Plunged To Eternity

Jacksonville, Fia., Mareh 19.- A írightful railroad accident occun-ed ata 9:45 o'clock Saturday morning near Blackshear, Ga., on the line of the Savannah, Florida & Western railway. The vestibule fast-niail train, known as the Cuban train, which runs through from New York to Tampa, Fla., went through a trestle spanning Hurricane creek, and plunged forty feet to the ground below. The wreek was au awful one. It is certain that twentyone persons were killed outright. In the neighborhood of forty were injured. Many of the injured will probably die. Following is a list of the killed and injured: Killed- Merritt A Wilbur, son of the president of the Lehigh Valley railroad; C. A. Fulton, master of transportation of the Brunswick & Western railroad; Fred Maynard, of New York; W. B. Geiger, of Savannah, Ga. ; John F. Eay, of Dales' MUI, Ga.; Maj. H. H. Pape, of HawkinsviUe, Ga.; E. P. Thomson, of North Carolina; Mrs. V. A. Shaw and daughter, aged 15, of Jacksonville, Fla. ; F. M. Smith, Pullman conductor; Charles Pearce, train hand, colored; W. M. Martin, news agent; Cuffey Williams, oolored, of Valdos, Ga. ; Lloyd Carson, colored; Colson Foster, colored, of Waycross; Moses Gale, colored; flve negroes, names unknown- Total 21. ' Injured- George Gould; Mrs. George Gould; E. P. Wilbur, president of the Lehigh Valley railroad, of Bethlehem, Pa. : W. A. Wilbur, son of E. P. Wilbur: P. H. Wilbur, son of E. P. Wilbur; Dr. Booth and wife, of Utica, N. Y.; J. P. Thompson and wife, of New Orleans; Allee Simpson, of New York ; Samuel Obes and wife, of Providence, R. I.; Mrs. McClinch, of Philadelphia; O. W. Wallace, traveling passenger agent Louisville & Nashville railroad; G. " M. Feredo and wife, of New York; J. Spiro, of Newark, N. J.: Mrs. Hulbnrt, of New York; T. Butterfleld, of Utica, N. Y.; J. W. Thompson, of Jacksonville, Fla.; Charles Brown, oí Savannah, Ga. ; G. w . Hunibolt, of Savannah, Ga. ; Laura Jones, of Thomasvik Ga. ; A. J. Faireloth, of Waresboro, Ga.; Miss Mattie Eay, of Dale's Mili, Ga. ; E. E. VanVorat, of Savannah, Ga.; W.L. Griffln, conductor; B. Mallard, baggagemaster; Sam Allen, train hand, Savammh, Ga.; Walter Goodrich, train hand, Savannah, Ga.; Miss Cox; A. G. Boyle; Austin, colored, Waycross; Heury Snook, colored, Savannah, Ga. ; J. Pappy, flagman, son of F. Pappy, of Jacksonville; Mütou Lawrence, colored; A. C. Hudson, of Macon, Ga.- Total 36. The train consisted of a combination baggage and smoking ear, one coach, two Pullman sleepers, and the private car oL E. B. Wübur, president of the Lehigh Valley railroad. ín the latter were President Wilbur and his fainily and a party of friends, among them George Gould and his wife, who were on their way to Femandina, Fla. , to meet Jay Gould. The entire train, with the exception of the engine, was dashed into the creek bottom. Every car was demolished except the private car of Mr. Wilbur, which survïved the shock. But its occupants did not escape injury. One of Mr. Wilbur's sons was killed, he himself sustained severe wounds, and Mr. and Mrs. Gould were hurt, though not dangerously. Blaclcshear, the scène of the accident, is the county seat of Pierce county. It is in the center of the wild, desolate country stretching from Savannah to Jacksonvi De, upon which nothing but pine ti-ees and cacti grow. The dead and wounded were taken as soon as possible to Waycross, ten miles distant. Accounts conflict as to the cause of the wreek. The railway officials report that an axle on the forward car broke, throwing the train from the trestle. Another vei'sion attributes it to the collapse of the trestle, and declares that the structure was shaky. Still another story ís that the accident was caused by a broken rail. Immediately on the other side of the bridge there is a trestle several hundred feet in length. When the baggage car struck the trestlework it gave way, and the entire train, with the exeeption of the engine, dropped through. The combination coach is reported to be the first one which struck the ground. On it feil the passenger coach, the sleepers, and the special car in which the private party was traveling. The lower coaches were smashed well nigti to pieces. Fortúnate were those passengere to whom death came instantly. Every coach was fllled, and hardly a passenger escaped without some injury. When the wreek was partly cleared away the disaster, serious as it was, was less horrible than was feared. L. C. Deming, general ticket agent of the Jacksonville, Tainpa & Key West railroad, a passenger on the second section arrived late Sati'day evening, says: "In all my experience I never saw a wreek so complete, as there was not a serablance of the former shape left of the first two cars. They were completely broken to fragments. It is miraculeus how any one escaped. The fourth car, occupied by Mr. Gould and party, although badly damaged, was not a complete wreek. The end oL the last car was telescoped into Mr. Gould's car. The latter, President Wilbur's private car, contained twelve persons. There were three fortúnate things which no doubt lessened the terrible list of casualties. That portion of the trestle directly over the stream did uot fall, and the cars were thrown into a dry place. In wet weather the whole place is overflowed, but at the present time the stream is confined to a narrow bed. The fire was put out bef ore any harm was done, and the weather was clear and pleasant. The locomotivo barely got across the chasm, the tender having di'opped down on óne end of the baggage car." Later. - Three more dead havo been found in the wreek, all negroes, unknown. Besides these the f ollowing are dangerously wounded: Gen. Ferrero, Ivew York, two ribs broken, case critical ; Mrs. Gen. Ferrero, fraetured hip joint ; Mrs. T. P. Thompson, New Orleans, head ïractured ; Mattie Kay, Dale's Mills, Ga., thigh broken, interna! injuries, can hardly live a day ; Andrew Faircloth, Waresboro, Ga. , concussion of the brain, internal injuries, unconscious; Miss Alice Simpson, Rushville, N. Y., interna! injuries and ankle broken ; Conductor Griffln, internal injuries, almost in a dying condition; E. E. Vanvoorst, engineer Georgia Central railroad, (X) years old, concussion of the brain.