Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-09-04
WRECK AT FISHING CREEK.

Southern train No. 15, due IN 1ork-
willie at lib a. M, crashed through
Fishing creek trestle yesterday morn
ing. There were about thirty people on
board, and of these five were killed out
right, several were fatally injured, and
the others escaped with more or less
serious bruises. The engine, mall car
and two passenger cars were converted
into scrap iron and kindling wood.
The scene Of the wreck Is about two
and one half miles east Of Yorkville.
The first news was telephoned here
from the residence Of Mr.. N. A. Sim
ril. People from the neighborhood
had already gone to the rescue Of the
distressed passengers and trainmen,
and hundreds of Yorkville people, In
cluding all of the local physicians, at
once hurried to the same place In the
hope Of being Of assistance. .
Fishing creek trestle was about 400
feet long and about 40 feet high. 1t
crossed a wide bottom through the
centre of which flows the stream. Af-
was left only six benches on the east
side, with two on the west. Broken
rails projected above on either side,
while stretched across the bottom be-
low, in a confused mass Of rotten
timbers, lay the ill-fated train. The
engine lay at right angles from it's pro-
per line of travel with its nose In the
air, and the cab directly underneath
where the track had been above. 1t was
turned bottom upwards. The mall car
was jammed into and over the tender,
and the second class car which had
been crushed beyond recognition was
telescoped into the baggage car. The
first -class car in the rear, was sus-
pended in the air over broken timbers
and retained its upright position. 1t
was splintered and shattered in places:
but held it's general shape except for a
great hole In the rear end. 1t was at
least fifty feet clear of the last stand
ing bench, and formed a bridge across
the creek.
Although representatives Of THE
ENQUIRER were among the first York
willie people to arrive on the scene, 1t
was not until nearly an hour after the
train had made its terrible plunge, and
already much splendid work had been
done by the noble-hearted rescuers,
both white and colored. A number Of
the passengers had been caught in the
| Il I>4 vale
with the help of axes. Some Of these
were dead, and others were so badly
injured that 1t was not deemed advis-
able to move them further than few
yards from the train. They were made
as comfortable as possible on couches
improvised for the purpose from car
seats. The physicians began to arrive
about this time, and where such treat
ment promised relief they administer
ed hypodermic injections Of morphine.
Only one living man was taken from
the wreck after the arrival Of the ply
sicians. This was Mr.. T. G. Hicks a
commercial traveller from Lancaster.
He had been imprisoned in the wreck
age for more than an hour and was A.
nally released with a broken leg and
other injuries. He had suffered agon-
les Of torture, and how he survived
such an ordeal is beyond comprehen-
sion.
Among the passengers were several
who escaped with only slight bruises.
The reporter talked to several Of these;
but the most interesting story was
told by Mr.. B. F. Williford, a young
travelling man from Charlotte. He was