The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-10-31
SUMTER. s. c.. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 81. 1906.
HORRIBLE SUNDAY TRAGEDY.
ELECTRIC CARS PLUNGE INTO
WATER NEAR ATLANTIC CITY.

Into Deep Water-Eighty Persons
Lose Their Lives and Many More
Iniured-Cne of the Worst Acc1-
dents on Record.
Atlantic, \. j., Oct 29.-Sixty-six
persons. dead and two injured is the
estimate that is made this morning
of the casualties in yesterdays rail-
way horror. Most Of the dead are
still buried in the submerged cars and
it will be impossible to give an ac-
curate list of the dead until the bod
les can be removed by divers.
Only today did there como full
realization OF the awfulness of the
calamity when three cars of the cleo
trio train Of the West Jersey and
Seashore Electric Railway plunged
from the draw bridge which spanneo
the thoroughfare of tidewater stream,
separating Atlantic City from the
mainland. With the bringing to the
surface Of scores Of dead bodies OF
those who died miserably at the bot
tom of the creek, and the heart rend-
ing scenes attending their identifl-
csation, came appreciation of extent
of the great disaster that almost has
Mortified every one at the way so
many met their fate, caught like rats
in cars, doors locked and unable to
find egress as water poured in upon
them, except through windows which
hardly admitted full sized person
getting through. Only one thought
relieves the horror of their fate-that
the death agony was not prolonged.
The cars sunk rapidly and in few
minutes the last Of the entrapped
victims had yielded Up the struggle.
Estimates Of the number who per-
ished are based upon a comparison OF
the list OF survivors with the conduct
ors statement Of his complement Of
passengers Ninety-two passengers
are believed to have been in the three
cars. Over score of these have been
accounted for, most of them have
been srescued, suffering from severe
injuries. A few may ha2Te escaped
without any report being made Of the
fact. But it is believed that all others
met the fate Of those whose bodies
have been removed from the sub
merged cars. Practically all surviv-
ors were passengers on the third car,
which was not entirely submerged.
Wreckers and rescuers worked all
night by aid of electric lights tempor-
artily arranged Efforts are being di-
rected to raising of the submerged
cars, but the task is proving a hard
one The coaches, by force Of the fall,
were buried deep in the mud. Several
times chains which were passed
around the cars broke when the
cranes attempted to lift them.
The District Attorney of Mays
Landing is at the scene with the cor
oner and officials of the company in
vestigating.
The accident was due to rail
turning in It appears that the rail,
Which was an outside one on the right
hand side coming down, must have
been out Of plumb about an eighth
Of an inch. The sharp fange Of the
electric train caught this and twisted
inwards Had it spread instead OF
twisting inwards the accident never
would have happened. This twist
threw the first car off the track, and
into the water.
The result was that the second and
third cars We're dragged with it. and
While the third car was descending
the rear portion struck a piece of
the abutment, hung for short time,
and then slid into the water. But this
brief stop saved several lives. A num-
Der Of men and women leaped out of
windows and the rear door either into
the water Or caught hold Of a post
anc were rescued. Among the pass
engers We're 20 men Of the Royal Ar
tillery band, who were on their way
here from Philadelphia. One or two
Of the bodies of the bandmen were re-
covered early in the afternoon.
When the train left the rails, it was
running at high speed, according to
SOME persons, as fast as 40 miles an
hour.
Details as to just how the terrible
accident occurred are vague. A COM
plete circumstantial story cannot be
obtained from any one of the passen-
gers as yet. Two causes have been as
signed for the derailment of the train.
One is that the rails spread and the
other that the rails were not properly
locked when the bridge was closed.