Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-01-02
AWFUL WRECK.
Railroad Train Goes Through a
Bridge in Alabama
Twenty-One Killed and Many Fatally In
1ured-Only Seven Escape--A Brave
Band OF Texans Meet Their
Death In Cuba.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala, Dec. 2s Twenty
people killed, Ave fatally injured and
two adly wounded is the frightful re.
suit of wreck which Occurred at 1870
o'clock yesterday morning on the
Birmingham Mineral road, 27 miles
from this city. The wreck is regarded
as almost certainly accomplished by
the re lnoval of q rail on the middle
span of the trestle. This deraled the
train, which caused it to fall between
two spans and precipilaied it into the
river l,0 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
it all happened. 1t is not known and
may never be ascertained just how
many passengers were on the train.
Most of them were miners and resi-.
dents Of mining towns in this district,
who had ronnd trip tickets and were
returning to their homes along the
line of the birmingham Mineral road
few country people gathered at
the scene to render what aid they
could and nine people were got out,
the others being 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 woundc were
quickly atten led TO and then sent to
Blockton for further attention. The
work of taking out the dead was en-
tered upon. Nothing was left of the
wrecNage but the smodering remains,
which had burned to the waters c lge.
Charfed corpses were packe in be.
tween the iron framework where the
seats had been Most Of the bo lies
had been burned beyond recogni-
ton Some had their heads burned off,
and of others nothing was left but
skeletons. OF the eight survivors
three were children, all of whom had
their feet burned and mashed. and a
lady who had both feet crushed
Band of Texans Peri, III.
KEY WEST, Fla, De-. 2S.-1he Lone
ct"i e'iIpdHy VI tic puIriOJ army VI
west Cuba, consisting of Is Texas
sharpshoolers. peri,hcd to man after
heroically battling for more than five
hours against vastly superior Spanish
forces in plnar del Rio province, kill
ing double their own numler and
wounding probably as many more.
Havana officials are jublant, passen-
gers arriving here say, over the news
of this victory.
A Cuban band was observed near
Pinar del Rio City Thursday morning,
and Gen. Melquizo sent two squadrons
of cavalry to attack it. After a run
ming ii hit the band, which proved to
he composed of Is Texans, were chased
into bottle" bit of hammock hav-
ing only one opening.
A flag of truce was sent in by the
Spanish, and the Texans were called
on to surrender, but the Americans re-
fused with one accord TO lay down
their arms, shouting: 'We remember
Maceo" This infuriated the Spanish
and they fought with renewed fierce.
ness. Twice they charged, but the
rapid firing of the lrave little Land
drove them back BY getting on
high ridge behind the Texans posi-
tions the Spanards were enabled to
pour in fire that killed all but two of
those left. Those two gallantly con.
tinued to fight, and held Off the enemy
an hour longer Then, overcome hy
the loss of blood flowing from dozen
wounds, they were cut to pieces by the
Spaniards, who finally dashed up AS the
Texans cried: Viva Cuba Librew