The Forrest City times., 1900-06-29
THIRTY-FIvE MEN KILLED.
ths Southern Railroad Near
McDonough, Ga.

Atlanta, Ca, June 25.-A passenger
train on the Macon branch of the
Southern railroad ran into a washou.
Cne and a half miles north or McDon-
or.gh, Ga, Saturday night, and was
completely wrecked. The wreck caught
fire, and the entire train, with the ex-
ccption Of the sleeper, was destroyed.
Every person on the train, except the
occupants of the Pullman car perished.
Not a member of the train crew es-
capped. Thirty-ive persons in all were
killed.
Providentially Delayed.
The train left Macon at 7:10, and was
due in Atlanta at 9:45 Saturday night.
McDonough was reached on time. At
this point connection is made for CO.
lumbus, Ca, and here every night the
Columbus train is coupled on and
hauled through to Atlanta. Last night,
however, for the first time in many
months the Columbus train was re-
ported two hours late on account of
washout on that branch, and the Ma
con train started on to Atlanta with
out Its Columbus connection.
Many Washouts Reported.
Tremendous rains, of daily occur
renee for the past two weeks, have
swollen all streams in this part of the
south, and several washouts have been
reported on the different roads.
Scene of the Disaster.
Camps creek, which runs into the
Ocmulgee, was over ITS banks, and its
waters had spread to all the lowlnnds
through which it runs. About a mile
and half north of McDonough the
creek comes somewhat near the South
ern's tracks, and running alongside it
for some distance, finally passes away
under the road by a heavy stone cul-
| vert.
Plunged into = washout.
A cloud-burst broke over that section
of the country about six o'clock Sat-
urday night, and, presumably, shortly
after dark washed out section of the
track nearly hundred feet in length.
Into this the swiftly-moving train
| plunged. The storm was still raging
and all the car windows were closed.
| The passengers, secure, as they
thought, and sheltered comfortably
| from. the inclement weather, went to
death without an instant's warming.
| Knocked Into Kindlinn Wood.
The train, consisting of baggage
car. second class coach, first class coach
and Pullman sleeper, was knocked
into kindling wood by the fall.
| The Wreck Caught Fire.
The wreck caught fire few min-
utes after the fall, and all the coaches
were burned, except the Pullman car.
Pullman Car Passengers.
| Every person on the train except the
occupants of the Pullman car, perished
in the destruction. Then the occu-
pants of the Pullman car recovered
from their bewilderment, and by hard
work managed to get out of their car
and found themselves on the track in
the pouring rain.
Dead Bodies Floated from the Wreck.
The extent of the catastrophe was
quickly apparent. Flames were al
ready seen coming from that part Of
the wreckage not covered by the wa
ter. AS the wreck began to go to
pieces under the destructive work of
both flame and flood. human bodies
fioated out from the mass and were
carried down stream by the swift cur
rent.
The storm did not abate in fury.
Flashes of lightning added to the
steady glow of the burning train, and
Lit up the scene with fearful distinct
ness.
Thought Only Of Duty.
Flagman Quinland, who was one Of
the first to get out, at once started for
the nearest telegraph station. Max
ing his way as rapidly as possible in
the face of the binding storm, he
stumbled into the Office at McDon-
ough, and, after telling the night
operator of the wreck, fell fainting to
the floor.
Word was quickly ses.t to both At
lanta and Macon, but no assistance was
to be had, except III the latter city,
as the interrupted track prevented the
arrival of any train from Macon.
Nearly the entire male population of
McDonough went to the scene to rem
der assistance, but little could be done
by the rescuers, as the fire kept them
at a distance.
At daylight the bodies that had
fioated from the gorge were gathered
up. One body was found a mile from
the wreck, and many were seen along
it's banks.
Little Could he Done.
A wreck train was started out from
Atlanta at midnight, but owing to the
burning wreckage nothing could be
done until morning.
A special train at six o'clock yester-
day morning took doctors, ministers,
railroad officials and helpers to the
scene, but nothing could be done save
to gather up the bodies.
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