The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-15
MAN CRUSHED BENEATH CARS. Terrible Death of Bridge
 Constructor. JOHN WILSON THE VICTIM Caught and Killed Near Mont gemery Union Station. Foreman McDermott Injured slightly and Third Workman hsd Mar
 row Escape--A< Tragedy in
 Railroad Yards.

While performing his duty as . mem- Der of bridge construction gang of the Louisville. and Nashville Railroad Company. John Wilson was crushed to death beneath the wheels of a train of freight cars at 11:55 o'clock yes- terday morning near the Montgomery Union Railway station.
 Marvellous was the escape of Fore man McDermott and Jim Dukes, mem- bers of the construction gang to which Wilson was attached.
 It seems that death was decreed for the bridge constructor. according to the statements of railroad officials, as there was no avenue for his escape. With the rest of the section gapg, in charge of Foreman McDermott, Wilson was busy repairing timbers on the bridge crossing the ravine between the Union Station and the Alabama River. which was destroyed by fire some months ago. This bridge is just out side of the enclosure of the Union Sta- ton and overhangs the Alabama Riv- CT The section men noticed a freight train coming down the track on which they we're working. To the north of them was the Alabama River. To their South was track just outside the enclosure. Without looking. they stepped back from the bridge on to the other track. Just as they did so sev- eral freight cars, which had been kicked" toward the station from the yards. rushed down the track. No Warning of Accident. The gang had no warning of the ap- preaching cars and 1t is doubtful If Wilson ever knew what struck him. The first car hurled his body to the track and in a few moments all that was left of him was misshapen mass of flesh.
 Foreman McDermott was also struck and thrown to his knees but he man. aged by superhuman effort to throw himself on the outside of the track before the heavy train passed. Jim Dukes, young man, about twenty years of age, was also knocked
 down by the force of the fan of the | foremtU but he also managed to es- cape.
 Dukes was unhurt but McDermott
 was considerably bruised and suffered
 painful abrasion over his left eye. The injuries of McDermott merely
 needed slight attention by a surgeon,
 who was present. .... ..a Superintendent Mckinney Talks. Superintendent J I. Mckinney of the
 Mobile and Montgomery division of the
 Louisville and Nashville Railroad, on
 whose division the accident occurred,
 said that 1t appeared to him that the
 accident was entirely unavoidable. The
 "klcking" of cars from a yard, he ex-
 plained. is something that occurs a
 number of times a day, and there Is no
 way of warning except by the sound of
 their approach, to anyone who may be | on the track.
 "Railroading is a mighty dangerous business" observed the superintendent,
 and there's more danger working around the yards than any other depart | ment of railroad"
 The name of the engineer in charge
 of the switch engine which kicked" | the cars had not been reported to the Superintendent.
 The accident occurred just as train No. 1 was leaving for the south, and people about the station say that 1t Is probable that many of the passengers saw the tragedy.
 John Wilson was about 50 years old, and lived with his wife and seven chil- dren in a GcUrglana cottage. He was highly esteemed by officials of the com jany and bore an excellent character.
 His remains, after being prepaiEd for burial, were shipped last night 10 Georgiana.
 Coroner W. H. Tice was noGhed of the accident. but took no steps to- ward Investigating the cause of the tragedy.