The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-08-22
Engines paling ca plina Special Plunge
through larnt Treslle
one MAN LOST his LIFE
Fireman Bennett Was Killed, But
All Others Esc,.ped Unhurt. Bag
gage Car Taks Fire, but Heroic
Efforts OF sengers and Crew
ouench the flames.

Fireman Lu her W. !; Bennett,
white, Of Colun bia, was crushed to
death Sunday il the first wreck
that has befalle. the Southern Rail-
ways .CiHcinna t. Charleston flyer,
the Carolina Special" since that
was established, about eight months
ago.
The wreck occurred at 4:45 just
when the train Ras due at Columbia,
both locomotives plunging into a ra-
vine, where 15) feet of a frame
trestle had be.n burned away, at
Sueville, an il dustrial siding four
miles north OF Aston and twenty
four miles nor. b of Columbia.
Nobody exce,t fireman Bennett
was hurt. The passengers were not
even Jared. A relief train sent
form Columbia returned at 9:15 Sun
day night, with the passengers and
baggage, and departed shortly after
ward for Char eston.
The train wal crowded with large
number of the passengers being Co
lumbia and CT arleseon business men
returning fora a Sunday visit to
their families in the mountains of
Western North Carolina. Fireman
Benefits bod was carried to Co
lumbia on the relief train and taken
to his home, t,41o' Barnwell street,
where his wire and babies were
awaiting MIN.
Engineer D. Land G. McAllister, OF
No. 1,217 Blauding street, Columbia,
driving the he I'd engine, saw the gap
in time to apply the emergency
brakes and to Jump with his colored
fireman, Hal Robertson, but not in
time to warn the crew Of the second
engine.
Mr.. McAlliater's locomotive plung-
ed into the irvine and turned upside
down. and th, other locomotive also
topled over tie brink. Engineer Will
liam H. Gre N, somehow, escaping
Injury, but reman Bennett was In
stantly crush d to death beneath the
ponderous mlchine. The train was
in charge G.. conductor James F.
Weaver, of o. 1920 Gregg street
Engineer liv at No. 1880 Hender'
son street.
Prompt application of the emer'
pency brakes checked the momentum
OF the heav, train, without injury
ing any of the passengers that the
coaches wer, barely moving when
they reached the trestle. The forward
end of the baggage car. however,
projecting o'er the brink, took lire
from the bl; zing timbers and so en-
dangered tn, rest of the train that II
seemed Likely nothing would DO put
to uncouple this car and push it Into
the gulch, ca top Of the wrecked To-
comotives; Dut the flames were put
out eventually by the labors OF a
bucket chain, formed by members o,
the crew ar volunteers from among
the passengers.
In the lit of workers were: sgd
ney O. lila, Of Charleston; Travel
ling Passen ger Agent jenkins OF Au'
gusta, and several Columbians, In
cluding R. B Cooner, wholesale pro-
vision dealr, R. J. Blacock city coun'
Gilman, AMI Charles H. Barron, law
yer.
Fireman Bennett is survived BY
his wife, the daughter OF Hiram b
Mitchell, r;cording clerk in the oftce
of the Sec etary Of State, and by sew
eral children.
AS requ red by law in cases OF ac'
cidents Involving loss of life, the
wreck was promptly reported to the
South Carolina railroad commission
which will make the usual investiga'
ton. The company's investigation
on it's ow behalf has already com
menced.