The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1902-02-07
A HEAD-ON COLLISION.

A HEsAD-ON COLLISION.
Our town was shocked when it was
learned that Mr.. Jacob Rice had Just
received n telegram Monday morning
announcing that his youngest son,
Aubry had been killed in a wreck on
the F. @. & P. Division of the Sea-
board Air line rail road, at Limerick,
station some twenty five miles below
savannah.
The remains were taken to Savan-
nah and there prepared for burial by
the Masons and sent to Union where
they arrived Tuesday morning. Mr.,
Rice's remains were in charge Of his
brother Mr.. John Rice, who is also
railway mail clerk and he and his de-
ceased brother occupies the same
home at Jacksonville. The wives of
the deceased and his brother were
notified, and they arrived in Union
Wednesday.
AS near as we could gather the
particulars Of the wreck were as fol-
lows:
The vestibule, on it's way from
Jacksonville to Savannah, running
about 60 miles an hour had received
orders to meet and pass a rock train,
hauling rock to Jacksonville, at
station named Burroughs, which is
a flag station, at which passenger
trains only stop on signal, the engineer
and conductor Of the rock train had
received similar orders, but had made
an error in reading, and mistook
Burroughs" for another station
further down the line. This train
passed Burroughs and was running
to make the station they thought the
orders called for when the terrible
crash come.
The engineer and fireman, it is said,
jumped when they saw a collision
was inevitable, the engineer and fire.
man on the rockstrain were slightly
injured. The two engines came to-
gether with terrible crash, and
were both totally wrecked. The rock
train, being heavily loaded with rock,
offered the greatest resistance, and
the passenger train sustained the
most damage. The mail car, which
was next the engine, was mashed into
kiudling wood only a small portion Of
the top remained intact, while the
baggage car which was next was
badly wrecked. 1t is said that every
Pullman car on the train was more
or less damaged.
Mr.. Rice, all unconscious of the terri
BILE doom just ahead, was in his closed
car, working out and arranging his mail,
when he felt the brakes 20 down hard.
He attempted to reach The door, but too
late, the fatal crash had come. He was
finally rescued from under meath the
debris, an examination was made but it
was found that no bones had been broken,
and only slight bruise was discovered
on his cheek, but the terrible jar, and
pressure of the broken timbers lying
upon him caused internal hemorhage,
from which he died in one hour and
eight minutes after being taken out of
the wreck, he was perfectly conscious
to the end and said he felt 20 pain. The
wreck occurred before daylight Monday
morning. A special train was at once
sent out from Savannah carrying Physi-
clans, to render all possible assistance
Mr.. Rice was in his 29th year. He would
have been 80 years old had he lived until
next September. He was most exen-
plary and worthy young man, and Ell
joyed the confidence and respect of his
employers. He was married about SIX
years ago, and leaves wife and an in
FAINT child three months old. He has been
in the service of the Government as
railway clerk something over eight years
Hislfrst run was on the Narrow Gague
road between Chester and LenOir, from
this run he was promoted to the South
ern, between Charlotte and Atlanta,
and lastly to the Seaboard, running from
Jacksonville, Florida to Columbia s. G.
which run he has been on since last
March.
Mr.. Rice carried $4,000 insurance
policy in the Railway Mail Clerks In
surance 20. He was a member of
the Masonic Lodge of Chester and had
advanced to the "Shrlners" degree.
The remains were inferred in the old
cemetery beside those of his mother
Wednesday afternoon at O'Clock. A
large number Of friends were present at
the burial services.
The funeral service was conducted in
the Baptist Church in very touching
and impressive manner by Rev. l. M.
Rice, his pastor. The burial was con-
Quoted by The MasOns. There was
very large audience at both ceremonies
His father-in-law and brother-in.law
from Chester attended the funeral SER
vices.
The Masonic pallbearers were Capt T..
B. Chase, F. T. Yates, Geo. w. GOings,
G. H. Foster, DR.. l. Nj. Hair and Il. NJ.
McNeace
We have known Mr.. j. Aubry Rice
for number of years and considered
him one of the most exemplary young
gentlemen of our acquaintance Besides
his wife and child he leaves father,
brother and mother-in-law, sister-in-la%
and a hort of sorrowing friends young
and old in Union to mourn his untimely
end. We extend our most heartfelt