The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-10-01
NINE GO TO DEATH
In Frightfu| Accident on the
Southern Near Danvi|Ie, Va.
GOES THROUGH TRESTLE
Ill.Fated Fast Mail Wrecked for the
Third Time Within the Year.
TScene Of Disaster Presented
Horrible Sight.

While running at a high rate of
speed, No. 81, the Southern railway S
southbound fast mail train, jumped
from a trestle Is teet high, hall NILE
nortk Of Danville, Va. Sunday alter
noon at ESQ o'clock and was almost
demolished. Of the crew OF sixteen
men on the train eight were kllleo
and seven injured. and one was ua-
hurt.
The known dead are: James a..
Brodie, engineer; j. rnomas BlalT'
conductor; A. G. Clapp. fireman; Jonn
l.. Thompson, postal clerk; ". l.
Chambers, postal clerk; D.. T. Flory,
postal clerk; P. N. Ardanright, postal
clerk; S. ]. Moody, aagma1; twelve
year-old boy, son of Postal Clerk
Thompson. ....-- ....
The injured are: Louis W. Spiers'
Frank E., Brooks, Percivsl lndemeyer'
Charles E. Reames, Jennings J. Duh
lop, NJ. C. Maupin, J. Harrison Thomp-
son, all of whom are postal clerks.
All of the Injured men are seriously
hurt and are in the hospital in Dan
Vile, The recovery of Mail Cle'k
spiers is not expected, anu other
clerks are thought to have received
mortal injuries.
The trestle where the accident &C.
Cured is 500 feet long and is locaten
on a sharp curve. Engineer BroIie
was a new man or that division OF tfe
Southern, and it is said that he came
to the curve at very high rate Vi
speed. .. .f'
The engine had gone only about 90
feet on the trestle when it spraus
from the track, carrying with 1t for1
mali cars and an express car. The
trestle, wooden structure, also gave
way for space OF so feet
Cars Torn To Pieces.
At the foot of the trestle in shall
low branch with a rocky bottom
Striking this the engine and cars
we're reduced to a mass of twisted
iron and steel and pieces OF splinteret
wood. AS the cars went down they
touched the sides Of the Riverside cot
ton mill, which is very close to tht
trestle. ... .. ......-
All the dead men were killed N
stantly, it is thought; and all wer'
greatly mutilated. -
Several thousand people were sool
at the scene Of the wreck and remove;
the bodies from the debris. No on
on any of the cars had made an effor
to Jump and the bodies Of all :hos'
killed were found in the wreckage o
the different cars to which they be
/ longeI. Some Of the bodies wer'
crushed to a CHASTITY degree.
It seemed miraculous that any on
should have escaped, for each car fall
ing with the engine bounded from
and completely collapsed after strik
ing the rocks at the foot Of the trestle
All unofficial opinions that hav
been ascertained agree in giving onl.
one cause for the wreck-the higl
speed of the train on the sharp curv=
No. 81 was running about an hour te
hind time; It is thought that the en-
gineer being unfamiliar with the road
did not take into consideration tn
danger Of coming On the curve wit
such great velocity.
The mail bags in all the mail car
were torn open and the letters an
packages were scattered, but it is be
lieved none is lost. Fire which appear
ed in the wreckage shortly after 1t OF
Cured was quickly extinguished b
the Danville fire department.
In loss Of life this is one Of the mos
the Southern, and it Is the third tim
that the fast mail has been almost CT
tirely demolished. ...r
Within the last twelve months +h
same train ran into large rock o.
the track near Lexington, N. c., tn
engine ruined, cars gutted and severa
lives were lost.
A few months ago the fast ma
struck freight train head on nea
Charlotte, N. c., and was again almos
demolished.