| From the New Orleans True Delta |
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| October 5, 1861 |
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| The Equinoctial Storm |
| The Equinoctial storm was quite violent in
Columbia. The gale demolished several large wooden sheds, and portions
of the roofs of the Charleston depot and of the Charlotte depot. Of its
effects elsewhere the Mercury says: |
| We learn from a letter, received by
express from Mr. Brenner, superintendent of the telegraph line, that a
very serious smash up of cars occurred on the Wilmington & Manchester
railroad, beyond Marion, C. H., on Friday, during the storm. Some heavy
trees, uprooted by the gale, were thrown upon the trestle work about a
hundred yards in advance of the train, which was going at full speed and
could not be checked in time to prevent the accident. The engine and
three cars were thrown off the track into the marsh, where they yet lie,
an unshapen mass of fragments and splinters. Some other cars were left
standing on the track, but they also were badly shattered. The most
singular and most fortunate feature of the accident is, that
notwithstanding such a frightful smash up of cars and engine, nobody was
seriously hurt, one man only having received a few slight bruises. Mr.
Brenner also stated that the storm did a large amount of injury to the
wires, which were down in several places. He had, however, eight gang of
workmen employed in different sections, and expected to have the damages
repaired in a day or two at farthest. |
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