South Side Atlanta Paranormal Society

McDonough, GA Train Wreck, Jun 1900 - Tragic Railroad Wreck
Posted October 21st, 2007 by Stu Beitler
TRAGIC RAILROAD WRECK
Atlanta, Ga., June 24. --- A passenger train on the Macon branch of the Southern railway ran into a washout one and one-half miles north of McDonough, Ga., last night and was completely wrecked.
The wreck caught fire and the entire train, with the exception of the sleeper, was destroyed.
Every person on the train except the occupants of the Pullman car perished. Not a member of the train crew escaped.
Thirty-five people in all were killed. A cloudburst broke over that section of the country about 6 o'clock last night, and presumably washed out a section of the track nearly 100 feet in length.
Into this the swiftly moving train plunged. The storm was still raging, and all the car windows were closed. The passengers, secure, as they thought, and sheltered comfortably from the inclement weather, went to death without an instant's warning.
The train, consisting of a baggage car, second class coach, first class coach and a Pullman sleeper, was knocked into kindling wood by the fall.The wreck caught fire in a few minutes after the fall and all the coaches were burned except the Pullman car.
Every person on the train except the occupants of the Pullman car perished in the disaster. There was no escape as the heavy Pullman weighted down the others and the few alive in the sleeper were unable to render assistance to their fellow passengers.
For a brief time there was silence. Then the occupants of the Pullman car recovered from their bewilderment and after hard work managed to get out of their car, and found themselves on the track in the pouring rain. The extent of the catastrophe was quickly apparent.
Flames were already seen coming from that part of the wreck not covered by water. As the wreck began to go to pieces under the destructive work of both flames and flood, human bodies floated out from the mass and were carried down stream by the swift current. The storm did not abate in fury. Flashes of lightning added to the steady glow of the burning train and lit up the scene with fearful distinctness.
Flagman QUINLAN, who was one of the first to get out, at once started for the nearest telegraph station. Making his way as rapidly as possible in the face of the blinding storm, he stumbled into the office at McDonough and after telling the night operator of the wreck, fell fainting to the floor. Word was quickly sent to both Atlanta and Macon but no assistance was to be had except in the latter city, as the interrupted track prevented the arrival of any train from Macon.
Summit County Journal Colorado 1900-06-30
Transcriber's Note: In response to an email I received I would like to add the following information from The New York Times New York 1900-06-24"The following passengers escaped without serious injury:JESSE L. ROHR of Baltimore.WALTER POPE of Atlanta.J. C. FLYNN of Atlanta.MISS MARY B. MERRITT, of Boston, Mass.MISS CLARA ALDEN, of Boston, Mass.E. SCHRINER, of Chattanooga, Tenn.E. T. MACK, of Chattanooga, Tenn.J. J. QUINLAN, flagman.T. C. CARTER, Pullman porter.HANDY TOMLINSON."
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!


McDonough, GA Train Wreck, Jun 1900 - Horrible Railway Disaster
Posted July 13th, 2008 by Stu Beitler
LIVES LOST IN A WRECK.
Washout Near Atlanta, Ga., Causes Horrible Railway Disaster.
VICTIMS CAUGHT IN A TRAP.
Local Train Goes Down in a Gulch Near McDonough – Sleeping Car on the End Pins Down the Wreckage – Flames Add to the Disaster – Only Those in the Sleeper Escaped Death.
Atlanta, Ga. (Special). -- A passenger train on the Macon branch of the Southern Railway ran into a washout one and a half north of McDonough, Ga., and was completely wrecked. The wreck caught fire and the entire train, with the exception of the sleeper, was destroyed. Every person in the train, except the occupants of the Pullman car, perished. Not a member of the train crew escaped. Thirty-five persons in all were killed.
The list of killed is as follows: WILLIAM A. BARCLAY, conductor, Atlanta; J. E. WOOD, conductor, Atlanta; J. H. HUNNICUT, conductor; J. T. SULLIVAN, engineer, Atlanta; W. W. BENNETT, baggage-master, Atlanta; T. F. MADDOX, cotton buyer, Atlanta; W. J. PATE and twelve year old son, Atlanta; H. R. CRESSINAN, Pullman conductor; GEORGE W. FLOURNAY, Atlanta; C. C. HIGHTOWER, Stockbridge, Ga.; W. W. PARK, Macon, Ga.; ELDER HENSON, traveling man, supposed to have been from Florida; J. F. FLORIDA, Nashville, Tenn.; W. O. ELLIS, bridgeman, Stockbridge, Ga.; D. Y. GRIFFITH, Superior; J. H. RHOADES, flagman; JOHN BRANTLEY WHITE, fireman; WILL GREEN, extra fireman; W. L. MORRISETT, pump replacer; W. R. LAWRENCE, foreman extra gang; ED. BYRD, colored, fireman, Atlanta; ROBERT SPENCER, train porter; four unidentified bodies and eight negro section hands.The wrecked train was a local known at No. 9. It left Macon at 7:10 p. m., and was due in Atlanta at 9:55 p. m. The train reached McDonough on time, 8:50 p. m. A train from Columbus, due to connect with the train from Macon at McDonough, was late and the wreck train did not wait for it.
The train ran only a mile and a half from McDonough, when without warning it plunged into a washout sixty feet deep and 125 feet wide. Camp's Creek had swollen because of the recent heavy rains and cut out the railroad embankment until the culvert through which it flowed was transformed into a gorge, through which a raging torrent surged. The train, consisting of a baggage car, second class coach, first class coach and a Pullman sleeper, was knocked into splinters by the fall. The wreck caught fire in a few minutes after the fall and all the coaches were burned except the Pullman car.
Every person on the train except the occupants of the Pullman car was killed in the accident. Not a member of the train crew escaped. A blinding rainstorm was on. The windows of the coaches were closed and when the passengers went down they were either drowned in the torrent or burned with the wrecked coaches. As the wreck began to go to pieces under the destructive work of the flames and flood bodies floated out and were carried down stream by the current. The storm did not abate in fury. Flashes of lightning added to the steady glow of the burning train. All through the night the rain continued.
The dawn revealed the most disastrous railroad wreck the South has known in many years. An hour after the trains' plunge into the gorge several of those who escaped from the wreck walked into McDonough with the news. Parties were organized at once. Nearly the entire male population of the town went to the scene to render assistance to those imprisoned in the wreckage. Little could be done by the rescuers, however, as the fire kept them at a distance.
At daylight the bodies that had floated from the gorge were gathered up. Some of the bodies were terribly burned, while others were crushed beyond recognition. The only means of identification in the majority of the cases were letters and papers in the pockets of the victims in the catastrophe.
Only three ladies were on the train: two escaped. The bodies of the dead were brought to Atlanta. No blame attaches to the railroad, as other trains had passed the spot in safety only a few hours before the collapse.
The Cranbury Press New Jersey 1900-06-29

McDonough, GA Train Wreck, Jun 1900 - Horrible Railway Disaster
Posted July 13th, 2008 by Stu Beitler
LIVES LOST IN A WRECK.
Washout Near Atlanta, Ga., Causes Horrible Railway Disaster.
VICTIMS CAUGHT IN A TRAP.
Local Train Goes Down in a Gulch Near McDonough – Sleeping Car on the End Pins Down the Wreckage – Flames Add to the Disaster – Only Those in the Sleeper Escaped Death.
Atlanta, Ga. (Special). -- A passenger train on the Macon branch of the Southern Railway ran into a washout one and a half north of McDonough, Ga., and was completely wrecked. The wreck caught fire and the entire train, with the exception of the sleeper, was destroyed. Every person in the train, except the occupants of the Pullman car, perished. Not a member of the train crew escaped. Thirty-five persons in all were killed.
The list of killed is as follows: WILLIAM A. BARCLAY, conductor, Atlanta; J. E. WOOD, conductor, Atlanta; J. H. HUNNICUT, conductor; J. T. SULLIVAN, engineer, Atlanta; W. W. BENNETT, baggage-master, Atlanta; T. F. MADDOX, cotton buyer, Atlanta; W. J. PATE and twelve year old son, Atlanta; H. R. CRESSINAN, Pullman conductor; GEORGE W. FLOURNAY, Atlanta; C. C. HIGHTOWER, Stockbridge, Ga.; W. W. PARK, Macon, Ga.; ELDER HENSON, traveling man, supposed to have been from Florida; J. F. FLORIDA, Nashville, Tenn.; W. O. ELLIS, bridgeman, Stockbridge, Ga.; D. Y. GRIFFITH, Superior; J. H. RHOADES, flagman; JOHN BRANTLEY WHITE, fireman; WILL GREEN, extra fireman; W. L. MORRISETT, pump replacer; W. R. LAWRENCE, foreman extra gang; ED. BYRD, colored, fireman, Atlanta; ROBERT SPENCER, train porter; four unidentified bodies and eight negro section hands.The wrecked train was a local known at No. 9. It left Macon at 7:10 p. m., and was due in Atlanta at 9:55 p. m. The train reached McDonough on time, 8:50 p. m. A train from Columbus, due to connect with the train from Macon at McDonough, was late and the wreck train did not wait for it.
The train ran only a mile and a half from McDonough, when without warning it plunged into a washout sixty feet deep and 125 feet wide. Camp's Creek had swollen because of the recent heavy rains and cut out the railroad embankment until the culvert through which it flowed was transformed into a gorge, through which a raging torrent surged. The train, consisting of a baggage car, second class coach, first class coach and a Pullman sleeper, was knocked into splinters by the fall. The wreck caught fire in a few minutes after the fall and all the coaches were burned except the Pullman car.
Every person on the train except the occupants of the Pullman car was killed in the accident. Not a member of the train crew escaped. A blinding rainstorm was on. The windows of the coaches were closed and when the passengers went down they were either drowned in the torrent or burned with the wrecked coaches. As the wreck began to go to pieces under the destructive work of the flames and flood bodies floated out and were carried down stream by the current. The storm did not abate in fury. Flashes of lightning added to the steady glow of the burning train. All through the night the rain continued.
The dawn revealed the most disastrous railroad wreck the South has known in many years. An hour after the trains' plunge into the gorge several of those who escaped from the wreck walked into McDonough with the news. Parties were organized at once. Nearly the entire male population of the town went to the scene to render assistance to those imprisoned in the wreckage. Little could be done by the rescuers, however, as the fire kept them at a distance.
At daylight the bodies that had floated from the gorge were gathered up. Some of the bodies were terribly burned, while others were crushed beyond recognition. The only means of identification in the majority of the cases were letters and papers in the pockets of the victims in the catastrophe.
Only three ladies were on the train: two escaped. The bodies of the dead were brought to Atlanta. No blame attaches to the railroad, as other trains had passed the spot in safety only a few hours before the collapse.
The Cranbury Press New Jersey 1900-06-29

I want to presonally thank Stu Beitler for his research for the town of McDonough Square GA.
Without his information the True History would not be written or told!
Annette from Henry County GA