McCormick, SC Train Wreck, Oct 1910

FIVE KILLED IN WRECK

Two Trains Meet Head On Near M’Cormick, S. C.

OPERATOR FORGOT ORDERS

Says He Was Busty Selling Tickets And Allowed Conductor to Register and Leave

Augusta, Ga., Oct. 16. – Five were killed and seventeen injured when two trains on the Charleston & Western Carolina crashed together at full speed shortly after 6 o’clock this afternoon, two miles south of McCormick, S. C. All of the dead and seven of the injured were members of the train crew. It is said that the operator at McCormick failed to deliver “meet orders” for the southbound train.

Both locomotives were completely demolished and the baggage cars of both trains were telescoped. The dead are:
Engineer ARIZONA RIVERS, Augusta, Ga.
Fireman JIM SPROWLES, colored, Augusta, Ga.
Fireman JAMES WARE, colored, Augusta, Ga.
Mail Clerk, W. F. AKER, Anderson, S. C.
HOARD SEARLES, colored porter, of Augusta, Ga.

The injured trainmen are:
R. L. Hartley, Elberton, Ga., leg and ankle broken; A. S. McNeal, baggagemaster, Augusta, chest and shoulder crushed, condition serious; Engineer F. S. Hughes, Augusta, fatally injured; J. G. Stillwell, Augusta, road master; Conductor Joseph Hernlon, severly bruised; Baggaemaster H. K. Burns of Augusta, Ga., slightly hurt.

The following passengers were injured:
W. F. Smith, Hartsville, S. C.; W. E. Cutliff, Albany, Ga.; R. N. Sego, Greenwood, S. C. R. D. Zeigler of McCormick, S. C.; Miss Alma Williams, Greenwood, S. C.; Lorenzo Rivers, Augusta, son of Engineer Rivers; Jennie Payne, Greenwood, S. C.; Ross Dawson and Peter Lynch.

All of the injured passengers were en route to Greenwood and were sent to that city in charge of a physician. A relief train sent from Augusta is expected to return about 2 o’clock.

Shortly after the wreck, Operator Browden at McCormick, it is said, telegraphed the Augusta office of the wreck and stated that he was so busy selling tickets that he forgot to show the signal to stop the southbound train for Augusta for orders. This train registered at McCormick and left at once. Conductor R. L. Foster of the southbound escaped injury and walked back to McCormick with the news of the wreck.

The State, Columbia, SC 17 Oct 1910
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Transcribed by Jenni Lanham. Thank you, Jenni!