Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-01
OFF RAIL.
Four Men Killed and
Many Injured
In Wreck Of Special Train
at Creenvi||e, S. c.
Prominent Professional Men Re-
turning from Convention
When Train Crashes Into a
Switching Freight.
The Scene Beggars Description When
Cars Take Fire.
The Scene Beggars Description When
Cars Take Fire.

Grecnvill!e S. c., April 30-Robcrt {.
Ogde,l's special train of six cars. car
ryina Il large party of distinguished
educators and professional men with
their wives, from New York. Boston
and the South. who had attended the
annual conference for education in the
South held at Columbia, and were con-
tinuing on an extended tour, was
wrecked, near here, Saturday. Four
persons were killed and more than IA
dozen injured.
The dead are: Charles NJ. Coope.
hagmap; ]. Little, w. w. Cummings
and J. F. Haynes. negro employees of
the dining car.
Ths, injured include several of the
most distinguished guests, who es-
capped death seemingly by a miracle,
and none of them will die. Bishop Nc
Nickar and eX-Mayor and Mrs. Seth
Low Of New York, had very narrow es-
cape; Mr.. ogden. though hurled from
his berth. WAS uninjured. The trip has
been abandoned and the party will re-
turn to New York.
The Ogden special left Columbia at
2. Saturday morning, and stop was
80 have been made here. The train was
running at high rate of speed and at
:. when within an hour of this city,
the passengers were called and most of
them commenced dressing.
a mile from this city there Is a sharp
curve where the Columbia branch of
the Southern railway forms Il junction
with the AtIanta-Charlotte lire. En-
gineer Hunter apparently did not
check the speed of his train when APP
preaching this curve. AS the Ogden
special went tearing on to its destina-
ton. freight train was being switched
onto the main track from the Atlanta
Charlotte line and 1t was right in the
path of the flying special.
As soon as he struck the curve. Hun
ter, leaning for out from his cab. saw
the freight. not 600 feet away. He re-
vcrscd his lever. threw on the emer-
Eency brakes and opened wide the
throttle. With a despairing shrek the
engine dashed into the rear of the
freight. grinding. crushing and blowing
ahead until it had torn it's way through
four cars.
The sudden jar of the emergency
brakes had warned everybody that
there was danger ahead. but the few
seconds between the shock of the
for action. Those still i'm their bcrths
were hurled out and those in the va
rious processes of dressing were thrown
to the floor.
The early risers had gone forward to
one Of the dining cars. and these were
the only ones injured. The early break
fasters included Prof and Mrs. Henry
w Farnum. DR.. julius w. Dreher. st.
Clair McKelway and Robert NJ. Og-
den. Mr.. Ogdcn's secretary.
Thy had scarcely taken their seats
when they felt the shock of the emer-
gcncy brakes. Everybody rose to their
feet in alarm and the next moment
came the awful impact Of the engine
as it struck the freight train.
Yelling and screaming in terror. the
occupants of the dining car were hurled
in every direction. Some were dashed
through the windows and others were
piled under tables. chairs, erockery
and smashed glasses. 1t was all so sud-
den and terrorizing that nobody could
fitly describe just what did occur in
that one awful second.
Cut and bleeding, many of them
landed in a muddy cornfield some so
feet from the track. Those not so seri-
ously hurt picked themselves up and
went to assist in the work of rescue.
In the rear coaches, although nobody
was injured beyond few slight
bruises. panic and indescribable con-
fusion reigned. Everybody had been
hurled in one direction or another.
Prof. Farnum of Yale. was perhaps
most seriously injured. His head was
bruised and arm broken. Mrs. Farnum
Was hurt on the shoulder and arm.
In Jumuing. Engineer Hunter broke
his leg and arm.
DIR. McElway. editor of the Brooklyn
Eagle. who was in the forward dining
car. was pinioned under the timbers.
hut escaped with slight injuries. Rob-
ert Nj. Ogden had his wrist broken; DR..
Dreher Of Roanoke College, was
bruised. Mrs. j. G. Thrope of Cam
bridge. Mass. also was bruised.
Bishop McVickar. who was shaving.
was thrown forward and his face
smashed against the plate glass mir
ror, but he received no injury beyond
the shock.
Robert c. Ogden had not arisen. al
though he was awake in his birth. He
was pitched out of it.
The baggage car. parlor. smoker and
dining cars, all Of which were more or