The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-06-05
FEARFUL WRECK
NEAR SUMTER.
NEGRO A. C. L. EXCURSION PLUNGES
INTO A WASHOUT.
Conductor and Three Negro Passengers
Killed-Elght Seriously Injured,
TWenty-SiX Hurt.
News and Courier.

lWCuty ~SlH Hu[ts
News and Courier
Sumter June 2.-The most fatal
and disastrous wreck in the history
of this division of the Atlantic Coast
Line occurred two milos east of
Wedtiefeld, near Cane Savannah flag
station, at 0,55 this morning. Con-
ductor j. j. Clements, of Florence,
aud three negro passengers we're
taken from the wreck dead, and an
other negro has since died. The
injured number thirty four and many
others have more or less bruises.
Eight of the injured are classed HI
seriously injured, as some of them
have internal injuries that may yet
take aerious turn.
The train wrecked WAS aD excur-
sion train, being run by negroes from
Nichols, Marion County, to CoIum-
bia The train was made up Of Il
baggage car and five day coaches,
pulled by Engine No. 66. There
were about $50 passengers on the
train, aud it was due solely TO the
fact that most of the passengers
we're in the two rear coaches, which
did not leave the track, that the nuu
ben, of killed and wounded WAS not
far greater, for moro complete
wreck is seldom seen.
The most wonderful part Of the
whole affair was the escape Of the
engineer and fireman. They were
both injured, and will suffer from
the wounds received for many days,
but that they are alive after passing
| through such wreck is nothing
short of miraculous They stuck to
the engine to tho last, in fact had no
time to jump and save themselves,
aud when the engine went down in
the washout they were thrown out,
one to the right, the other to the
left. Engineer George Wilson was
badly scalded on the arms aud So
verely bruised, while Fireman Mack
Douglass has an arm and shoulder
injured.
CAUSE OF THE WRECK.
The scene OF tho wreck is not NOR,
than half mile, perhaps less, from
the Cane Savannah siding, just ut
the head Of a small branch. There
WAS no stream there, bnt the land
rose sharply on tho north side of the
track to the high ground, while on
the south side there was Il thread of
Il small branch, with low ground on
either side. The embankment carry
ing the track across the bottom was
fifteen or more feet in height. The
unprecedentedly heavy rain last
night caused III immense head OF
water to accumulate in the low ground
on the north side of the track, which
finally washed away the embank.
ment for distance Of forty feet and
escaped into the branch on the nortl
side. The rails and crossties were
left suspended in the air, spanning
the chasm, and when the engin,
struck it, it plunged in and the bag
gage car and three coaches followed
3; A REILEF TRAIN
was quickly made up in Sumter an,
= DR. Van Telburg Hoffman, the Allan
J. tic Coast Line physician; DR. j. 4
Mood, DR. A. G.. Dick and DR. Waite
n Cheyne, Mr. G.. G. Rowland Mr. T. Y
\ Walsh, Jr, the agent, and Roa
Muster George Bruner we're carrie
in to tho wreck as quickly as possip,
Everything that could possibly
II done to relieve the suffering of tt
wounded was done at once, and Il
dead and wounded were then place
70 on the relief train and brought
this city.