Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1893 — DROPPED TO DEATH. [ARTICLE]

DROPPED TO DEATH.

Terrible Accident on the Atlantic and Danville Road Near Milton, Va. A Danville, Va., dispatch tells of an awful accident which occurred at the County Line trestle just east of Milton at 2:50 o'clock in the morning, by which two passenger coaches and a sleeper were precipitated into the creek below, a distance of sixty feet, killing seven persons outright and wounding a number of others. The train bound for Portsmouth left Danville at 1:35 in the morning and was the regular train. After passing through Milton and going over the trestle the engineer, Peyton Tunstal. who says he was running at the rate of ten miles an hour, felt the bridge giving way. Ho threw open the throttle and the engine, tender and a box car got safely over, hut the first passenger car was too late, and the span went down under its weight, the second passenger car and sleeping-car following. The cars were shivered into kindling wood and the escape of any of the passengers was a miracle. The water in the creek had risen to the depth of twelve or more feet, and it is the general belief that the rise had undermined the foundation of the under pieces, causing the trestle to settle. On the train at the time were about sixteen persons, including the trainhands, but only one of the latter—Conductor H. Morris, of Portsmouth—was killed, none of the others receiving serious injuries. In the sleeper were Mrs. Harvey Giersch, two children and nurse, of Winston, N. C.; Conductor J. L. Siser, of Richmond; and J. R. Townes, colored porter. The nurse was drowned and the conductor and porter were slightly injured. Mrs. Giersch was on her way to Lawrenceville to visit friends. The depot agent at Milton heard the crash ana immediately gave the alarm by tolling the bell. The people turned out in full force and went to work at once to rescue the dead and injured from the debris. The 13-year-old daughter of Mrs. Giersch, not realizing the danger through which she had passed, said to the rescuers: “Don’t mind me; I am not hurt: but please take mamma out." The following is the list of the killed: H. MORRIS, conductor, Portsmouth, Va. W. R. ELLISON. Altou, Va. J. G. DAVIES, a farmer of Baskerville, Va. W. H. ELAM, of Durham, N. C. JAMES S. LOWE, a railroad conductor from the West, who was a passenger. THOMAS LEE (colored), of Winston, N. C. FRANCIS JENKINS (colored), of Salem, N. 0. None of the injured are seriously hurt. The dead were removed to the railroad depot at Milton, where they were kept until the arrival of the coroner from Halifax Court House, the accident occurring on the Halifax side of the creek. The loss was heavy to the railroad company, as the cars and a full span of the bridge are a total loss.