The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-07
To Pass Through Birmingham

l The Confederate Veterans special. | which was wrecked near Hattiesburg yes l terday morning. killing no less than g persons, and probably more. and wound | ing 55 other passengers, was scheduled 10 | arrive in Birmingham this morning about | 2:50 o'clock over the Alabama Great Southern railroad. The wreck occurred on the New Orleans and Northeastern | railroad between Meridian and Hatties- burg, which line forms the southern link of the Queen and Crescent route from Cincinnati to New orleans.
 The train was due here yesterday after noon en route to Macon. but the derail- ment and consequent fatal results caused the loss of about IS hours en route to the reunion. The passengers were veterans and their friends including maids of honor, chaperones and others from Fort Worth and Dallas, Tex. en route to the reunion. In the party were some impor- tant Confederate veterans. many of
 whom 1t was stated are high officers of the organization.
 The train was the last section of four specials brought through Birmingham over the Alabama Great Southern and
 Queen and Crescent connections for ths 1 Macon reunion. Train officers were work | ing all Sunday night and all yesterday and last night handling the crowds
 Was Crossing Bridge
 The official reports of the wreck, al- though taking place on Queen and cres- cent line. were not given to the Birming- ham offices. They were sent to the offi- cials in Washington and New Orleans Local information, however, was to the effect that the derailment occurred while the train was crossing a bridge, operating l comparatively slowly. The engine was derailed. pulling the three cars into the ditch and oyerturning The dead were buried underneath the engine and coaches.
 It was stated here that at 6 o'clock last night nine had been reported killed and 37 injured. However. 1t was added that the derailed cars had not been replaced on the rails and perhaps more fatalities will be added to the already heavy toll. 1t was stated here that physicians and nurses from Meridian and Hatties- burg had been rfshed to the scene of the wreck yesterday morning and that everything possible was being done to give the best attention to those in- jured while the dead were carried to I[a ttiesburg. Some of the passengers less seriously injured than others de- cided to contiVie on their journey to the reunion.
 The wreck of the train yesterday morning ad the most intense in- tcrest In Birmingham. The bare rumor that a veterans special" had been wrecked and nine killed with 37 in- jured was sufficient to cause a per- feet stream of inquiries to railroad of- fees In addition telephones were con- stantly ringing with troubled voices asking about the wreck Some heard 1t was the Camp Hardee train. others that 1t was this train or the other The rumors were sufficient to cause grave Q apprehension here although all other trains were operated without the slight est mshap.
 Sixteen Specials Pass Through
 The train whcih was expected 70 reach the Terminal this morning with those who had passed terrible day at tie wreck was the sixteenth special train to pass Birmingham during the past e4 hours with. Confederate veter- ans The trains began to arrive Sun day night and with endless regularity seemingly they poured into Athe Ter m.nal. Instead of six over the Frisco lines as were first "llned up'' that rail- road poured 10 specials into Birmtng- nam and delivered them to the South ern railway for transfer to Macon. The Alabama Great Southern railroad handled four specials into this city in- cluding the wrecked train from Fort Worth. The majority of the trains were handed over to the Southern railway ncre for transfer to Macon. In addi- ton the Central or tGeorg1a handled large aggregation of old sodiers with two specials on that line for the re- union city. The Terminal was crowded with old soldiers all day long and well IL. into last night.
 Camp Hardee left yesterday morning at o'clock over the Southern railway, exactly on time. On the train were about 300 passengers recruited from asper and the various suburbs of Bir- inc t,a That line cd fxpo al ditional specials. leaving last night With the veterans were sponsors and maids of honor, happy in the anticipa- tion of the reunion