably knew
better than any one else as to how many
passengers were aboard Is dead. It is
thought, however, there were not exceed
ing rs or 30, but no passenger purchased a
ticket at Birmingham.
The Inflated train was a local passenger
which left here at $50 a. m. and was
scheduled to make a circuit of the Biz
mingham- Mineral, which is a branch line
of the Louisville & Nashville road, reach
ing the mining towns in the district. The
train consisted Of an engine, a baggage
car and two coaches, and left here at $50
a. m. and went to Taccio, ON the main line
Of the Louisville & Nashville. There 1t
switched off to the Birmingham Mineral
track and went to Guerney, from Guerney
to Blocton. The Mineral trains operate
over the Southern railways Briarfield,
Blocton & Birmingham branch undar a
contract arrangement.
A FriEhtful Drop.
Six miles south of Quincy Is the Cahapo
river, shallow mountain stream, which
has a depth at this time of only about
three or four feet. This river is SPAWNED
by an iron bridge with wooden trestles on
each side. Its entire length Is 700 feet, and
the length of the span where the wreck &C.
CURED is ITO feet. The bridge was built
only four years ago and was regarded as
very safe structure.
The main span and the span just beyond
1t, both made of iron, gave way and precip-
itated the entire train into the river. The
engine landed on It's side almost at right
angles with the track. The cars piled upon
each other through the main span. The
wreck took fire soon afterwards and was
rapidly burned to the waters edge. Nine
persons alone escaped alive from all who
went down, and several of them will prob
ably die.
Only a Few Survivors.
The first news of the wreck was brought
to Hargrove, a telegraph station four
miles from the river, by a farmer who
said that while passing near the place he
heard a crash Going nearer he saw the
two spans of the bridge broken out. He
then discovered the burning wreck in the
shallow water below. He could hear the
groans of the wounded and dying, but
without waiting to see further, he rode
horseback to Hargrove as rapidly as he
could, where the operator telegraphed to
Birmingham and Blocton for relief.
Many Victims Burned.
Meanwhile a few country people gath
cred at the scene to render what aid they
could, but it was too late to do much.
Nine people had gotten out and the rest
burned up in the wreckage. When the
relief train from Birmingham arrived
there was little need for the army OF
physicians that had gone along. The
then sent to Blocton for further atten-
ton. The work of taking out the dead
was entered upon.
Nothing was left of the wreckage but
the smouldering remains, which had burn
ed to the waters edge. Charred corpses
were packed in between the iron frame
work where the seats had been. Most OF
the bodies had been burned beyond recog-
y,tti hnd ir dc hftrn of
and of others nothing was left but the
mere skeleton. AS rapidly as possible the
remains were taken out and laid in a row
on the river bank.
At o'clock 20 bodies had been found
and no more were in sight. 1t is possible
however, that there are others under the
wreckage and also that some may be
hidden by the water.
Survivors Dazed.
OF the survivors, Sam Spencer was the
only one Of the train crew who escaped
alive He was the colored fireman. He
jumped from the engine while 1t was II
midair and landed in the water some
distance from where the engine fell His
only injury was a broken arm. He left
the scene for Blocton on foot almost i'm
mediately after the wreck, apparently
crazed with fright. The railroad officials
have not yet been able to see him and
get q statement.
OF the eight other survivors three were
children, all of whom had their feet
burned and mashed, and a lady who had
both feet crushed. Their names have not
been learned. The other three men were
Henry Hanberry, a conductor from Biz
mingham, who was taking his wife and
two children out for ride around the
circle, and VIII Gardner and Andrew
Bryson, miners, from Blocton.
Hanberry was on the same seat WITH
his wife and children when the crasf
came The latter three were killed ano
he was pinned down and would have beer
burned alive had he not been rescued by
Bryson and Gardner. These two men alsf
saved the unknown woman and thre'
children, who were likewise pinned an'
appealing piteously for help, but by TIL
time they had rescued those five persons
the heat had become so intense that the!
were compelled to desist In their work.
1t Is thought that fully three-fourth
of the dead were killed outright in tn