The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-18
2 SLEEPERS BURNED
PLANT SYSTEM PASSENGERS HAVE
NARROW ESCAPE.
LOST CLOTHING AND MONEY.
TWO PULLMANS REDUCED TO
TWISTED IRON.

Passengers Gotten Out So Hurriedly
That They Left Clothing and Per-
sonaI Effects Behind Estimated at
$4,000 to s15,0OO-some Had to
Remain Wrapped I'm Blankets I'm
til jacksonville Was Reached,
Where They Were Supplied by the
Plant system PeOple-The Loss on
Cars Estimated at 100000.
Palatka, Fla, March 1.-Two Pullman
sleeping cars Tabita and Elmer. of train
No. 80 of the Plant System. Tampa to
jacksonville, were completely destroyed
at an early hour this morning at Buffalo
Bluff, seven miles from this city. All
that remains of them is a mass of twisted
iron, the wheels and trucks. The sleepers
were filled with tourists and all were
asleep at the time of the fire. So quickly
did the flames spread that there was prac-
tically no time for saving clothes or valu-
ables.
Train No 80, first section, left Tampa
at 9 oclok Saturday night. and was due
to arrive in jacksonville at 1880 O'Clock this
morning. Owing to there being a heavy
train, it was divided and sent out in two
sections.
When nearing Buffalo Bluff the two
cars were discovered to be burning. At
the time of the discovery of the flames
they had gained such a headway that 1t
was impossible to extinguish them. and
the train was run to Buffalo Bluff, where
the burning cars were showed into a sid
ing and a flagmen sent back to flag the
second section.
The passengers In the burning cars were
hurried into the other slepers and made as
comfortable as possible. Ihere were sew
enteen passengers in the two sleepers,
several of them being ladies. In the hur-
ry of awakening and being placed in other
cars sevral of this number lost their
clothing and personal effects. Blankets
we're loaned to these who were so un-
fortunate as to lose their clothing and
they remained wrapped in these until
Jacksonville was reached
The news of the burning of the cars
| had been telegraphed to Jacksonville aud
when the tram reached the terminal STA
| ton there, just few minutes later, Di.
vision Passenger Agent f. NJ. Jolly,
Travelling Passenger Agent A. NJ. Lu-
/ cas-, Jr., Ira1nmaSter BeVel or the Pianl
! System, and Superintendent Hutchinson
of the Pullman company were on hand
and Immediately provided for the wants
OF the passengers.
| One man lost his trousers and several
of them were minus their coats. The la
dies lost the greater part of their wear
| ing apparel. The railr ad officials had
their measures taken for clothing, dresses,
! shoes. etc, and they were supplied within
a half-hour of the time of the arrival Of
the train in Jacksonville. The passen-
! gers were then sent to hotels and made
perfectly comfortable. Tickets were sup
! piled them to replace those burned, and
| by the afternoon those who desired to
proceed further were on the way to their
| destination.
At II o'clock this morning a special
| train was sent to the burning cars. Train
master Bevel. Attorney J. E. Hartridge.
/ Supt. Hutchinson and Passenger Agent
Lucas, together with several of the pas
! sengers. returned to Buffalo Bluff ana
made an effort to recover what money
and jewelry was lost, but in this they
! were unsuccessful. as the cars had burn
ed to the trucks and were still hot an
| smoking.
The loss In money and jewelry is sai1
/ TO be, according to the statements of the
| passengers. between $4,000 and SIS OO0 The
total loss is estimated at $4,000.