Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-02-26
BLUE aIDGE WRECK
Sonthern's No. 80 Crashed Into Blue
Ridge Train at Junction.

Last wednesday night about a
o'clock the Blue Ridge passenger
train, as it was leaving Seneca for
Walhalla,, was crashed into by No.
80, the fast train on the Southern
from Atlanta to Washington, making
horrible wreck of the Blue Ridge
train, seriously injuling Conductor
Jay w. Hutchison and Baggage Mas
ter Lucien Abbott, and shaking up
and bruising practically every pas
senger and employee on the local
train. Both the mail and baggage
car, which received the full force of
the terrific crash from the Southern's
monster engine, were completely
wrecked, the debris catching fire al
most instantly r
The accident occurred at the cross
tug of the Blue Ridge track over the
Southern railway just this side of
Seneca.
The Blue Ridge train reached the
crossing and was partly across when
No. 80 came laundering along at a
speed which precluded any possibil-
ity of it's stopping in time to avert an 4
accident or to clear the crossing en-
tirely. Ben Holland was the engi-
hSSI III Vi ISO. oo anu Odlu n.
Hutchison OF the Blue Ridge.
Conductor Jay w. Hutchison was
in charge OF the train, and he is the
most seriously injured, having had
his left hand badly cut, his left leg
broken, shoulder dislocated, and Sc
rious injury about the face and head.
Frank Carpenter, mail clerk, and
Lucien Abbott, baggage master, had
narrow escapes from death in the
mail and baggage car, as 1t was nee
essary to chop them out, they being
imprisoned in the burning car.
The accident was at once reported
to superintendent j. r. Anderson, of
the Blue Ridge, and a special train
was Immediately made up at Ander-
son, making a quick trip to Seneca.
Conductor Hutchison was at once
taken to the Anderson Hospital,
where his injuries were attended to- 4
Mr.. Abbott was carried to the hotel
in Senectl. where he recetTed ID 6 treat
nent TO screral days. His Injuries
were for the most part caused by
burns and in pulling him from the
car. Mr.. H, tchison is still in the
hospital, and though reported better,
his condition l., still extremely seri-
Gus. On Monday OF this week Mr..
Abbott was brought to Walhalla, and
is now at the home Of his parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. J. w. Abbott, near
Walhalla. 1t will. however, be a
long while before he will be able to
do anything or be out.
Mr.. Hutchison's injuries are such
that, even with the most favorable
results, he will be cripple for life.
1t was necessary to remove three fin
gers from his hand, and his leg, bro
ken in two places, is, in a terrible
condition. 1t had to be cut open,
bone scraped and large portions of
bone taken out. The wounds about
his face and head, while not as seri-
GUS as at first thought, are exceed
ingly painful. He had scalp wound
extending from the forehead to the
back of the neck.
Everything contained in the two
cars carrying mail, baggage and ex-
press was totally destroyed by the
fire which quickly followed the crash
ing OF, the cne train into the other.
A third car carrying passengers was
also derailed and turned over. In
this coach we're two Walhalla ladies,
Mrs. R. Galloway and Mrs. l.. It.
Simmons, both Of whom were bruised
slightly and badly shaken up, though
not seriously injured.
The wreck is probably the worst
In the history of the Blue Ridge, and
great sympathy is felt for the two
young men whose misfortune it was
to, receive almost critical wounds.
On the train was man who car
riel about 20 trained dogs in con-
necIion with show. These animals
were in the express car, and all were
consumed in the flames. The terri
fled lOw1S and aponizinp arcane ne
the dtmb animals as they Struggled
to save themselves i$ deschbed as
narrowing in the extreme 1t is to
the he!oic work OF the owner of
these animals that Mrs. Simmons
gives credit for her rescue from the
overturned passenger coach.