The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, June 29, 1876, Image 1
I
THE PICKENS SENTINEL.
f dm voted to politics, morality, education and ro tiie general interest of this country.
YOL. V. PICKENS, S. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 1876.NO. 43.
^ Railroad Diaaater- | was etill warm waslvitiir miaido Hiiwn I i.?wi ^ " - * 1? -
ALL ON nOAUD PERISII.
f ' f
? ... <5i> Friday last Goorgo VV. Williams
and family, of Charleston, woro on
their way in a chartorod car to Was
ooocho Yalloy,in Georgia, this sido of
Griffin, via Andorson, and when at
that town ho loarnod that thoro was a
broak in tho road noar Pondloton, and
that it was useless for tho party to
procood farthor. After Stopping at
Andorson a iologram was dispatchcd
** to Col. Dodamoad by Mr. Williams,
asking if ho would not that ovoning
liavo his car dispatchod to Greenville.
An affirrnativo answor was given and
tho conductor and engineer with the
% train hands, wont to Uollon. Aftor
uncoupling Mr. Williams'car from tho
train at Bolton itwastakon to Urocn-*
villo by anotbor ongino.
x TITK FATAL TKLEQRAM.
It is said that tho Snpcrintondont
of tho road telographod to the conductor
of tho Andorson train to remain
ovor all night at Bolton, which would
havo deforrod tho catastropho until
' noxt morning, but tho conductor ask*,
od to bo allowod to mako tho trip that
night. Tho Suporintondont consontod,
rind tho Andorson train startod back
t\nf??fAAn ? ? A A 1_ 1IT I
uuutruuu uij?iib unu 111IIV U UIUUK. YY I10II
it arrived at Broadaway trestle tho
ponduotor stqppod his train and walked
across tho bridge with his lantern
and oxaminod tho trostlo as well us
9 ho could, and thon concluded to risk
his train. Getting aboard, tho train
t nt ton o'clock ?n tho night, whon a
hoavyraiu was tailing, moved on the
trestlo which gave way and tho ens
gine, tondor and mail car wore j)reel
.1 i. ii .. J'-i ~
I>iiuiuu iu mu uibiunco 01 seventy two
f'ectta,tho WHtcr be-low, and all on
bourd wont down to death. Instantx
ly tho conductor, the engineer, tho
fireman &nd the baggage master wore
killed, but tho brakeman lived some
eight or ten hours. Tho brakeman
was caught in an upright position
with ono hand elinehod botween hoavy
timbers whilo his leg was crushed
hetwoon other timbers. In this cons
dition ho remained until tho next
^ morning, iviion lie was released and
carried to a neighboring houeo whoro
ho died in ilio nl'tornoon.
Till', ONIiY WITNK88.
A eolored woman who lived near
v the trestle on tho opposite side of tho
crook from Andorson, saw tho conductor's
light as ho carriod it ovor tho
t t*nutln o<> tir < l?/\ ' ?!" ?- ? - f<t% '
vivuviv, on ir HIU l*ruiU U1UVO on, aim
heard tho torriblo crash whon it wont
dowD. This fact sho immediately roportod
to Bomo ono who at oneo inlormcd
Mr. Wm, Ilolmes who iinmo-.
^ diatcly sot off for Anderson, and ow*
ing to, tho swollen waters ho had to
\ go by Provost'a mill, far out of tho
direct why, in order to reach tho viN
lpgof at which placo ho arrivod at half]
l?uBb"?iiiruu o ciocic m tho morning,
convoying tho intolligonco that tho
\feliolo train with tho mombors of Mr.
William's excursion party had gono
down in tho trcBtlo, and that all -vcro
killed.
Iinmodiatoly tho firo holla were rung
and tho poacolul slunibors of tho town
at thin hour when stillncHH ordinarily
reigns supromo was all bustlo and
tpmult, and soon hundroda of rnti/.mM'
wcro assembled at tho C. II. with
< gl |
huclcots a? if going to a firo. Tho roal
onuso of tho alarm was quickly known
tliroughout tho town, and tho groatoat
oxcitomont prcvailod. livery vo?
liiclo and Iioiho in town was immodialoly
got roady to carry paB8engor?
to tho Bccno of tho dieaBtor, and although
tho l'llill WHO
0 - .,?u vuonilg UUWI1 111
torronte, hundrods of mon, both whito
and black, hurried off by daylight to
roiidor any nssistfinoo poasiblo.
'[an BORNE WAS AN API'AULINO ON If.
In tho fall tho eugino and tondor
were folded together ns if they had
boon fastened logein*.r by hinges.?
Tl?<* Engineer, Mr. Juck Wilson,, formally
of this place, wan under tho
tender with his head and body bonoath
the water and hie foot playing
in the waters abovo ns if tied by a
Btring?l?i? legs had been so nearly
cut off. Tho firoinan wns on tho wood
ju tbp tender and the engine, which
o " r w
on him, and had mashed him to a
jolly betwoou tho ongine and tend or >
while liia bowels floated and swayed
in the water as if anxious to bo released.
Tho bodies of tho conductor*
LaFoy, and tho baggago master, Kit"
singer, were found some threo or four
hundred yards below, wbero they
had boon washed and lodged against
trees, Bonio ton or twenty feet apart.
It is enpposod tbat thoy had jumped
off tbo fulling train. The conductors
skull was crushed and his thigh was
brokon. Tbo baggfigo master had
only a slight bruiso on the head. He
smeomod to have been killed by concussion
in striking the water. The
breaktnan, llenry Allen, alone was
alive, and ho was immovably fastened
in tho timbers in an erect position)
with his logs crushed, iiis arm
stretohod perpendicularly, his hand
divided or split to tho wrist by tho
sharp edge of tho timbers which hold
his arm. In this dreadful .condition
in the middle of the rising stream,
with no living soul within tbo sound
ot his voice, ho kej>t his lonely watch
over tho bodies of the dead. When the
accidont occurred Allen was not raoro
thau two feet in the water, but tbo
stream continued to rise until it was
around his neck. If tho waters had
rison a few inches more, he would
have been drowned.
Drs. Nardon, Seudday and Broyles
were present and rendorod medical
aid to the wounded man.
T1III INQUK8T.
Tilal Justine W. S. Brown, acting
Coroner, at onco organized a jury
from tlio bystanders, and held the in(juciit
over the bodies of LnFoy and
Kitsingor, Dr. O II. Broyles making
the examination. Tho jury also examined
Allon before he died. After
which they proceeded to inspect the
timbers of tlio bridge. Up to Sunday
no inquest had been held ovbr the
bodies of the fireman and ongineer,
who were still benoath the wreck.
The report as to Mr. Williams' tarn*
iI v Knilinr in tlio ii'i'ftnL \w.iq
v b ~ V.'VUWUO,
ivB his car liad boon lelt at ]je!tt>n tor
(lie ongino from Greenville to tako forward
to ita destination.
'llio virdict ot tlio jury had not
been renderod at last accounts, but
:i .i._ TJ .-I 1 ?
m 10 u.ipvmuu umt. uiu xvuurutiu Jills
thoritiotJ will bo severely bhiiiied. It
is known tlmt the fooling against tho
Railroad is intense. Tho people of
Anderson have of late been much ex
crcised about what they thought to
I ho an unjust'discrimination against
thein in the matter of freights to that
point, whi'o th?y openly assort their
belief that tho catastrophe was tho
natum! result of the decayed condition
of tho bridge, and not at all to
bo attributed to accident, ltumor
luitli it that tho trestle two years ago
\v:ib pronounced unsafe, and that engineer
Milligan about that time repor'cd
to the Buporintondent that
this bridge was unsafe, and that ho
was afraid to cross it in its condition}
iv h r-rmi iirwi lir? umiq /liamica/wl
ti X . VII|'W|( MV ?? IIU VIIOIIIIOOW4 II V'lII V I 1 V>
servico of tho ltoad, and Iub situation
given to Mr. Wilson. Wo aro also
informed that tho unsafe condition of
tho trestle was common talk umong
tho train hands, that tho conductor
had said ho thought it likely that thoy
would all bo killed there?and on one
occasion tho conductoi- went so tar ae
to show liia pocket and to explain
which wad his money and which bo
longed to the railroad, requesting his
contidant to boo that his family got
his money in caso of accident. An
iutolligont and reliable gentleman
passing up tho road from Charleston
aloo told us that tho brakeman on
Thursday last called his nttonlion to
tho rottennes of tho bridge and stating
that ho intended ft quit running on
tho road at tho end of the month.
Wlin fmttSCswi ?l... -1 ~ 1 ?ll It 1
JL Iiu iiiiii 11 IVO \/I 1IIVJ uuuuuouu <11 I uvuu
at Wallialla. LaFoy had a wife and
four cliildron; Kitainger a wife and
tbroo cbildroii, and ttouio ot the oth
viu unu lauiauvH. wii oaturaay ?veil*
ing when they all arrived together at
tho 8ceno it would have moved a
heart of stone, when the wives beheld
their husbands and iho children look
ed upon their fathers held in tho iron
grasp amid tho timbers, manglod and
doad.
Mr. T. A Sullivan was mail agent
tor this train, but owing to a misunA
i- v
uumumumg as to the cxact time the
train would loave, ho was accidvMtly
left at Bolton. Whon tho train stars
ted oil' ho was at tho hotel and inado
tho greatest efl'ort to get aboard but
failed to do bo. When tho ongine
went down at Broadway his car was
smashed to pieces. Tho mail bags
torn, and all were washed down the
stream. Much of tho mail mat
ter was lost, but tho b;A<iS liavo boon
recovered. We suppose Sullivan felt
uncomfortable enough at being loft
at Bolton that night, but wo presume
he ha* become reconciled to his fate.
We congratulate him on hid escane
lie has never beforo for the last four
years misaod being with the train
every titno it p.issed that trestle, and
wo havo no doubt that be uttered, if
not orally, mentally, a prayer of
thankfulness for bin absconce on this
occasion.
Since the falling of Iho trestle multitudes
of people froin every section of
tho surrounding country liavo visited
tho placo ot tho disaster. Many oi
whom havo gone down to tho vory
spot, whilo numbers of others havo
boon satisfied with going to tho odgo
8f tho abutments and pooping over
from tho diz/,y heights above on tho
dreadful spectacle hvlow. The hoiirbt
of tlio trestle is seventy live foot and
six inches above tho level of the wator
at low water mark. Sumo oighly
foot of tho trostlo in broken, and many
hanging limbers have since fallen.?
Ono long picco which had been hang
jr.g by a pin tell on Sunday vory nearly
striking six men who were standing
near by?nil ot whom would have
been killod had struck it thorn. Tho
accumulating timbers beneath tho engine
and tender stopped their downward
course ten foot above the bottom
/>( (Kn At * a I -
Wi VIIV) nuxutin. XVI it,n II l^IUJiSU LIIO WU**
tor was fourteen footabovo tho lowost
wator morlc.
A construction train of tho company,
with hands, arrived on tho spot
about dark Saturday night, but what
work thoy oxpuul lo do just now, except
to ortricate tho bodioa of thofio
in tho rubbish, wo havo not bocn in*
forrnod, but think it likoly that tho
ongino will ho taken to piocofl, as wo
jnoHuinu it woiuu do impoSHiblo to
raiso it as a whole, to tho imincnHO
height of tho track, Bfcvonty five feet
ahovo. Unless tho company havo tho
timbers already on hand, it will lilcoly
bo weeks before a new trcstlo can ho
built. Tl is trostlo ii at tho same plaeo
whero tlio embankment was washod
away in the winter of 1hG5. J Miring
tho heavy rains which fell in February
of that year the volume of water increased
to immenso proportions and
obstructions filled tho mouth of tho
culvert, when tho water was dammed
up so that it covered an immonso territory,
and whole farms woro sub
inorgou. wnon 1110 wator Imd risen
somo thirty feet the ombnnkincnt
gave way and tlio destruction below
was terrific?tho water being from
hill to hill, swept bridgos, mills, dams,
fencing and everything clso movable
boforo it. Foi this damage tho road
was never required lo pay n cont.?
Whither tho com pay will bo so lortuiuvte
in their sottlomont witli tho
widows mftdo in this nntortunuto oc-<
ourreiico remains to bo soon. It is
said that tho Superintendent requires
all tho employees of tho road to sign
an obligation not to hold tho company
responsible for damages sustainod
on tho road whilo in their omploy.
What f'oreo such an ohliimfinn iviil
huvo in answering tho claims of widows
will perhaps bo tested in tho
Oonrts.
Tho Mtatomenfc about tho Railroad
management arc a moroly ropotition
of what ha.s boon said as rumor, whilo
if tho Superintendent's Statomontfl
woro mado and published, it might
throw a different shade of light on
tho worst misfortune, which has befallen
I ho roud sinco its existence.?
A itltlttM I L* I'rnMll UHll
Platform of the Cinoinnati ConventionCincinnati,
Juno 15.?The platform
adopted sets out with tho history
of tho party and a statement of
its ditty to protect tho rights of all
tho pooplo. The enforcement of tho
constitutional amendments, tho permanent
pacification of the Southern
Becuou oi ino union, tho complete
protection of nil its citizens in tho froo
onjoynicnt of all their rights are the
duties to which tho Republican party
aro sacredly pledged.
Tho power to provide for tho enforcement
ot tho principles embodied
in llm I'noniil 1
vv.uui vjViiaiiluuuilllL IIIUODU"
monts is vosted by those amendments
in the Congreea of tho United States,
and we declare it to bo tho solemn
obligation of tho legislative and ex^
ecutive departments of tho government
to put into immodiate aud vigorous
exorcise all their constitutional
power lor removing any inst causos
of discontent on tho part of any class,
and securing to every American citi
zon complete liberty and exact equality
in tho exerciso ot all civil, political
and public rights. To this end
urn A~ -J - ^
iiu ^uinbinvijr uumuuu U VyUIlgl'CBB
and Chiet Executive whoso courage
and iidolity to these duties Bhall not
falter until tho results arc placod
beyond disputo or recall.
In the very first act of Congress
aigncil by President Grant the National
Government assumed to roI
mnrn ntiu ilnnKta ! ? ? ?? ? * -
...w . w J v/? IIO |MiI uumi LU I
discharge all just obligations to tho
public ci editors, and solemnly pledgo
its t'uilli to mako provision, at tlio
earliest practicable period, for the
redemption of tlio United States notes
in coin. Commercial prosperity,
public merit and national credit de
iiiuuu inai liio promise botullilled Lk
a continuous and steady progress to
specie payments.
The lifth plank alludes to civil
service reform, and the sixth refers
to schools and embodies Blaine's
proposed amendment to tho constitution.
Kislith. The revonno necessary for
current expenditures unci tho obligfilions
of Li 10 public debt must be
largely derived from duties on importations,
which, no far as possible,
should bo adjust oil to promote tiio |
interest of Amorican labor and nd?
vaneo tbo prosperity of tho whole
country.
Tho ninth plunk opposes further
grants of lands to corporations and
monopolies, for tho protection ol ads
opted citizens, and legislation to prov
toct emigrants.
Eleventh. It, is the iinmodiato duty
of Congress to tuily investigate tho
cll'oct ut tho emigration atul importation
of Mongolians on tho moral
and material interests of tlie country.
Twelfth, The party recognizes with
a])proval the advaneo in securing
tho rights of women by State legis*
lation.
Tliii tccntli. Tho plank claims sovereign
power over t ho Ton itorios to
exclude polygamy, and I he fourteenth
declares lli.it iho plodgos to tho soU
diers and sailors must ho fully fulfilled.
l'iteenili. Wo sincercly deprecate
all Beetfeeling ami tendencies.
We therefore note with deep solicitude
that the Democratic party counts
oa its chief hopo of success upon the
electoral voto of a united Smih so
curcd through tho efforts of those
l _ 11 ' %
w 110 were rcconuy arraigned against
1 ho nation, and wo invoke tho attou*
tion of tho county to the grave truth
that a success thus aoliiovcil would
reopen sectional strife and imperil
national honor and human rights.
iho sixteenth plunk charges the
Democratic party witii being tbo
eauio in charaotor and spirit u<* when
it sympathized with treason; and, alluded
to tlio course of tbo lower
house, warns tbo country against a
parly alike unworthy and incapable.
Boventconth. Tlio uational administration
merits commendation for its
honorable work in the inanagomont
of domestic foroign affaire, and President
Grant deserves tho continued
and hearty gratitutod oi tho American
|lOOnl? for lllR nnlrintintYi on/1 ln'n
? 1 " I ?%?.Vi . I 1 o
inunonee services in war and poaco.
From tlift Abbeville Medium.
Reminiscences of the War
oku'b rifles at jbkiciio fokiv
McGowan'a Brigado, of tho Army
of Northern Virginia. on tho 2.3d of
May, 1804, acted no tho roar guard of
A. P. Hill's Corps, which had crossed
the North Anna River tho evening
before, near llanover Junction. We
lay on the roadside in a magnificent
torcst, as tho artillery and haggago
trains passed, till tho afternoon, whon
Orr'a Uilles wero ordered down to
(lie rivor to do picket duty at Jericho
Ford. The reeriment was about two
hundred strong, under the command
of Muj. William M. Iladden. We
marched down a shady country road
until wo arrived at an old gato, near
where tho enemy were reportod to bo
and halted as wo came tb Gen. WII.
F. Loo, of tho Virginia Cavalry)
who awaited us there. Here wo saw
bow usoloss tho cavalry wero. Gen.
r :.i. un _ i ?. -1 - -i *r
ju ;u cjuiu; UU l lglll UIICHU, iUHJOl',
you will find about fifty dismounted
Yankee cavalry down there. Arneli
is tho thing, you know, Major."?
Turning to us ho said: "Now is
your timo to get horses ainl pistols.'?
An old citizon with a repeating riflo.
who was present, said tho saino
tiling as to tho number of Yankees.
Tho regiment was thrown in lino of
battle and advanced, Maj. Iladdcn
saying, "Forward?doublo quick."
"Give them a shout boys." Wo
rushed through tho woods and 6truok
ii solid and oxtendod line of infantry
?took ono prisoner and retired under
a raking iiro from tho front and
?i ?i.~
tsv/bij ttuii ivo if %j 1U1U1 iUUU Willi lliu
balauco of ilio brigo and the three
other brigades of tho division charged
through a \vhoftt field, across a railroad
out, up ft hill and into a strip of
woods, but could not move tho enemy
who opened u^on us with sixteen
pieces of artillery. Instead of tho
4kfiffv fiiuiimnn}....
J yrv
found Iiurnaido1a corps and half of
Warrcus cor pa well lutroncbod. Wo
got no pistols and no horses, and saw
nothing moroof W.1I. F. Loo and tho
old citizen, who left ug with tho bag
to hold. Capt. James S. Cothrnn, of
this 1 place, bears tho mark of this
skirmish on his check, and, wo ven
ture io say, would not tako tlio word
of Gun. W. II. F. Lcc on any such
question again. David (Jleland, an
excellent man trom tho upper parto'
this county, was killed. Tbo brigade
lost two hundred and eleven men.
COL. TAYJXJIl ATORAVELLV ltUN.
On the 31st day of March, 1805,
KeGowan's Brigade was sent down
the 1 i 11C8 from Petersburg to inters
cept u body of Federal troops which
was moving out upon the right llank
of Leo's army. The brigado was
thrown out nn Whitp. Onlr i-nfiil in
company with Gracie'a Brigade from
Alabama, at right angles to llio lino
of breastworks, ami both biigades
put in command o! Gen. McGowan,
Wo lay quietly in a skirt of woods for
Bomo hours until the Yankooa advanced
upon u?. Simultaneously wo
moved forward with lound cheers,
and charged upon thotn with great
impotuoaity. A braver light was
never made. Wo drove them without
halting, through the timber rihI
out over two hills and one branchAa
many m livo distinct lines woro
in a perfect raco at one timo, but still
fighting as best they could. At this
point (Jul. Walter II. Taylor, of Gen
Lou's stall", a fine looking young inftn
distinguished for hie suporb gallantry
rodo up to Color Seargant Duulap, ns
gallant a soldier as ever tought, ol
Orr's Rifles, and asked for tho flog.
DimTap would not givo it up to liim,
but assured him ho would carry it
wherever ordered. It stirred tber
soldier's heart of the heroic Taylor us
bo saw how handsomely wo were
driving the Yankcos. Ho galloped
in front and between tho two lines?
waved hia hnt and shouted: "Come
ahead, boys! God bless your heartsf
I lovo every one of yon. Come ahead*
(rod bless you all 1" Tho scene cannot
be pictured. Tho onthusiusm cannot
bo imagined. With 0110 rodoubled
and unceasing cheer the lino
went "forward and crushed everything
in its path. As it stormed tho next
hill, the writer whs shot and rot i red y
but the scene is photographed upon
his mind, and lie can revert to no
more pleasant incident in tho war.?
Taylor wore a black eapc and looked
every inch a soldier, us lie proved
to be. Wo trust lie hiva a good wife
and n family of ii.io boys who may
emulate the actions of the father.
:M?T
Missouri Township-Bond * oudiation
Tho rcccnt dociBion of tho U. B.
Supremo Court that ccrtain Missouri
i township bonds woro invalid is beginning
to boar fruit. Tho St. Louia
I Republican says:
j Fifty fivo citizens of Kaw township,
havo addressed to tho County Court a
protest "against any furthor recogi\?
lion of tho validity" of tho railroad
bonds issued by tho county for that
township and also against tho further
recognition of tho validity of tho Jacksou
county bonds issued to tho Mertw
phis and Mobile lailroad, on tho
ground that tho recent dociaion tnado
by the United States Supremo Court in
tho caso of township railroad bonds
dostrovs their v.nlirlifv. TCnw
townsip bonds thus protested against
amount to 6559,000; the bonds of
othor townships in the aiuno County,
of a similar character, to 8101,000,
and tho Jackson County bonds iaauoii
without tho approval of two thirds ol
tho qualified votors of tho county to
tho Momphis and Mobilo Itailroad to
8350,000, making a total of #1.061,?
000 bonds, which it is claimed aro jij^
valid and of no binding lorco on tho
county under llio decision. Tho into*,
re-it 011 thoho bonds has horotoforo
boon faithfully paid. Tho Court laid
tho subject over for consideration.
The Republican also has a dispatch
from Kansas City, Juno 8th, a# ioK
lows:
Tho County Court passed an ord?r
to day revoking all orders for th? lo*y
of a tax to moot tho intorest on all
tho township bonds, amounting to
Tho superiority of man to naturo ia
continually illustrated in literature
and in life. Naturo needs an imirienso
quantity of quills to make a goose
with; hut man can malco a gooao of
himself in live minulo.s with one quill.
That don't tit us; wo uso stool pons,
Tho provalonco of lynching in TeXftft
's astonishing. Tho Galvoston Nowa
gives tho particulars oi seventeen in*
stances occurring within two months.
Most of tho victims woro horso stealers
and stago robbers. Tho San Antonia
Horald says that in no other
way, in tho absceiico of enforced law#f
could the lives and property of ro*
spoctable citizens bo protected.
Tho following specimen of English
pure ami umioiiioo is 11:0111 1110 Lay or*
jjool TimcBj "A doctor was lately
summoned to a cottago at llurwood
in Teasdalo, and found a boy in noed
of his services. 'Put out your tongue,'
said the doctor. The boy starred like
an owl. 'My good bov,' re<jue6tdd
the medical man, 'jot mo boo your
tongue.' 'Talk English, doctor,* said
the mothei; and then, turning to fier
son, sho said: .'Ilonnen tbv crobblor.
I ami put out tliy lollikor.' 'flie boj
roiled out hia tongno in a momont.'
Tho Grand Orient of France has
recognised tho eolored Krconmaon^.of
tho United Stairs, declaring their
M iiflo m y i neon lettable.