The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-24

are lying, many of them, burned to a
crisp, in the baggage room of the Bal
timore and Ohio depot, to be removed
later to the different undertaking shops
in the city.
The entire population has turned out
en- masse to assist in caring for the
living and in disposing of the dead. A
peculiar feature of the accident is the
fact that not woman was injured,
except slightly.
The wreck was caused by the break
ing castings on a carload of bridge tim
bers. on west-bound freight train.
which had passed Laurel Run not more
than fifteen minutes before the Inflated
passenger train. The wreck occurred
on a curve, and 1t was impossible for
Engineer Thornley, to see far enough
ahead to detect the obstruction on the
tracks.
The big Atlantic type engine plung-
ed into the timbers' at a velocity of
sixty miles an hour. The engine plough
ed into the embankment, and the bag
gage and express car were thrown into
the Youghiogheny river. The smoker
followed the engine and landed square
ly on top of it. This allowed the es-
Gaping steam and hot water from the
engine to fill the car.
The smoker was packed to its utmost
capacity and all the passengers were
cooked alive. Not single passenger in
this. car escaped with, his life, and it
is expected that at least forty OF the
dead were in the smoker
Baum Was a Hero.
Baggage Master Thomas j. Baum,
of Hazelwood, who was on the wreck
ed train. proved himself hero. With
his head and body frightfully cut, he
managed to crawl from the wreckage
and grouping his way along in dark
ness, tagged the westbound passenger
train No. 49. He had nothing with
which to flag the train except matches,
and these he made use Of in the des-
peration by taking off his coat and
setting fire to it. He stopped the train
just in time to prevent it from plunging
into the wreck and adding further hor-
ror to an already indescribable disas-
ter.
Baum collapsed when he saw he had
succeeded In stopping the train, and
when the engine stopped he was lying
within a few feet of It.
An operator at "VR" tower on the
Pittsburg and Lake Erie road. across
the Youghiogheny river, was the first
to send word of the accident and to
send for relief. He was watching the
Duquesne limited as 1t was speeding
along the Baltimore and Ohio tracks
across the river. He saw the cars
pile high in the air. and then sink
back on the tracks. The screams of
the injured and dying were plainly
heard, and in another second he was
sending work to the railroad officials
at Dawson and Connellsville.
Tracks and Equipment Destroyed
For more than 500 feet both the
east and west-bound tracks are torn
up. The engine was entirely demol-
ished, and the big 1000 gallon tender
was thrown 100 feet ahead of the
wreck. The baggage car was thrown
into the river, but was but slightly
wrecked. All the cars were derailed,
and all the trucks. except the diner,
were torn from under the coaches.
AS soon as the wreck was reported
in Connellsville all the available ply
sicians were summoned, including Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad physicians,
and a special train was made
up and taken in charge by
General Superintendent Sims and
Superintendent ]. e. Irwin of the
Pittspurg division. The relief train
was run at full speed. and the scene
of the wreck was reached about 8
o'clock, the injured were looked after
Immediately and everyone was made
dS IOtAAoil0DAS 40 pOoclDAts 4 uey were
loaded onto the relief train and taken
to the Courage State Hospital
Dead I'm "a Long Row.
The dead were placed In a long row
on the embankment oppos tie The wreck
age and in a single line thirty-eight
forms Law cold and stin on the froz-
en- ground. Another row on the op-
posite side Of the wreckage contained
eleven. and scattered here and there
through the underbrush were the dead
bodies OF many who had been able TO
crawl from the wreckage. but died be-
fore aid reached them.
Under his engine lay Engineer Will
liam Thornley, disembowaled and
mangled almost beyond recognition. II
was impossible az the time 70 extricato
his body. and II Will be several hours
before the wreck crew win be able 10
remove the engine which pinions bis
-. a. a. 49,. 80. - tel