The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-08-22
ACCIDENT TO CAROLINA SPECIAL
Engines Pulling Train Plunge Through
Burned TreStle Near Alston,
Fireman Killed.

tl W. DCAASCC, "AA@CS, VI
was crushed to death today in the first
wreck that has befallen the Southern
railways Cincinnati-C Charleston flyer,
the "Carolina Special" since that train
was established about six months ago.
The wreck occurred at AS o'clock,
just when the train was due here, both
locomotives plunging into a ravine,
where $50 feet of frame trestle had
been burned away, at Sueville, an in
dustrial siding four miles north of
Aston and twenty-four miles north Of
Columbia. Nobody except Fireman
Bennett was hurt. The passengers
were not even Jared.
Relief Train Sent.
A relief train, sent from Columbia,
returned at 9.15 tonight, with the pas
sengers and baggage, and departed
shortly afterward for Charleston. The.
bridge will likely be replaced by noon
tomorrow Meanwhile, traffic IS being
detoured by way of Charlotte.
The train was crowded, a. large
number Of the passengers being Co
lumbia and Charleston business men
returning from Sunday visit to their
families sojourning in the mountains
of Western North Carolina.
Fireman Bennett's body was
brought here on the relief train and
taken to his home, 1410 Barnwell
street, where his wife and babies were
awaiting him. .
Both Engineers Escape. !.
Engineer DeLand G. McAllister, of
No. 1877 Blanding street, driving the
head engine, No. 1913, saw the gap in
time to apply the emergency brakes
and to jump to safety, with his color
ed fireman, Hal Robertson, but not in
time to warn the crew Of the second
engine. >~->.. ...
Mr.. McAllister's locomotive plunged
into the ravine and turned upside
down, and Locomotive 1,006 also top
pied over the brink. Engineer Will.
liam H. Green, somehow, escaped in.
jury, but Fireman Bennett was in
stantly crushed to death beneath the
ponderous machine. The train was
in charge of Conductor James F.
Weaver, of No. 1920 Gregg street. En-
gineer Green lives at No. 1880 Hender-
son street. .-
Baggage Car Ablaze. T.,
Prompt application Of the emergen-
cy braves so checked the momentum
of the heavy train, without injurying
any of the passengers; that the coach
es were barely moving when they
reached the trestle. The forward end
of the baggage car however, projecting
over the brink, took fire from the blaz-
ing timbers and so endangered the
rest of the train that it seemed like
ly nothing would do but to uncouple
this car and push it into the gulch, on
top of the wrecked locomotives, but
the flames were put out eventually by
the labors of a bucket chain, formed
by members of the crew and volun-
teers from among the passengers.
In the list of workers were: Sydney
o. Izlar, of Charleston; Travelling
Passenger Agent Jenkins, Of Augusta,
and several Columbians, including R.
B. Cooner, wholesale provision dealer;
R. J. Blaclock, city councilman, and
Charles H. Barron, lawyer.
Fireman Bennett is survived by his
wife, the daughter of Hiram B. Mitch
ell, recording clerk in the Office Of the
secretary Of State, and by sevral chill
dren.
Leaves on Time Today.
The "Carolina Special equipment
left at the wreck is tonight being TAX
en- to Charleston, by way Of Carlisle,
Chester and Columbia, so that the
train may leave Charleston for Cincin-
natl tomorrow morning at the sched-
uled hour, 9 o'clock.
AS required by law, in cases OF &C
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 own behalf has already commenc-
ed.