Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-09-28
FAST MAIL WRECKED
Nine Killed and Seven Injured
 Near Danville, va.
TRAIN PLUNGED FROM HIGH TRESTLB
Few Engineer Struck Curve at High Speed and Cars Left the Track,
 FaIlfng seveI1ty-fave Feet to tic Rocks Below.

CHARLOTTE, NEG, Sept. 2S.-While running at a high rate of speed train No. 97 on the Southern railway, the south bound fast mail train, jumped from trestle seventy five feet high half a mile north of Danville, Va, late yesterday and was almost demolished. Of the crew of sixteen men, including mail clerks, on the train nine were killed and seven injured
 The dead are: J. "A. Broady of Salts vile, Va, engine driver; A. G. Clapp of Greensboro, N. ..C., fireman; !. r. Blair of Danville, Va, conductor, and J. L. Thompson of Washington: w. T. Chambers of Midland, Va; D. T. Flor ry of Nokesville, Va; F. N. Ardan- wright, Mount Clinton, Va, mail clerks; { f1agmari named s. J. Moody of Raleigh, IN. O., and a boy of twelve years, son of J. !. Thompson. The ex- press messenger W. F. Pinkney, re naained uniniured.
 All of the Injured men are seriously hurt and have been taken to the hos pital in Danville. The recovery of one mail clerk is hardly possible. and other clerks are thought to have received mortal injuries.
 The trestle where the accident oc- cilrred is 800 feet long and is located on a sharp curve. Engineer Brodie was a new man on that division of the Southern, and it is said he came to the curve at a very high rate of speed.
 The engine had gone only about fifty feet on the trestle when it sprang from the track, carrying with it four mail cars and an express car. The trestle, a wooden structure, also gave way for 8 space of fifty feet.
 At the foot of the trestle is shallow stream with rocky bottom. Striking this, the engine and the cars were re- duced to q mass of twisted iron and steel and pieces of splintered wood As the cars went down they touched. the side Of the Riverside cotton mill, which is very close to the trestle.
 Several thousand people were soon it the scene Of the wreck. No one on any of the cars had made an effort to jump, and the bodies of all those killed were found in the wreckage of the diff ferent cars to which they belonged. Ladies who drove out to the wreck from Danville faf1ted at the sight of the bodies. some of which were crushed to a ghastiy degree. It seemed rlirac ulous that any one should have es- caped, for each car falling with the en- zine bounded from it and completely collapsed after striking the rocks at the foot of the trestle. All the express matter in the express car was practi- caily destroyed except six crates full of canary birds. None of the birds was hurt, though the crates were in the thfckest of the debris. All unofd- cial opinions that have been ascer- tained agree in giving only one cause for the wreck, the high speed of the train on the sharp curve.
 The mail bags in all the mail cars were torn open, and the letters and packages were scattered, but it is be- iieved none is lost. Fire which ap- peared in the wreckage shortly after 1t occurred was quickly extinguished by the Danville fire department.
 In loss of life this is one of the most serious wrecks that have occurred on the Southern, and 1t is the third time sthat the fast mail has been almost en- tirely demolished. On account of the wreck all traffic on the central and northern divisions of the Southern will be affected. It will take several days to repair the damage to the trestle.
 Cause and ERect.