Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-05-15
NINE JACKSON SOLDIERS DEAD
As Result Of Railroad Accident Short
Distance from Camp.

coacheS OF on Out-DOunu troop train
were derailed at Camp Jackson this
morning and toppled over the tres
tie crossing Wildcat creek Five Of
the dead were instantly killed and
three died on the way or in the base
hospital shortly afterward, and the
ninth succumbed at the hospital late
tonight. OF the injured four were
seriously and 21 slightly injured, ac-
cording to an official list given out
this afternoon at the headquarters Of
the Eighty-first division. All of the
dead and injured we're members of
the 321st infantry, of the S1st divis-
ion. ell route to another camp.
The wreck happened this morning
at about $50 o'clock.
The train, composite one Of
freight cars and passenger coaches,
was en- route to another camp, load
ed with men Of the 321st infantry,
and an emergency engineering unit.
1t was crossing the trestle over Wild
cat creek, just to the south Of the
camp, when the accident occurred.
There was one engine pulling the
train and another showing, so as to
propel 1t over a sharp grade on the
south side Of the creek.
Derailed North Of Trestle.
The forward engine and several
cars We're on the trestle. A wooden
coach and steel under-frame coach
in the center Of the train became de-
rallied about 100 yards north Of the
trestle and ran on the cross-ties some
distance on the trestle, when they
overturned. The wooden coach fell
about 35 feet to the sloping ground
beneath, striking on it's top. The
heavy trucks and wheels crushed
through the bottom Of the car, which
was shattered and mashed into
tangle Of wood and steel, the major
portion Of the men therein being
crushed.
The camp authorities Immediately
took charge Of the situation and soon
brought order out Of chaos. Sentries
were placed around the wreck and no
one was allowed near it without au-
thority from the commanding officer
OF the camp. The wooden coach was
so crushed that the framework had
to be cut away to get the dead and
injured out. They were extricated in
about 45 minutes after the accident
happened, the injured being rushed
to the base hospital 1t was found
that five Of the soldiers had been in
stantly killed. Two Of those v.,o
died breathed their last on the way
to the hospital, and two after they
reached the hospital. Some Of the
dead were badly mangled, making
Identification difficult.
The steel under-frame coach fell
about five feet on It's side on the
sloping embankment. Only one man
In 1t was injured, except from few
cuts caused by broken, flying glass.
The official list Of the dead and
wounded was given out by Major
Kimberley, aide to Major Gen. Bal
ley, commander Of Camp Jackson,
who was absent An examination of
the list shows that q majority of
those dead and hurt are from North
Carolina. Only one South Carolinian
appears in the list, Private Robert A.
Moore, Of the headquarters company,
321st infantry. His home was given
as Trio and his emergency address
as J. M. Moore, Trio, s. G. He was
slightly injured.
or the dead five were from North
Carolina, three from Tennessee, and
one from Arkansas. Seventeen of
the wounded are from North Caro-
lima, four from Tennessee, two from
mississippi and one each from South
dead were priyates, and two of the
injured are corporals. No commits
stoned officers appeared In the casu-
atty list.
No Official Statement Of Cause.
No official statement has been
given out as to the cause Of the
wreck. 1t Is plainly discernible on
the rail Where the fange OF the wheel
of one OF them mounted, running for
score Of feet before it hit the cross
ties, the flange mounting the rail at
the junction of two rails. 1t Is Gus
tomary to secure adjacent rails, to
keep them in alignment and level,
with what the railroad people call
"angle bars" These "angle bars"
are bolted to each rail. Where the
coaches were derailed the "angle
bar was bolted to the south rail, but
not to the rail to the north. This
latter rail did not even have holes
bored through it to receive the bolt.
John G. Richards, chairman Of the
South Carolina Railroad Commission
who with J. p. Darby. secretary of
the commission, inspected the wre, *,
was shown various instances where
the tracks leading to the trestIe were
apparently not secured properly
The theory Is that the north rail,
being insecure, was pressed down
ward by the weight Of the coach sew
eral inches below the level Of the
south rail, which caught the fiange
Of the wheel and derailed the coach.
1t Is uncertain If the heavier steel
under-frame coach was first derailed
and showed the lighter wooden coach
off the track, or whether the latter
car, humping over the cross-ties,
caused the other coach to leave the