Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-04-24
BUFFALO BRIDGE TRAGEDY.


Engineer Metcalf and Fireman Rhyme Go Down
Into the FIood-The Former Killed and the
Latter Almost Drowned-Engine and..Tender
In the Creek-0ther Notes.
Correspondence Of the Yorkville Enquirer
BLAcKsBURG, April 22-Not for Is
years has our section been visited with
such a downpour Of rain within "a
hours, as fell on Friday last, and not
within the same length Of time have
the smaller streams Of water been so
high. Nor has our community ever re-
ceived so terrible a shock, as when,
Saturday morning. it was told and the
news spread rapidly, that the S. G. &.
Ga. Extension railroad bridge across
Buffalo creek, had fallen in and with
it Engineer J. w. Metcalf and Fire
man Fred Rhyme, both of whom, 1t was
thought, had perished, as they both
disappeared from sight when the
bridge gave way, and went down into
the stream with their engine. The cir
cumStances of this very sad and dis
tressing affair, as have been able to
gather them, are as follows:
A little before o'clock, Saturday
morning, the northbound freight train
of the S. G. & Ga. Extension road, with
Conductor Mcguire in charge and En-
gineer Metcalf and Fireman Rhyme on
the engine, left Blacksburg for Marion,
N. c. Upon approaching the bridge
which spans Buffalo creek, a red flag,
a danger signal, was seen on the track,
and Engineer Metcalf pulled up to 1t
and stopped his train. He here met
Section Master Tom Smith, who told
him that he considered the bridge In an
unsafe condition; but that he (Metcalf)
could use his own judgment as to
whether he should take the risk OF
crossing. Metcalf walked over the
bridge, inspected it carefully, and then
decided that 1t was In such conditlon
il could be safely crossed. The bridge
was a wooden structure 100 feet long
and 70 feet high, supported by trusses
of very heavy timbers. AS developed
afterward, however, the strong current
of water had undermined the trusses,
and the engine had not passed more
than two-thirds Of the length OF the
bridge when the structure gave away,
and the engine, engineer and bridge
were all precipitated into the rushing
torrent.
Fireman Rhyme, as soon as he per-
ceived the danger, jumped into the
stream, a distance of nearly 6O 1eet,
and with floating pieces Of timber was
carried down the current half mile,
where he was lodged on a raft caught
by some trees near the bank of the
creek. His cries for help soon brought
hearts and hands willing and anxious
to rescue him from his perilous posi-
ton; but on account of the depth,
~ ctr rrfh Nf
the spreading out of the water over the
large body of lowland lying adjacent
to the stream; and the absence of any
means for navigating it, he had to re-
main where he was until raft could
be constructed and fioated out near
enough to him for one Of his brave
rescuers to swim across the rapid tor
rent with a rope, which he fastened
around Fred's body, and he was pull
ed into the raft amidst shouts of JOY
and thankfulness. He had been
standing upon his narrow and precari-
Gus foothold for four hours, wet and
cold and exposed to a cold wind and
rain; but he was soon stimulated and
warmed and carried to his home. Be-
sides the danger Of the long exposure,
the only injuries he sustained were a
fractured arm and bruised back. He
is at present getting along nicely and
will soon be able to be out again.
Not until yesterday, after the water
had subsided, was Engineer Metcalf
found, some distance down the stream
His skull was fractured and the evil
dence was plain that he was killed In
the fall from his place in the cab. His
body was promptly taken to the offices
of the road, where it was given in
charge of Undertaken w. F. Moore,
who, after preparing it for burial, plac-
ed it in handsome casket. and con-
veyed it to his grief stricken home,
where a heart broken wife and her two
fatherless children realized the great
ness of their loss. This morning. ac-
Rev. Mr.. Mcleod, and a delegation of
Masons from Buffalo lodge, his re-
mains were taken to Forest City, N. c.,
for interment.
Mr.. Metcalf was native Of North
Carolina, and had been faithful and
trusted employe Of the S. c. & Ga.
Extension railroad for number OF
years. He was a good citizen, con-
sistent member of the Methodist
church, an affectionate husband and
father, and a devoted and useful MEM
ber of the Masons, knights Of Pythias,
and brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineerS.
In addition to the loss Of the rail-
road bridge, the county bridge, just
below, was also carried away by the
force of the water and timbers. 1t was
new structure and very strongly
built; but could not withstand such
pressure as came against 1t.
Considerable damage has been sus-
tained by the farmers in the washing
of their lands, as a good deal of corn
and cotton has already been planted.
Mrs. NJ. M. Freeman and Miss Kath-
crime Deal, will go to Greenville to-
morrow as delegates from this place
to the Woman's Federation of Clubs.
Rev. DR.. A. P. Montague, president
of Furman university, gave very elo-
quent and learned lecture in the Bar
tisf crurcf yesterday on education ana
it's general development. Unfortun-
nately, on account Of the interest In
the wreck, he had comparatively few
listeners, but he promised to return
sometime soon and give a lecture In
our city hall. W. A.
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