Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-01-09
Many Bodies of the Victims Crema-
ted in the Burning Cars.
Charred Remains Are
Brought I'm for
Recognition.

Reports are conflicting as to the num-
Der OF killed, and there is no one left to
tell the sad story. A farmer living near
by heard the dreadful crash and COM
inundated the information TO h first
telegraph station. which was six miles
away. The first news which reached
this city stated that all were killed, but
later reports state that the fireman was
not killed but fatally injured.
A relief train with Superintendent
Frazier Of the Southern railroad. and
eight trained physicians, nurses and
supplies left here at 10 o'clock yester-
day morning for the scene OF the wreck.
This train returned at 3 o'clock last
evening with twenty-seven bodies.
These corpses are now at the several
undertaking establishments in this city
awaiting Identification. All of the bod
les, however, are charred beyond recog-
milton.
Among those known to have been on
the fatal train are the following:
Frank White. engineer, Birmingham.
A. Pionnell, conductor, Birmingham.
George Carney, fagman, Birming-
ham.
Jim Bowling. baggageman, Birming-
ham,.
Andrew Bryson, Blocton.
J. II. Honer, Blocton.
M. Il. Clark, Blocton.
Will Dusten, Blocton.
G.. Jackson, Blocton.
John McGinnis.
Peter Thurston.
John Gallagher.
The ral;af train RON into tho urack{pg
train near the scene of the wreck. The
bridge foreman was killed and two 9TH
er train hands sustained serious inju-
ries. Telegraphic communication was
not established with the scene of the
wreck until IL o'clock. Intense excite
ment prevails in this city. The union
depot and the general offices of the
Southern railroad and the Louisville
n Nashville have been besieged by
anxious friends n relatives since the
first news of the wreck. Men, women
n children in tears and outward man
ifestations of mental agony are seen
about the railroad offices a~nxiously
awaiting authentic news. Railroad Of
ficials are very reticent and little infor-
nation can be obtained from them.
Work OF Train Wreckers.
Memphis. Tenn, Dec. ga CONNER
~cial-appeal special from Birmingham,
Ala, says:
Fiends In human form wrecked the
Birmingham Mineral passenger train,
No. 40, at Kahaba river bridge. twenty
seven miles from here, at 1850 Sunday
morning, and twenty lives were lost.
That number of bodies have been re-
covered from the wreck and further
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
derailed the train, which caused II to
fall down the two spans and precipi-
tated 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 n detailed de-
scription Of how it all happened. 1t Is
not known, and may never be ascer-
tained. just o many passengers We're
on the train. Most of them were miners
n residents of mining towns in this
district who had round trip one day
tickets and were returning to their
homes along the line of the Birming-
ham Mineral road. 1t Is thought there
were not exceeding twenty-five or thir-
ty passengers on the train.
The engine landed on its side almost
at right angles with the track. The
cars piled up on each other through the
main span. The entire wreck took fire
Dol afterward and was rapidly burned
to the waters edge. Nine persons alone
escaped alive from all who went down
and several Of them will probably die.
When the relief train from Birming-
ham arrived at the scene Of the wreck,
there was little need for the army Of
physicians that had rome along.
The wounded were quickly attended
to and then sent to Blocton for fur
Their attention. The work Of taking out
the dead was entered upon. Charred
cofpses were packed in between the
iron frame work. where the seats had
been. Most OF the bodies had been
burned beyond recognition. Some had
their heads burned of. and Of others
nothing was left but the mere skeletons.
The remains were taken out as rapidly
as possible and laid in q row on the
river bank.
At 4 o'clock twenty bodies had been
found and no more were In sight. 1t 10
possible, however, that there are 9TH
crs under the wreckage and also that
some may be hid by the water. or the
survivors Sam Spencer was the only
one Of he train crew hat escaped alive.
He vas the colored fireman. He jumped
from the engine while It was In midair
and landed In h water some distance
from where the engine fell. His only
injury was a broken arm. He left the
scene for Blocton on foot, almost imme-
diately after the wreck, apparently
crazed with fright. The railroad on
Gals have not yet been able to see him
and get a statement.
or the eight other survivors three
were children. all OF whom had their
feet burned and mashed, and q lady
who had both feet crushed. Their
names have not yet been learned.
1t Is thought that fully three-fourths
Of the dead were killed outright In the
crash. while the others were pinned
down and cremated. Gardener and
Brys0n were both badly hurt, while
Handberry will probably die. The
flames had completed the work OF de-
struction before any help arrived.
The country around the scene Of the ac-
cident IL sparsely settled and the few
farmers who heard Of the wreck and
went to the scene arrived too late to be
OF any assistance except to the surviv-
ors.
DR.. Ray. q Blocton physician who at
tended Gardener. one OF the injured sur
vivors. telegraphed the statement made
by Gardener as to the cause OF the
wreck. Gardener says that when he
felt the cars leave the track ne looked
out and saw three avage looking men
rushing from q hiding place down
down toward the waters edge and that
after the wreck they went through the
w~reckase. robbing the dead end wound
ed and then lied to the woods. They did
their work quickly and offered no az
sistance whatever In the way Of res
',ing the imprisoned and injured pas-