The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1904-09-14
A Disastrous Wreck.

Charlotte, N. q, Sept. 9-Ihe
most disastrous wreck in the history
of railroads in this State occurred at
1 o'clock this morning at Cataba,
about twelve miles from Rock Hill.
Through passenger train No. A.,
southbound, running at the rate of
forty miles an hour, soon after get
ting on 300-foot trestle leading to
the river the structure gave way and
the train plunged to the bottom.
Not single passenger or member of
the train crew escaped injury more
or less seriously and seven people
were killed.
An engine and cab followed the
passenger train, and had it not been
for the injuries received by the crew
the track would have been "protect
ed" and the engine following would
have been stopped. As it was, how
ever, that also plunged in upon the
wreck, falling upon the rear coach.
The dead are: Edward Barksdale,
of Abbe7ille, engineer of the freight
locomotive; Ed. Roberts, colored,
fireman of the passenger engine;
Mrs. r. F. Black, formerly of Abbe-
Vile, but now of Kentucky; woman
unidentified, about thirty years OLD;
another woman whose name is un-
know, died en- the relief train which
was sent from Monroe. The engi-
neer of the passenger train escaped
with comparatively few injuries
which are not at all serious.
Not soul on the train escaped in
jury OF some kind, and it is reported
that some of them are most seriously
hurt. That all were not billed is a
miracle.
Tie passenger train consisted Of
five cars and Pullman.
ANOTHER REPORT.
The wreck On the Sesbcard Air
Line is inaccessible from here, but it
is known that seven were killed, two
white women, two white men and
three colored men. Eighteen were
wounded, some seriously. The
wounded were taken on a special
train to Monroe, N. G. The wreck
occurred on the York side of the Ca
taba river, about quarter of mile
from the river. The westbound pas
senger train went into 8 200 foot
trestle over a small stream in the
river bottom. An engine and ca
boose following few minutes later
plunged in upon the day coach crush
ing it into kindling wood.
All the dead and injured we're in
that coach. One of the ladies is
lying under the engine, her body
from her waste down being horribly
burned. She is supposed to be a
Mrs. Herbert, from Florida. The
dead body of the engineer was also
under the engine.
At the time of the wreck the train
was running at fifty miles an hour.
The wreck, like that at Fishing
Greek just year ago, is attributed
to decayed timbers in the trestle,
though there are rumors that the
engine jumped the track and pushed
the trestle down, while another
rpmor is that sonse obstacle was
placed on the track which caused the
wreck. The physicians IN Rock Hill
being summoned, went to the scene
by private conveyance; arriving there
about 3 o'clock. The wreck occurred
about l o'clock in the morning.
The news of the wreck as it spread
through the city caused much anx-
iety because of a misundersta nding
as to what division of the Seaboard
the accident occurred. Many peo-
pie had friends and relatives due to
arrive on the Sesboard this morning
and many anxious inquiries were
made at the company's Offices in be-
lief that this mornings train on this
division was the one wrecked. The
officials here were able to reassure all