Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-01-09

sengers. This story, however, has not
yet been corroborated, but other facts
| tend 10 show hat IL was the work OK
train wreckers.
An examination of the engine shows
that Engineer White had shut OF the
steam and reversed before 1t went
down, indicating that he saw danger
ahead as he approached the bridge ana
tried to stop his train. His eharred
body was found with his hand on the
throttle. The officers say that there Is
every indication that a rail was removed
which derailed the train and caused IL
TO pull down the bridge. The cross ties
show marks OF the wheels. To add TO
this IL the fact that three men tried 10
wreck a Southern railway train about
fifteen miles east Of here five days ago
by removing a rail on a trestle ninety
feet high. The fast express LEFT the
track, but the engineer, by s~uperhuinan
efforts, stopped il before 1t tore down
the structure. In this case three men
were seen running from the place, ana
a crowbar, with which the spikes hau
been withdrawn, was found. The scenes
OF both accidents are in a wild, noun
famous country.
Wrecked Train Burned.
Louisville, KY, Dec. 29.-Reports to SUI
perintendent of Transportation George
Evans OF the Louisville and Nashville
railway. indicate that the fatalities in yes
terday's disaster near birmingham, Ala,
will number twenty-five. OF the total
number of persons, crew and passengers
on the train, but seven escaped, ana the
number of lead can only be conjectured,
for no one knows exactly how many peo-
pie there were on the train. The fact that
the train was destroyed by fire almost
Immediately after the accident and before
wrecking trains could reach the scene.
also adds TO the uncertainty on TINS point,
as many bodies were burned beyond
recognition and some may nave peeh To-
tally destroyed.
The train was a small local passenger
which, starting from Birmingham at 9
a. m, runs to a point near Quincy, then
goes over a connecting line of track con-
trolled by the Southern railway and
known as the Brlerfie!d, Blocton and Biz
mingham road. The train returns to
the Louisville and Nashville at Blocton
and makes the round trip to Birmingham,
after a circuit touching numerous mining
towns in that region. Quincy
and Blocton the tracks cross the kahaba
river, an unimportant stream which. eX-
cept in time Of heavy rains, is quite shall
low. The bridge was about ninety feet
high with a 2OO-foot span In the middle and
approaches 300 feet long. Into the bed
OF the Kahaba the unfortunate passen-
gers and crew were plunged. That anyone
escaped with their life is little short OF
miraculous. Almost Immediately the
train, which consisted of an engine, a
combination baggage and express ana TWO
coaches, took fire, increasing the horror OF
- n1AN aHNr 1fxFnO NUnrn saved
is probably due to the fact that the crash
was heard by the telegraph operator at
Hargo, three miles from the river. lie
reported this TO the train dispatcher
about S:13 o'clock and half an hour later
the news that the train had gone down
was carried to Biocton, 81 xmiles away,
by a native who also heard the noise. A
relief train, bearing all the physicians or
Blocton and about fifty citizens, were
made up hurriedly and sent to the scene
of the wreck, closely followed by others
from Birmingham and Bessemer.
Revised Dead List.
Birmingham, Ala. Dec. 2S.-The latest
revised list of the dead and wounded In
the wreck is:
The Killed
James Bowling, expressman, Guthrie,
II. Webb, Birmingham.
Frank White, engineer, Birmingham.
Bruce Phillips, Blocton.
l.. w. Martin, Brookwood, Ala.
Mrs. Henry Hanberry and two children,
A. Pionnell, conductor. Birmingham.
George Carney, Birmingham.
X. II. Blount, colored, minister, Birm-
ingham.
Miss Ida Powers, Blocton.
II. j. Powers, Blocton.
Mrs. Emma Powers and two children,
Blocton,
Mrs. r. Little, Blocton.
N. Gardener, Blocton.
Miss Emma Gardener, Blocton.
Mrs. Mary Gardener, Blocton.
The Injured
Henry Hanberry, Birmingham, seriously
injured.
i. Echols. Helena, Ark, slightly.
VIII Gardener, Blocton, slightly.
Stark Stewart, colored, Blocton, slightly.
Mr.. Bryson, Blocton, fatally.
Miss Booth, Blocton, fatally.
Mrs. Powell, Blocton, slightly.
Mrs. Powells child, Bloctont
Mrs. Walker and three children, Bloc
ton, slightly.
The relief train from the scene of the
wreck reached Birmingham at 9 O'Clock,
bringing ten corpses and three injured
persons. Ten other dead bodies were left
at Blocton, where the deceased resided,
and ono at RrookwOod