The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1912-07-18
A Fatal Wreck.

, n WiSCh OlI GuC OOuuAO1h -
K. last Saturday about l o'clocl
caused the death Of one maj
and injured three others at Eas
ley. Two engines coupled to
gether with one box car and
caboose in charge of two engi
neers, two fireman and a con
ductor were going toward At
lanta to get the congested fruit
trains north. They had the
right of way and were running,
it is said. at a high rate OF
speed. They passed the Pick,
ems train at the whistle post
and by the time the Pickens
train reached the Y these en-
gines were in the ditch just
south of the old road crossing.
the place where Mr.. G. Wash
Bowen was hurt a few years
ago. The engineer of the first
engine reversed his lever, threw
on the emergency brake and
jumped, sustaining no serious
injury. the engine ran $50
yards on the cross ties before
stopping, tearing up the track
as it went.
The second engine ran some
Is yards then broke loose from
the leader and turned complete
ly turtle, both engineer and
fireman falling underneath.
The former was fortunate
enough to sustain but slight in
juries but escaping steam badly
scalded Fireman Byrd before he
could extricate himself and
crawl out of the wreckage. The
engineer cot free unassisted.
The engine fell to the left of the
track but the box car went to
the right.
Trainmen who sustained
slight injuries were Engineers
J. E Medlin and r. 3, Parks
and Conductor H.. B. Johnson.
The name of the dagman could
not be learned,
Conductor Johnson Of Way
cross and a ffagman riding in the
cab had narrow escapes when
their car was throw n some ten
feet from the rails into a field,
The conductor was standing ON
the rear and was hurled entire
ly clear'cf the wreck, but the
brakeman riding On the inside
was thrown through a window
and caught beneath the cab as
it turned over. Fortunately he
fell in a ditch and this saved
him from being crushed.
The negro fireman ON the first
engine, Tom Sinkheld of Lata,
S. G. was badly injured and car
ried to Greenville on the special
train with Fireman Byrd. His
injuries consist of serions cash
ON the head and several bad
bruises: DR.. Wyatt Of Easley
accompanied the injured men to
Greenville where they were
taken in charge by Drs. T. T.
and G, D. Earle the Southern
Railways physicians. Every
attention possible was shown
them at the hospital but the
wounds of Mr.. Byrd were be-
yond medical skill.
The track at the scene of the
wreck was torn up for $50 yards
and the traffic on this line de-
layed for something like six
hours. A wrecking train left
Greenville immediately after
the report of the mishap was re-
ceived and the track was clear
ed with all expendition. The
cross ties in some instances were
splintered and the rails twisted
so badly that they were useless.
The BODY of Fireman Byrd
was taken to the Greenville IN
dertaking company Saturday
night and prepared for burial,
Mr.. Byrd was a young man
of magnificent physique and
was regarded highly by those
who knew him.
In the wreck he had one Of his
hands caught and fastened in
some way so tightly he could
not extrioate it until the hot
wat:r and steam scalded the
flesh to the extent that it came
off and he pulled his hand out
leaving the flesh and nails.
After be had in this way
secured his release he got off his
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