The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-09-01

coal cars ran by the spot where the en-
CINE left 1he track They were both
derailed and the front one with irons
twisted and timbers smashed was sitting
end ways on the second. The other
cars were safely on the track The
front brakeman jumped and escaped
death. while Conductor Hall and the
other tralnmen were on the rear end and
net injured.
J. Bange was sitting under a tree
within fifty yards of where the wreck
occurred. Said he: "It was all done and
over so quick I could hardly realize what
had happened. / saw the engine jump
the track, and the next knew she was
laying in the ditch with steam kissing
about her. I thought l saw the fireman,
Manuel Wilson, walk a few steps before
he fell. I had a. dream night before last
that a wreck would occur here, and I
could see the cars splitting coal along the
track. Ed Searson was a mighty good
man, and ne always said II ne ever got
IN wreck, he would stand to his post,
and he did it,
Walter Payne was the engineer on the
train coming from West Pratt with the
miners. "Old man Ed had whistlad me
down" said he, "and had just brought
my train to a standstiH, when I saw his
engine kind O squat like. and then she
turned over 1 couldn't see anything
then for the steam. I don't see how the
engine came TO jump unless she was too
light and bounced off. ] didn't have time
TO stay long, for my wife thought I was
injured, and 1 had to go to her."
J. w. Swain was on the miners train.
IL aI
and then turn over. / never could see
when she turned around. but she faced
about and turned with her head in the
opposite direction. We didn't have time
to say anything before 1t was all over,
ard we rushed across to the other track.
Something was laying across old man
Eds breast, and II was hard to get him
out. We had to dig under him, and he
was laying in a pool OF hot water, and the
blood had almost colored the water"
1.-THE action of that engine was one of
the queerest L ever saw" said James
Thomas, one of the miners returning
from his days work. 81 noticed our
train had stopped, and I saw the other
coming up the hill. I wondered why old
man Ed was coming that way. but never
thought once of any danger All in a
second his engine jumped the rails, and
with a plunge wheeled into the ditch
The cause of the wreck could not be
aseertained last night. Various theories
were offered for it. Some said the fianges
of the wheels were at fault, others thai
the track spread and others that it was
just one of those inevitable caprices OF
fate. The engine was of the Baldwin
make with six drivers and no pony trucks
in front The explanation was offered
by several railroad men that the engln7
was too light for the train and having
no front trucks bounced off the track
from its own exertions in pulling up the
heavy grade. The locomotive was not
used on the main line regularly, being
employed in the switch yards. 1t was
dismissed from the shops Monday and
was making one of it's first runs after
laying UP for repairs. The weight was
about sixty or seventy tons. The cab
was demolished, which was about th9
most serious damage.
Engineer Edwin Searson, who will be
buried from his home in Pratt City to-
day, was one of the best known men in
the service of the Tennessee Coal, Iron
and Railroad company, having been in
its employ about fifteen years. Every
one knew him as "Old Man Ed and
hundreds, who honored and respected
him knew no other NAM by which to
address him. He was 81 years old and
leaves a wife and several children. He
always said if his train was ever wrecked
he would stand to his post to the last
and HI fulfilled his vow. Many of his
comrades have recently heard him hum
ming the two lines Of the religious song,
keep Your Hand Upon the Throttle,
and Your Eye Upon the Rail-" as he
went gaily about his work. 1t was his
determinat ion to get out of the railroad
service and he had already resigned his
position and intended to work only fif-
teen days longer. He was thrifty, saved
his earnings and had recently erected
two-story brick business house in Pratt
City. In this he contemplated opening
up mercantile business at an early date.
A good, honest, upright man was En-
gineer Searson, is the verdict of his
comrades and thos4 who knew him. He
was member of several secret orders
and they viii attend his funeral
Manuel Wilson had long been in the
service of the Tennessee Coal, Iron ard
Railroad company, and had risen from
man.
The wreck on the main line which
caused Engineer Searson to take the
Washer track" coming into Birm.ng-
ham with the last train of the day, WIS
small affair. Several cars of train No.
10 were denailed and caused a delay of
several hours. IA force of hands WIRE
put to work on both wrecks and traffic
will be resumed some time today.
do you know" said an old rail-
road man, "that If 1 intended ITO quit
the service I never would hand fin my
resigna ton? I would make my last run
and quit right there and then.
81 have known ten railroad men in
my time who had handed in their reslg
atoms and were killed in wrecks short
ly afterwards. Many of them were maxi
ing their last runs when the end came,