Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-09
NO. 81.
Mlistellaneuus Reading.
THE FISHING CREEK DISASTER.

L
ton at Rock Hill.
A meeting Of the board of railroad
commissioners was held in the coun-
ell chamber In this city yesterday
morning to make inquiry as to the
cause Of the Fishing Creek trestle
wreck on the S. c. & Ga Elk. road.
which occurred on the third Of Sep
tember. Chairman c.. w. Garris and
Commissioner J. H. Wharton were
present with Miss Bessie Bookter, the
boards stenographer. Commissioner
Kaufman could not be present, owing
to circumstances beyond his control.
There were present also several rep
lresentatives Of the Southern railway,
namely: Col. ]. S. B. Thompson, gen.
eral agent, Of Atlanta; Mr.. M. H. Doo-
ley. general counsel Of the Southern,
Of Washington; Mr.. D. w. Lum, super
intendent Of bridges and trestles; COL
A. Trpp former superintendent Of the
s. C. & G. Ex., and his son Herbert Of
Blacksburg.
The hearing was open to the public
and was conducted in order that the
commissioners might be able, in obe-
1ience to the law on the subject, to
make complete report l. the legisla-
ture covering all the facts obtainable
in relation to the wreck.
Witnesses were called and sworn as
follows:
Henry Massey Of Rock Hill. He was
present at the wreck about an hour af-
ter the occurrence. while the dead and
the wounded were yet on the grounds.
He saw a great deal Of rotten timber
in the wrecked trestle, but did not
know the per cent Of decay. He could
not express opinion as to the cause Of
the wreck.
w. H. Wylie Of Rock Hill testified he
visited the scene the afternoon Of the
lay Of the wreck. Saw a great deal
Of decayed timber in the fallen trestle.
and estimated that at least rs per cent
of the lumber was on account Of decay
unfit for use in the trestle. Visited the
wreck the next morning and obtained
several specimens Of the rotten timber
ana a number Of splinters, showing
their decayed condition. His opinion
was that the wreck was caused by the
rotten and unsafe condition Of the tim
bers.
Rev. W. L. Lingle Of Rock Hill tes-
titled that he visited the wreck the
morning of the day after the wreck and
before the wreckage had been burned.
He saw a very considerable amount Of
rotten timber In the wreck and also
saw decayed wood in that part Of the
trestle that was left standing. He could
not say that he had an opinion as to
the cause Of the wreck. He only ex-
amined the timbers casually.
]. M. McFadden Of Rock Hill went
| to the trestle the afternoon OF the
Of the wreck. Saw a great deal Of rot
ten timber in the ruins and going up
on that part Of the structure left stand
Ing, made measurements and found
several rotten crossties in q very
short space. In his opinion the wreck
was caused by the weakness Of the de-
cayed timbers In the wreck. He ex-
amined the ruins critically.
T. L. Carroll Of Yorkville was among
the first to reach the scene after the
wreck and gave assistance to the res.
cue Of the wounded. He examined the
wreck and saw much rotten timber IN
the ruins, but could not say what
caused the wreck.
s. M. Grist of Yorkville, testified that
he reached the wreck about three-qu
ters of an hour after the trestle fell.
After viewing the dead and wounded,
he made a critical examination OF the
trestle and found the timbers very
much decayed, perhaps half being rot
ten. He did not know the position In
the trestle Of any Of the timbers before
the structure fell. He thought that
the cause Of the trestle falling was
probably due to the rate OF speed at
| which the train went upon the struc-
ture, but he was satisfied the weakness
| Of the timbers on account Of decay was
such that the wreck would have occur
red on some other day. So far as ne
could see the Southern officials and
employees did all they could under
the circumstances for the wounded and
| In taking care Of the dead.
This concluded the evidence Of the
witnesses present. Several other gen.
tlemen from Yorkville had been re-
quested to be present and give testi-
mony, but they failed to appear.
Chairman Garris invited any one pres
ent, knowing any Of the facts, to make
their statement, but no one came for
| ward. Mr.. Garris announced that II
other witnesses who knew any OF the
facts could be obtained, that the board
would hold another meeting at any
time either at Rock Hill or Yorkville.
The board then adjourned.-Rock
Herald.