The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-05-03
TERRIBLE WRECK
AT GREENVILLE.
Pullman Palace Cars Made
into Kindling Wood.
FOUR DEAD.
Ogden Party's Southern Tour Interrupted.
Glorious Expectations Chilled
by Sadness.

by Sadness.
Running into the yard limits of Green
vile at fifty miles an hour, the special
Pullman train bearing President Rob-
ert G. Ogden of the Conference for
Education in the South, and one hun
dred of his guests, crashed into the rear
end of a shifting freight train on the
main line of the Southern Railway just
opposite the factory at z. 55 o'clock yes
terday morning, killing four persons
and injuring four others.
AS result of the tragedy, the trip
of the Ogden party to Spartanburg,
Biltmore and other points was abon-
doned, and the special left Greenvile
mt 745 last night for Philadelphia and
New York
The wreck was due to misunder-
standing of orders on the part of local
officials of the railroad company. At
the inquest held during the afternoon
the testimony of the dispatcher showed
that orders were received to the effect
that the special would arrive from Spar
tanburg at Tbs O'Clock, and that subse-
quently another order was filed in the
yardmaster's office that it would arrive
at 1855. Yardmaster Riser, who went
on duty at Z o'clock, testified that he
had received no orders and that he
knew nothing of the train. Conductor
Agnew of the freight, testified that he
was not advised of the coming of the
special.
1t is evident, however, that the or
ders were received, even if there may
be question in the public mind as to
their filing. Train sc, passed Green
vile shortly after z O'Clock, with or
ders to take the siding at Paris for the
special to pass. Engineer Hunter, who
jumped after applying the emergency
brakes, and just before the crash, came
from the Savannah division and was not
familiar with the roadway of this divis-
ion. Seemingly, he did not regard the
sign to slow down at the yard limit line,
and instead, he came whirling into the
station and around the sharp curve at
dangerous rate of speed
1t was due almost to the mercy of
God that a hundred people were not
slaughtered, for Is minutes later the
dining cars would have been filled with
a happy throng. The baggage car
Quintus was next to the engine and be-
hind it were the diners st. James and
Waldorf. Dr. McKelway, Prof. Far
nam and Mrs. Farnam, Robert M.
Ogden, Mrs. Thorp and DR.. Dreher
were in the st. James. Their car was
literally torn into thousands of pieces
and the passengers were picked out
from under the debris, pinned down to
the track by heavy timbers which
threatened every moment to end their
existence. The three negroes, two
walters and a cook were nearer the
flames, and it is supposed that the fire,
which broke out like flash of light
ming, injured them internally.
Covered with mud and slush and
stunned by the horror of the thing, DR..
McKelway said: "Thank God, my good
wife was in another car"
With all the terrible noise, in the
presence of death, and dazed beyond
description, not guest, not woman
lifted voice in lamentation, and every
soul was brave. The only sound that
made people shudder was the low, pit
eous means which came from beneath
the cars where three negroes were
hemmed in, dying slowly with no power
to save them.
Walking about in the brisk, cool air
of the morning, President Ogden, with
the occasional rays of sunshine glisten-
ing on the silvery hairs of his head, Of
fered comfort and cheer to his friends.
When the full realization of the disas-
ter dawned upon him, his lips were
drawn, .his eyes flashed fire, and his
voice carried words of denunciation for
the railroad folk who had blundered.
His telegram to Governor Hayward ex-
pressed his feelings. But in. the midst
of it all, he thanked and praised the
people of Greenville for the kindness of
their hearts and for their sympathy.
And as the day wore on and the rain
came pouring down, he called his flock
together and annoudced that the Ogden
people would pick up the REMNANTS
from the baggage car fire and go back
to New York. Last night the palace on
weeels was turned toward Charlotte,
and the glorious expectations of the
passengers were chilled by sadness and
gloom. -Greenville News, April Both.
A Marriage Today.