Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-09-16
TRAIN FELL INTO RIVER.
Engine and Coaches on Seaboard Air Lin
Plunges Through Trestle.

Charlotte, N. c. (SpeciaD Short,
after l o'clock A. Nj. train No. al OF
the Scaboard Air Line Railroad con
sisting of an express car, a mail car
two day coaches and Pullman sleep
err, was derailed at a trestle just soutl
OF the Catawba river, South Carolina
and ~ miles southwest of Monroe, N
C., followed by the wreck of ligh
engine and caboose, resulting in The
death of a persons and the injuring o,
IS others.
J. NJ. Barr, first vice president ane
general manager Of the road, said thai
there was evidence of a malicious at
tempt to wreck the train, number
of joints having been found discon
nected.
He gave the following details:
Train No. al was in charge of Con
ductor Richard West and Engineer
CASTOR Mears. The wreck occurred
about o'clock at the trestle just soutl
of Catawba River, South Carolina, ant
22 miles southwest of Monroe, N. c
The engine. passed over the trestlt
and went down the embankment, kill
ing Colored Fireman Ed Roberts ant
seriously injnring Engineer Castor
Mears. A light engine and caboose
running as No. 10, in charge of Con
nd l.
Barksdale, which train was passed by
No. al short distance east of thu
point where the accident occurred
ran into the damaged trestle and or
top OF the passenger train. resulting
in the death of the engineer of No
10, the fireman of the passenger train
and of Mrs. Black and an unknown
lady passenger. Two Pullman EN-
ployes, six railway employees, one mai
clerk, one Southern Express Company
employe and 70 passengers were in
jured."
The wrecked train was running
about 40 miles an hour when the tres
tie, which is about 800 feet long, span
ming a meadow near the Catawb;
river, gave way. The engine and som'
of the cars passed over, but were
drawn backward into the abyss ant
upon the other cars, and then to ado
to the disaster light engine and ca
boose ran on top of the train o
wreckage before it could be tagged.
CASTOR Mears, the engineer of thu
passenger train, escapd with som'
bruises and a painful scalp wound
How he escaped death is beyond hi
own or anyone else's comprehension
He said that he was driving at the
rate of 40 miles an hour as he crossed
the bridge. Just before the engin,
had swept entirely clear of the struc
ture he felt it sinking, but the impetu;
carried the engine and all the cars ex
cept the first-class passenger car anc
the Pullman over and clear OF the
yawning gulf, which was left wher
half the bridge collapsed, but the EN-
CINE and cars were swerved from then
course to the right, tearing the raj
loose from its fastenings and hurting
the entire train upside down over ar
embankment to the meadow, about 81
feet below
The accounts of the survivors are
terrible. When the train went crash
ing over the einbankment every light
went out and passengers were thrown
heads over heels against the sides o.
the coaches, bleeding and bruised
Some were rendered unconscious fol-
a moment Mrs. Black, sitting with
her husband. gave a short cry, ant
when he managed to strike a match
and find her body he discovered tha
she was dead, her neck having beer
broken. She was the only passengel
killed or even hurt seriously.