Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-15
Two Coaches at Camp Jack
son Jump Tracks Killing
Nine and Wounding
25.---One Coach
Fell 35 Feet
THE STATE
Columbia, May IL

pluHSillS 1IOiii lllS VI SSIlS O'SA W 't4
+ Cat Creek at Camp Jackson yester-
day morning about 9 o'clock niAe SOL
diers were killed and 25 more innjur
ed, some of whom may die later. The
soldiers were members of the Three
Hundred and Twenty-first Infantry
and had just entrained for transpor-
tation to Camp Sewer. Practically
all of the dead were in the light wood
en- coach which was completely crush
ed by the force of the fall. The
wounded are being cared for at the
base hospital at Camp Jackson by the
medical corps Of the military post.
The men had just boarded the cars
and as the trestle was reached the
light wooden coach, which was third
in the train of cars, was seen by the
spectators to rise up and pitch over
the side of the trestle for drop of
about 35 feet, landing bottom up
wards. The steel car which was i'm
mediately next also turned over, but
was not sufficiently far enough on
the trestle to turn completely over.
1t was damaged but slightly, and the
men in it were able to crawl through
the windows after the accident. The
extent of the injuries to the men in
this car consisted of minor bruises
and glass cuts, none of which are re-
garded as fatal.
Of those killed, five died instantly
two more died almost as soon as they
were removed from the wreckage and
two died at the hospital. Of the 25
now under treatment at the base hos
pital probably four will die from in
juries received, but it is not thought
that the death list will exceed II or
13.
Some of the injured are not expect
ed to survive more than few days
at the most. Almost as soon as the
accident occurred the military police
and guard details were in charge OF
the ground surrounding the scene and
the great threngs of people were kept
at a distance so as to allow the medl
cal officers and men to do their work
unhampered by the croWding OF the
spectators.
REASONS FOR WRECK.
Various reasons have been assign
ed as the cause of the accident, but
nothing official has been given as yet.
Some say that the steel coach jumped
the tack and threw the lighter coach
off. others said that the heavy steel
coach split a switch and in plunglng
about caused the disaster. Another
reason that has been assigned as the
cause was the spreading of the rails:
but this has not been found to be
true; still others say that it was due
to defective construction alleging that
the angle bars were rot properly at
tached to some of the rails, being
bolted to one rail but not bolted to
the next rail.
The medical department from the
base hospital at Camp Jackson were
early on the scene, and in a remark
ably short time had the sufferers un-
der treatment. 1t was quite test OF
the efficiency of the medical corps:
but in spite of the great number OF
wounded that had to be cared TOR,
none were permitted to suffer for
lack of attention.
According to the testimony OF eye
witnesses to the tragedy the engll. '.
the baggage coach and the two pas
senger coaches were on the trestle
when the first passenger coach was
seen to go over the embankment,
turning completely over in the 35-foot
drop. The baggage coach and the
engine apparently broke away from
the rest of the train and was midway
the trestle when it stopped. The steel
coach had barely cleared the fill and
only had room to turn over on its
side, and blowing into the end of the
wooden coach ahead Another wood
en- coach which was in the rear was
caught on the end of the steel coach
and was lifted clear of its front trucks
This coach. however, did not leave
the track, and no injuries occurred in
this car.
The men of the Three hundred and
twenty-first infantry formerly came
from South Carolina, but with the i'll