The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-08-24
PLUNGED TO DEATH
Loaded Excursion Train Goes Into
open Draw Bridge
CARELESSNESS OF THE ENGINEER
Excursion Train Ran Into IA Open
Draw Bridge, the Engine and Two
Cars Loaded With Negroes Going
Into Deep Water.

NOrlOlk, Va, SpeClal.-OWlnS tO tne
inability of Engineer D. L. Reig to
control his air breaks, an excursion
train from Kinston, N. c., bound to
this city, plunged through an open
draw in bridge over the western
branch Of the Elizabeth river at Bruce
station, eight miles from Norfolk,
Thursday afternoon, and half hun
dred persons, mostly negroes, were
drowned. Up to late hour Thursday
night only seven bodies had been re-
covered from the wreckage. The list
of injured, so far as can be ascertain
ed, numbers nearly one hundred,
though most Of these are slightly hurt.
A large number of physicians from
this and nearby cities have gone to the
scene.
Only Two White Victims.
Among the victims, the only white
ones were Edward Joliffe, manager of
the excursion, and Edward Forbes,
who assisted him, both Of Greenville,
N. C.
The Merritt wrecking organization
dispatched an expedition to the scene
for the purpose of raising the sunken
cars, which lie in about 35 feet of wa
ter. Until the cars are raised, no accu-
rate estimate of the number Of dead
can be given:
The train was composed Of an en-.
gine and six passenger cars. The en-
gine and two cars went through the
draw, leaving the four rear cars on
the track. One car was completely sub
merged and the other partly submerg-
ed. Nothing is visible Of the locomo-
tive, not even the smoke stack. 1t is
believed every occupant Of the first
car perished. The dead can be gotten
out only by diving under the car.
Struggle Terrible to See.
The scene following the wreck was
one of indescribable horror, with the
shrieking of men, women and child
rem, who were drowning, struggling
out of the partly submerged coach and
floating in the river.
The passengers who were uninjured
Immediately started to rescue those
imprisoned in the cars. Norfolk and
Portsmouth were communicated
with and the physicians were sent out
on a wrecking train. Many people in
the neighborhood went to the scene
Of the wreck and helped in the rescue.
The injured were taken to the track
embankment and were attended there
by the physicians.
Collins Ferguson, the colored bridge
tender OF the Atlantic Coast Line, was
knocked from the bridge by the i'm.
pact and killed. Engineer Reig and
Fireman Alfred Cooper, colored, es-
capped by jumping.
Trains before and Behind.
The wrecked train left Kinston, n.
c., at o'clock Thursday morning
with 165 colored excursionists for
Norfolk. It was due to arrive at Nor
folk at l o'clock the same day. Fol-
lowing this train was another e1cur.
sion over the same road bringing 300
excursionists from Rocky Mount, N. G.
Preceding the wrecked train was still
another excursion train carrying some
300 merchants and others from Angus
Ia, Ca, Charleston, s. C. and Jackson
vile, Fla, bound to Baltimore, Phila-
delphia and New York for the pur.
chase of fall goods.
The first train arrived at $3.50
o'clock Thursday morning without &C.
cident and the Augusta, Jacksonville
and Charleston merchants all left for
the North Thursday night by water.
The Rocky Mount excursionists and
the survivors Of the wreck were
brought here over the Norfolk & West
ern.
Engineer Couldn't Explain.
The Atlantic Coast Line officials are
at loss to know why Engineer Reigs
failed to stop his train before coming
to the draw, as required by the rules
Of the road. An investigation Of the
cause Of the wreck will be made at
once, and the responsibility placed
where it belongs.
Reigs, himself, could make no ex-
PLANTATION. He was brought to Nor
folk. He was taken from the barge on
the shoulders of three men. He enter
ed the hospital ambulance on his
knees, crawled to a pillow in the front
and buried his head in it. He could
only tell that his name was S. b.
Reigs and that his home was in East
Radford, Va. He could not give the
cause of the disaster, and the ambu-
lance was hurried at once to the hos
pital.