The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-01-13

Mobile, Jan. 1.-THE worst wreck
in the history of the Mobile, Jackson
and Kansas City railroad occurred
fast evening at 6:47 O'Clock on the
main line, sixty miles nortn from Mo-
bile and four miles south of Beaumont,
Miss.
The wrecked train was the fast
mail and passenger, which left the
Frascati depot in the southern end of
the city, at 4 p. m.
The train consisted of the engine,
combination mail and baggage car, ex-
press car and two day coaches.
The dead:
LAWRENCE B. SULLIVAN, gener-
al freight and passenger agent, head
quarters Mobile; home, Trenton, Ky.
The injured:
: w. A. CRAWFORD. engineer, slight
ly scalded; Mobile.
]. YOUNG, colored, fireman, slightly
scalded; Mobile.
R. G. BOYKIN, porter. colored;
probably fatally injured; Mobile.
The night was a stormy one, the
rain falling in torrents, and the head
light seeming barely to penetrate the
intense darkness. Notwithstanding
these obstacles, all went well and the
train was running on time, when,
without warning, the engine struck a
washout and turned over.
Riding in the Cab.
Mr.. Sullivan was riding in the cab
of the engine, and as the big machine
went over he was caught in the wreck
age and went down to his death.
The engineer and fireman stuck to
their posts and were severely scalded
by escaping steam. Following the en-.
CINE came the baggage car, and then
the two coaches. all leaving the rails,
but not receiving very severe damage.
Boykin, the colored porter, was
caught in the smoker and received in
juries that are considered Serious and
probably fatal.
The passengers were considerably
shaken up, but none were injured.
The news Of the wreck was immedi-
ately brought to Beaumont, and from
that point telegraphed to Mobile. The
wrecking car was at once sent out
and reached the scene two hours later,
clearing the rails and getting traffic
open in short order.
The heavy rains of the past forty
eight hours caused the roadbed to
wash, and this led to the wreck.
Mr.. Sullivan was to have made a
trip over the line, and conceived the
idea of riding with the engineer and
fireman and obtaining data concerning
the running of the engine, condition
of the roadbed, etc. His death was
instantaneous.
A Native of Kentucky.
Mr.. Sullivan was 80 years of age.
He was a native of Kentucky, being
boIn at Trenton, where his mother
and sister now live. Mr.. Sullivan was
for several years with the Louisville
and Nashville road in Cincinnati and
from that city came TO Mobile to go
in the Office of the general agent of
that company here. Four years ago
he went with the Kansas City as gen.
eral freight and passenger agent. Mr..
Sullivan was recognized as one of the
most promising young railroad Off
Gals in the country, and his early ca
Teer promised a brilliant future in his
.NAOoCh OCGupdNfObs his lClndIIlS WGtC
taken to Hattiesburg, where they were
prepared for burial. This evening the
body will be brought to Mobile, and
from here will be sent to the home of
his sorrowing relatives in Kentucky.
Mr.. Sullivan was a man of most
kindly disposition, and was held in
the highest esteem by all his acquain-
tances. The news of his tragic death
was received with a shock in this city,
and at first was not believed. A con-
6rmation brought many expressions of
sympathy.
ALI the injured will come to Mobile
tonight on the regular southbouud
passenger train from Hattiesburg.
LIGHTING KILLS