The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1897-01-01
REPORTS TO RAILROAD OFFICERS
McnEer Details of the Wreck Neur
birmingham

Louisville, Dec. 27.-Reports to tn,
superintendent of transportation, Geore'
Evans, Of the Louisville & Ncsl4v!ll,
railroad, indicate that the fatalities il
today's disaster near Birmingham will
be at least %.
OF the total Of persons, crew and pass
engers, IN 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 rains
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 a 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 Bri-
artield, Blocton & Birmingham road.
The train returns to the Louisville q
Nashville racks 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 ahabo 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 ahabo The unfor-
tunate passengers and crew were plung-
ed. Tha anyone escaped with their life
is little short of miraculous. Almost i'm
mediately the train, which consisted of
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 SIS o'clock,
and half an hour later the news that the
train had gone down vas carried to
Blocton, six miles away, by a native, who
also heard the noise.
A relief train bearing ali the physicians
of Blocton and about 450 citizens was
made up hurriedly and sent to the scene
of the wreck, closely followed by others
from Birmingham and Bessemer.
There is nothing in the reports to the
general offices here upon which to base
a theory as to the cause of the accident.
The last report from the company's ply
sicians was that the known dead number
ed %.
Not a member of the train crew of five
men lives to tell The story of the accident,
if indeed anyone on the train was aware
of danger until the train was launched
into the air.
The seven persons who escaped death
are badly injured. They include one fam
lily, consisting of a man, his wife and two
children.
A bridge carpenter was killed and sew
eral persons injured by a collision be-
tween an engine and one of the wreck
ing trains sent to the rescue Of the vic
Tins Of the first accident.
RaiIroad List of Dead.
The railroad company mig furnish
the following as q list of the dead:
James Boiling Of Guthrie, Ky.
Frank White of Birmingham.
A. p. Cornell Of Helena.
George Carney of Birmingham.
r. w. Webb of Birmingham.
Bruce Phillips of Blocton.
L. w. Martin of Brookwood, Ala.
Mr.. Henry Hanberry and two children
of Birmingham.
r. H. Bloant of Birmingham.
Miss Ada Powers of Blocton.
D. r. Powers of Blocton.
Mrs. Emma Power and two children
of Blocton.
Mrs. R. Little of Blocton.
Mr.. Gardner of Blocton.
Mrs. Gardner of Blocton.
Miss Gardner of Blocton.
One unidentified body, supposed to be
Tom Struther. cOlored pOrter.
This makes q killed, instead of 81, as
previously reported.
The relief train from the scene of the
wreck reached Birmingham at 8 o'clock
tonight, bringing 10 corpses and three in
jured persons. Ten other dead bodies
were left at Blocton, where the deceased
resided, and one at Brookwood.