From the "The State" – Columbia, S.C., Monday, July 7, 1947 – page one
At Denmark Grade Crossing.
Denmark, July 6 – (Special) – Three young people met death, early today before an onrushing Seaboard Streamliner, which tossed their car 150 feet away after ramming it broadside, at grade crossing three miles north of here.
Dewis K. Blume, 19, of Denmark, was killed instantly. Alice Jean Pearce, 17, of Fort Lawn, died shortly after she was admitted to the Columbia hospital. Clyde Buford Harris, 18, of Denmark lived only 10 hours.
The young people were returning from a house party and dance at the Denmark country club where there is a pavilion and an extensive summer colony. The road they would ordinarily have traveled back to Denmark was under construction and they detoured on a dirt road.
When they drove onto the railroad track the southbound Seaboard train No. 7, the Camellia, struck their car broadside with terrific force. The car was tossed into a patch of woods around 150 feet from the point of impact. Scattered parts, such things as seat cushions and the battery, were found 300 feet from the crossing. The car, a 1941 Mercury, belonging to young Blume's father, was completely demolished.
The train stopped and backed up. A motorist who heard the impact a half mile away hurried to the scene and offered to summon ambulances from Denmark. Two ambulances arrived within 15 minutes and the two who were still living were rushed to the Columbia hospital where they were admitted at 4:30 am. Denmark is around 50 miles from Columbia.
Only 100 yards from the fatal crossing is the Columbia-Denmark road, highway No. 5, running parallel with the railroad track. The car was going east, toward the paved highway. The railroad track is straight as an arrow from around three miles on each side of the crossing. The track can be seen from about 40 yards when it is approached from the west, according to the coroner of Bamberg County.
It was the second time within a year that tragedy had struck the Pearce home. Last July Alice Jean Pearce's father, Eugene C. Pearce, was killed in a railroad accident near Charleston.
Two of the accident victims were in Denmark almost by chance. Miss Pearce was visiting her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Pearce, along with her mother and sister. The Blume boy was home for the Fourth of July weekend.
None of the victims regained consciousness. The party from which were returning was given by Miss Pearce's cousin, Miss Shirley Barker, and was held at the cottage owned by Miss Barker's parents.
Miss Pearce was freshman at Winthrop College last year. She was graduated, an honor student, from St. Andrews school in Charleston in 1946.
She is survived by her mother, Mrs. Margaret McFadden Pearce of Fort Lawn, a sister, Miss Mary Anne Pearce of Fort Lawn, a brother, Thomas George Pearce of Fort Lawn, her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Pearce of Denmark and several aunts and uncles at Fort Lawn and Charleston.
Funeral services for her will be held at 4 o'clock this afternoon from the Fort Lawn Methodist church. Interment will be in Elmwood cemetery.
At Denmark Grade Crossing.
Denmark, July 6 – (Special) – Three young people met death, early today before an onrushing Seaboard Streamliner, which tossed their car 150 feet away after ramming it broadside, at grade crossing three miles north of here.
Dewis K. Blume, 19, of Denmark, was killed instantly. Alice Jean Pearce, 17, of Fort Lawn, died shortly after she was admitted to the Columbia hospital. Clyde Buford Harris, 18, of Denmark lived only 10 hours.
The young people were returning from a house party and dance at the Denmark country club where there is a pavilion and an extensive summer colony. The road they would ordinarily have traveled back to Denmark was under construction and they detoured on a dirt road.
When they drove onto the railroad track the southbound Seaboard train No. 7, the Camellia, struck their car broadside with terrific force. The car was tossed into a patch of woods around 150 feet from the point of impact. Scattered parts, such things as seat cushions and the battery, were found 300 feet from the crossing. The car, a 1941 Mercury, belonging to young Blume's father, was completely demolished.
The train stopped and backed up. A motorist who heard the impact a half mile away hurried to the scene and offered to summon ambulances from Denmark. Two ambulances arrived within 15 minutes and the two who were still living were rushed to the Columbia hospital where they were admitted at 4:30 am. Denmark is around 50 miles from Columbia.
Only 100 yards from the fatal crossing is the Columbia-Denmark road, highway No. 5, running parallel with the railroad track. The car was going east, toward the paved highway. The railroad track is straight as an arrow from around three miles on each side of the crossing. The track can be seen from about 40 yards when it is approached from the west, according to the coroner of Bamberg County.
It was the second time within a year that tragedy had struck the Pearce home. Last July Alice Jean Pearce's father, Eugene C. Pearce, was killed in a railroad accident near Charleston.
Two of the accident victims were in Denmark almost by chance. Miss Pearce was visiting her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Pearce, along with her mother and sister. The Blume boy was home for the Fourth of July weekend.
None of the victims regained consciousness. The party from which were returning was given by Miss Pearce's cousin, Miss Shirley Barker, and was held at the cottage owned by Miss Barker's parents.
Miss Pearce was freshman at Winthrop College last year. She was graduated, an honor student, from St. Andrews school in Charleston in 1946.
She is survived by her mother, Mrs. Margaret McFadden Pearce of Fort Lawn, a sister, Miss Mary Anne Pearce of Fort Lawn, a brother, Thomas George Pearce of Fort Lawn, her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Pearce of Denmark and several aunts and uncles at Fort Lawn and Charleston.
Funeral services for her will be held at 4 o'clock this afternoon from the Fort Lawn Methodist church. Interment will be in Elmwood cemetery.
From the "The State" – Columbia, S.C., Monday, July 7, 1947 – page one
At Denmark Grade Crossing.
Denmark, July 6 – (Special) – Three young people met death, early today before an onrushing Seaboard Streamliner, which tossed their car 150 feet away after ramming it broadside, at grade crossing three miles north of here.
Dewis K. Blume, 19, of Denmark, was killed instantly. Alice Jean Pearce, 17, of Fort Lawn, died shortly after she was admitted to the Columbia hospital. Clyde Buford Harris, 18, of Denmark lived only 10 hours.
The young people were returning from a house party and dance at the Denmark country club where there is a pavilion and an extensive summer colony. The road they would ordinarily have traveled back to Denmark was under construction and they detoured on a dirt road.
When they drove onto the railroad track the southbound Seaboard train No. 7, the Camellia, struck their car broadside with terrific force. The car was tossed into a patch of woods around 150 feet from the point of impact. Scattered parts, such things as seat cushions and the battery, were found 300 feet from the crossing. The car, a 1941 Mercury, belonging to young Blume's father, was completely demolished.
The train stopped and backed up. A motorist who heard the impact a half mile away hurried to the scene and offered to summon ambulances from Denmark. Two ambulances arrived within 15 minutes and the two who were still living were rushed to the Columbia hospital where they were admitted at 4:30 am. Denmark is around 50 miles from Columbia.
Only 100 yards from the fatal crossing is the Columbia-Denmark road, highway No. 5, running parallel with the railroad track. The car was going east, toward the paved highway. The railroad track is straight as an arrow from around three miles on each side of the crossing. The track can be seen from about 40 yards when it is approached from the west, according to the coroner of Bamberg County.
It was the second time within a year that tragedy had struck the Pearce home. Last July Alice Jean Pearce's father, Eugene C. Pearce, was killed in a railroad accident near Charleston.
Two of the accident victims were in Denmark almost by chance. Miss Pearce was visiting her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Pearce, along with her mother and sister. The Blume boy was home for the Fourth of July weekend.
None of the victims regained consciousness. The party from which were returning was given by Miss Pearce's cousin, Miss Shirley Barker, and was held at the cottage owned by Miss Barker's parents.
Miss Pearce was freshman at Winthrop College last year. She was graduated, an honor student, from St. Andrews school in Charleston in 1946.
She is survived by her mother, Mrs. Margaret McFadden Pearce of Fort Lawn, a sister, Miss Mary Anne Pearce of Fort Lawn, a brother, Thomas George Pearce of Fort Lawn, her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Pearce of Denmark and several aunts and uncles at Fort Lawn and Charleston.
Funeral services for her will be held at 4 o'clock this afternoon from the Fort Lawn Methodist church. Interment will be in Elmwood cemetery.
At Denmark Grade Crossing.
Denmark, July 6 – (Special) – Three young people met death, early today before an onrushing Seaboard Streamliner, which tossed their car 150 feet away after ramming it broadside, at grade crossing three miles north of here.
Dewis K. Blume, 19, of Denmark, was killed instantly. Alice Jean Pearce, 17, of Fort Lawn, died shortly after she was admitted to the Columbia hospital. Clyde Buford Harris, 18, of Denmark lived only 10 hours.
The young people were returning from a house party and dance at the Denmark country club where there is a pavilion and an extensive summer colony. The road they would ordinarily have traveled back to Denmark was under construction and they detoured on a dirt road.
When they drove onto the railroad track the southbound Seaboard train No. 7, the Camellia, struck their car broadside with terrific force. The car was tossed into a patch of woods around 150 feet from the point of impact. Scattered parts, such things as seat cushions and the battery, were found 300 feet from the crossing. The car, a 1941 Mercury, belonging to young Blume's father, was completely demolished.
The train stopped and backed up. A motorist who heard the impact a half mile away hurried to the scene and offered to summon ambulances from Denmark. Two ambulances arrived within 15 minutes and the two who were still living were rushed to the Columbia hospital where they were admitted at 4:30 am. Denmark is around 50 miles from Columbia.
Only 100 yards from the fatal crossing is the Columbia-Denmark road, highway No. 5, running parallel with the railroad track. The car was going east, toward the paved highway. The railroad track is straight as an arrow from around three miles on each side of the crossing. The track can be seen from about 40 yards when it is approached from the west, according to the coroner of Bamberg County.
It was the second time within a year that tragedy had struck the Pearce home. Last July Alice Jean Pearce's father, Eugene C. Pearce, was killed in a railroad accident near Charleston.
Two of the accident victims were in Denmark almost by chance. Miss Pearce was visiting her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Pearce, along with her mother and sister. The Blume boy was home for the Fourth of July weekend.
None of the victims regained consciousness. The party from which were returning was given by Miss Pearce's cousin, Miss Shirley Barker, and was held at the cottage owned by Miss Barker's parents.
Miss Pearce was freshman at Winthrop College last year. She was graduated, an honor student, from St. Andrews school in Charleston in 1946.
She is survived by her mother, Mrs. Margaret McFadden Pearce of Fort Lawn, a sister, Miss Mary Anne Pearce of Fort Lawn, a brother, Thomas George Pearce of Fort Lawn, her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Pearce of Denmark and several aunts and uncles at Fort Lawn and Charleston.
Funeral services for her will be held at 4 o'clock this afternoon from the Fort Lawn Methodist church. Interment will be in Elmwood cemetery.
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