The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-26
TRAIN ON A BURNING TRESTLE.
ONE WOMAN KILLED AND SEVERAL
PERSONS INJURED.


Brings the Train TO IA sudden stop.
The Passengers Escape ana
Flames Envelope the Coaches-The
Train the North Bound VestibuIe
Special.
Waycross, Ga, Feb. 25.--The northbound
New York and Florida special on the Sa-
vannah, Florida and Western was stopped
by the flying up OF a heated rail on a burn
ing trestle this afternoon, one mile be-
yond Braganza. and eight miles south Of
Waycross.
Mrs. Frank ID. Holder, Go years OF ages
of Yonhers, N. Y. lost her life.
Another lady was dangerously injured.
Several more passengers were slightly
bruised.
Three coaches were burned.
The heated rail when it flew up caughe
in the truck of the dining car. bringing
the entire train to a sudden standstill.
The trestle excepting the loose rail, was
intact and the coaches remained on the
track while the passengers and train crew
were getting out.
Three of the coaches caught fire imme-
diately.
The frightened passengers hurried out
of the coaches, some getting off the plat
form and others climbing out of the win
dows and reaching the ground as best they
could
The distance from the track to the
ground was only three of four feet.
The ladies were very heroic, though they
were in great danger. The men helped
them out and comparatively few accidents
occurred.
The train crew were very brave. Con-
ductor Robert Mather was hero and his
coolness, and solicitation for the safety OF
the passengers will long be gratefully re-
membered by ALL
The Pullman crew searched the coaches
carefully to see IL there were any injured
passengers.
When the train came to a stop. the
flames began to envelop the cars.
engineer Henderson did not wait to find
out the particulars. He pulled the throttle
of his big engine, No. 80, and hurried to
Waycross for aid. He was almost BREATH
less when he arrived. With a bound he
left his engine and leaped up stairs to the
The news was dispatched to the general
hospital, and the railroad officials, and a
special train was made up in few min
utes Hospital surgeons and city physi-
clans and railroad OFFICIALS had employees
boarded the train and Engineer Hender-
son hurried them back to the scene. The
wreckIng machine was dispatched prompt
" to the trestle.
The train returned here about o'clock.
bringing the passengers and crew. There
were between thirty and forty passengers.
and the regular complement Of train and
| Pullman crews.
The passengers stopped at the Phoenix
Hotel for supper and considering the ex-
perlence they had at the trestle, they were
very calm and philosophical.
All spoke in highest praise of the prompu
work of the railroad company IN resculng
| them.
There were about fifteen ladies' In ths
party, nearly all of whom were returning
North, after spending some time in Flor
| ida.
| The lady who was severely injured and
| three or four men who were slightly in
| jured were taken TO the general hospital
of the Plant system and given the very
| best attention.
Some of the members of the Pullman
crew were slightly scratched on their faces
and hands, while rescuing passengers.
| though they are suffering no considerable
inconvenience.
| w. II. Wright. master of transportation.
1 -. Ia ftoA
everything necessary was done In all pos
sible haste to aid the train. He provided
places for the train crews to spend the
night, and was very considerate OF the
needs and comfort of the passengers. Theirs
was system and dispatch In the rescue.
| The train was signalled to stop. A ne
gro who had charge of the pump at Fort
| Nudge saw the smoke at the trestie and
! went to investigate 1t.
He found the forest on either side of the
railroad burning and the trestle was in a
blaze also.
The smoke was so dense that the blaze
could not been seen ten feet away.
| 1t was train time.
The negro saw the danger and started
back toward Fort Nudge waving dam
| ger flag as he went
The smoke prevented the engineer from
seeing the signal, and just as the negro
left the trestle on his return, the train
| arrived.
The signal was given in vain.
The train was running at good speed.
The engineer had seen the signal just as
his engine was approaching the trestle
and it was impossible for him to stop
The sudden jerking Of the train shook
the passengers and caused the death of
| Mrs. Horton.
After the coaches were vacated, the
| flames took possession and dense black
smoke filed the air.
| Fortunately the trestle was across a
| shallow basin. There was no creek nor
! lake and the passengers stepped from
/ the train on dry land.
The coaches were all on the track and
were not damaged or disconnected by the