The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-13
AWFUL RAILWAY WRECK
A! Alabama Train Flung From a
High Bridge Into a River.
HORRIBLE WORK OF FIENDS.

Robbers Derailed Passenger Train and
1t Plunged Down 10 Feet, Carrying
the Middle Span Of q Trestle---Fire
Followed the Crash---Pinued Down
and Incinerated.--Dead PIundered.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (speciaD.-The most
horrible train wreck in the South since the
one at Stasesvllle, s. O., In 1891, occurred at
an early hour Sunday morning near this city,
when passenger train crashed through a
trestle to river ITO feet below. tits known
that twenty-elght lives were.Iost and more
complete search OF the charred train may re-
veal more. 1t is almost certain that the
wrsck was caused by aends for the purpose
of robbery. OF those on the train nine es-
capped death and severa! of these will die OF
serious injuries.
The train was local on the Birmingham
Mineral, a branch OF the Louisville and Nash
vile system. It Left Birmingham about
a. M, to make thgdailv circuit OF the min
ing towns in that section OF the country, and
most Of the persons on board were miners
and their families, taking advantage OF the
excursion tickets on sale for the holidays.
In crossing the Cahaba River there Is an
iron trestle, surmounted iby woodwork, 1l0
feet above the water, which at this stage Is
only three feet deep. It Is 800 feet long, the
main span being 110 feet In length. This,
with the span next beyond, went into the
river with the train. The engine fell at ngnt
angles to the line Of the bridge, with the cars
piled on top of It and around 1t. Engineer
white was found with his charred hand still
ora sninp the throttle
To add horror to the wreck the flames from
the stoves in the coaches ignited the wreck
age and the entire mass was burned to the
edge Of the water.
The only one OF 1.-THE train crew that escaped
with his life from the wreck was the colored
fireman, "Sam" Spencer. He jumped from
the engine whileit was In mid-air, and falling
in the river, escaped almost BY miracle with
only broken arm. Wild with fright, he fed Tor
the nearest station to give alarm, but ere
he reached this farmer passing saw the
condition OF affairs and went to telegraph
station with his horse at full speed. Tele-
grams were sent to Birmingham and relief
train went'to the scene. but before 1t reached
there the flames had done all OF their work
and the destruction was complete.
A rail had been removed from the track,
and when the engine struck this $50 feet OF
the bridge gave way and went down with
the IIdlQ. 1uuculblCly luO wiCSh hOOA AAASt
and the unfortunate passengers and train
men who were pinioned under the wreckage
were burned to death In sight Of other un-
fortunate victims.
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, engineer, OF
Birmingham; George Carney, fagman,.
Of Birmingham; A. P. Connell, conductor, OF
Birmingham; Thomas Streeter, colored
porter, of Birmingham; Jordan
Powell, wife and eight children, OF
Blocton; Mrs Henry Hanberry and two chill
dren, of Birmingham; James Boiling, express
messenger, of Guthrie. Ky.; l.. W. Martin,
of Brookwood; Bruce Phillips, OF Blocton;
3. W. Tibbs and wife, Of Campbelltown; An
drew Bryson, OF Blocton; George Glendale.
of Helena, and four others unidentified.
One Of the survivors OF the wreck told one
of the physicians that just after the train
pitched into the abyss three rough-lookinS
men came from the woods near the wreck
and went through the coaches as far as the
flames would admit them and then made of
hurriedly. 1t Is also said that these men
aided the flames by setting fire to other
parts OF the wreck.
1t Is confidently believed the train was
wrecked by these three men, and that the
work was accomplished by removing rail
on the bridge. The weight OF the engine
humping across the ties Is supposed to nave
made the bridge give away.