The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-03-01
TWO PASSENGER TRAINS
CRASH REAR END
TOTAL DEAD TWELVE
Train Is, from Creenville, Hit By
Train ~, from Spartanburg
Both Running to
Columbia
(By John X. Aull.)


wrecks in the history of South Caro-
lima, which occurred on the Spartan
burg division of the Southern Rail
way, six miles above Columbia, at
2:SG o'clock this afternoon, twelve
persons are dead, and thirty-seven,
more or less, seriously injured. Lo-
cal passenger train, No. ~, from
Spartanburg. crashed into the rear
end OF local passenger, No. Is, from
GreenviIle which was just getting
under way after having stopped for
repairs to be made upon the aiF
brakes. All the dead and injured
with three exceptions, are white.
The Greenville passenger had stop
ped for the necessary repairs on the
Tolumbia side of sharp curve known
as Devils Curve" about one-half
mile below Frost station. The exact
cause of the wreck has not been Of
ftcially determined, but from the best
information obtainable at the scene
of the wreck, it appears that the rear
of the Greenville train was properly
protected by the flagman.
Coming around Devils Curve" at
"a sharp rate of speed. the Spartan
burg train, with fearful momentum,
glowed into the rear steel coach Of
rRhe GreenEiile train and drove it into
ahe wooden passenger coach ahead,
used ASIA smoker where the men went
TO instant death.
The scenes at the wreck 5eggar de-
-scription The frail wooden coach
was spIinered and the dead and
! wounded were scattered in indiscria-
able confusion. Several Of the bodies
@ere horribly mangled. and one Of
sxhem cut almost in two was hanging
IRON window.
When the bodies were taken from
Iha coach through the windows and
the injured had been removed the
-steep bluff overlooking the little
stream which the Greenville train
tzgas spanning at the time OF the col
Iision. resembled some field of car
mage after a battle,
Roth on Time.
Poth trains were ABOUT on time and
beth were we'll flied with passengers.
When the Greenyille train halted to-
repair cross-over pipe on the air
brakes. the flagman was sent to the
rear to protect the train. When the
repairs had been made he was called,
in by the usual signal, and the train
had Just begun to move when the
Spartanburg train dashed around the
curve. The running time between the
trains is only ten minutes. The South
ern's lines from Greenville and Spar
hamburg converge at Aston, some
thirty miles above Columbia, and the
schedule of the Greenville train is to
run ten minutes ahead of the Spar
tanburg train from Aston TO Colum-
bia. 1t is stated it was the duty o.
the flaoman of the GreenvilIe train
when called in to leave torpedo Or
fusee on the track to warn approach
ing trains until his train could have
got under way. This, it Is stated, he
did not do. The engineer OF the Spar
tanburg train. according to railroad
officials here tonight states that he
had no notice whatsoever Of the train
ahead of him until he saw 1t as he
rounded the curve.
Flagman In Error.
Railroad officials state that the flag
man should not have come in. with
another train so close behind him, and
II he did, that he certainly should have
left the warning signals. Another
phase OF the matter is that at Book
man, the station beyond the wreck.
the operator should certainly have
held the Spartanburg train ten min
yutes behind the other train, Officials
here are not prepared as yet to state
whether or not this was done. II the
Spartanburg train was spaced ter
minutes, any excessive speed On its
part could also have contributed, but
it appears from the facts so far as
~certained, that the SpartanDurg train
was about on its schedule. That the
rear end Of the Greenville train was
not properly protected appears to
nave been the prime cause.
The Train Crews.
Conductor 7. 0. Meredith and En-
g1neer B. F. Nicely, were in charge o.
the Greenville train, with Fl. Lock
gier as flagman, and T. H.Gaillard a;