The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-26
Leads all North Carolina Daies and Cireu ation

for the past two weeks have swollen all
the streams in this part of the South and
several washouts have been reported on
the different roads. Camps creek, which
runs into the Ocmulgee, was over its
banks and it's waters had spread to all
the lowlands through which it runs.
About a mile and a half north of Nc
Donough the creek is somewhat near the
SOuthern's tracks and, running alongside
it for some distance, finally passes away
under the road by heavy stone culvert.
A cloud burst broke over that section Of
the country about o'clock that night
and presumably, shortly after dark,
washed out a section of the track, nearly
100 feet in length. Into this the swiftly
moving train plunged.
There was not n note of warning. 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 warn
ing. The train, consisting of a baggage
car, secondclass coach, first-class coach
and Pullman sleeper. was knocked into
kindling wood by the fall. The wreck
caught fire a few minutes after the fall
and all the coaches were burned except
the Pullman car.
Every person on the train except the
occupants of the Pullman car perished
in the disaster.
There was no escape, as the heavy
Pullman car weighed down the others
and the few alive in the sleeper were
unable to render assistance to their fellow
passengers.
For a brief time there was silence.
Then the occupants of the Pullman car
recovered from their bewilderment and
after hard work managed to get out of
their car and found themselves on the
track in the pouring rain. The extent or
the catastrophe was quickly apparent.
Flames were already coming from that
part of the wreckage not covered by the
water
AS the wreck began to go to pieces
under the destructive work of both fire
and flood human bodies f1oated out from
the mass and were carried down stream
by the swift current.
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 distinctness.
Flagman Quinlan, who was one of the
first to get out at once started for the
nearest telegraph station. Making his
way as rapidly as possible in the face of
the binding storm, he stumbled into the
office at McDonou2h. and after telling
the night operator of the wreck, fell
fainting to the floor. Word was quickly
sent to both Atlanta and Macon, but no
assistance was to be had except from the
cit init tpi r1p
vented the arrival of any train from
Macon.
Nearly the entire male population of
McDonough went to the scene to render
assistance, but little could be done by
the rescuers. as the fire kept them at
distance. At daylight the bodies that
had floated from the gorge were gather
ed up. One body was found mile from
the wreck and many were seen along the
banks.
A wrecking train was started out from
Atlanta at midnight but owing to the
burning wreckage nothing could be done
until morning A special train at 8
o'clock this morning took doctors, min
isters railroad officials and helpers to
the scene, but nothing could be done save
to gather up the bodies.
AS the dead were found they were re-
moved to McDonough. There are two
undertakers there. Both establishments
were soon full of the mangled remains
of the passengers. Some of the bodies
were terribly burned, while others were
crushed beyond recognition. The only
means of Identification in the majority
Of the cases were letters and papers in
the pockets of the victims.
The bodies were prepared for burial as
rapidly as possible. Some may be buried
at McDonough. Others will be sent to
their homes as fast as the proper ad
dresses can be ascertained.
Only three ladies were on the train.
Two escaped. 1t is presumed that the
other perished, but the body has not been
found.
Besides the regular crew of the train,
several conductors and other employees
were enroute to Atlanta to spend Sun
day. All were killed. Conductor w. A.
Barclay was in charge Of the train.
A section boss with a gang of eight
negroes occupied seats in the second
class COACH,
They were on their way to repair a
washout on the Georgia, Midland and
Gulf road. Not one escaped when the
car went down.