The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-10
DEFECTIVE JOINT HURLS
The ENGINE HIGH IN AIR
Every Car of Fast Mail Leaves Track
Near Pratt City Save the Two
SIeepers at Rear
End.

| hours in the Birmingham district claimed
two more victims at o'clock yesterday
morning. No 2OS fast mail on the Mem
phis division of the Frisco railroad jumped
the track at Blount's crossing, near Pratt
City, at a. M, while rounding double
reverse curve. The tragedy occurred In
the same place exactly that the Winfield
accommodation was wrecked last summer,
when several were seriously injured
The Dead.
Walter r. Robbins, baggagemaster
General McElmurry, colored fireman.
The Injured.
Norman Brooks, engineer. horribly
scalded from head to foot.
NJ G. Spence of Memphis, express mes
senger, badly bruised.
r. p. Cameron of New Albany, Miss,
mail clerk, painful bruises.
s. NJ Cossett Of Memphis, mall clerk,
body bruised.
! d. NJ. Stubs, fagman, painful flesh in
| juries.
william schick, Amory. Miss. ribs
broken.
!
Engine Rears From Track.
"a bucking horse" was the title with
which the railroad men described the
great Frisco engine whose antics resulted
so fatally. Rearing off of the tracks the
powerful locomotive plowed down the
/ embankment on the left, turned over on
its side, and lay believing in the marshy
/ soil The two front wheels broke from
their places like string and rolled over to
| the other side. The four drivers on the
right side disappeared in the mud. The
cab was wrenched nearly off, while all Of
the woodwork on the engine flew into
splinters.
The car next to the engine was a COM
blnatlon baggage and express car. or this
there was not a whole piece intact. With
the front end riding the engine, 1t also
lay upon It's side. One could look down
from above into merely pack of splint-
ers, sticking together like the ragged skei-
eton of a car.
The mail and smoking cars were ly-
ing, wheels up, though not so badly
damaged. The day coach rolled over on its
side, the front end following the smoker,
while the rear just tippled over from the
tracks. The chair car was leaning at an
angle of forty-fve degrees, but as the
coupling pin behind failed to break it re-
NAMED hanging in the air. Two sleepers,
which completed the train of six cars,
were the only ones which did not leave
the tracks They were not damaged in
the slightest.
Escape Through Broken Windows.
A moment of deathly silence, then the
cries and screams of the frightened, and
the groans of the dying and wounded
From fore to aft reigned pandemonium
The first few seconds were occupied with
breaking out the glass windows, and then
a part of rescuers, lead by Conductor
Baldwin, scrambled forward to the point
where the mischief was done.
From the war horse poured volumes
of steam and floods of boiling water
The horrible groans of Engineer Brooks
spurred them on. however, and after
much pricing he was finally extracted
from his cab. With his clothing dripping
in hot water. he walked back to sleep
err and was given attention by the ladies
who were there. Hardly place on his
skin was left without blister, and as
the hours wore on his suffering became
terrible. Brave young man that he is, he
stood it CALAMITY, never complaining
Il don't remember anything" he said
at the hospital 1.-The track was clear
ahead and before l knew it l was suffer-
ing from the scalding water. | don't
feel like talking
Brooks is one of the most popular rail-
road men in the district. He is young
fellow, but one of the most experienced
engineers on the road, as is testified by
his position as engineer of the fastest
mail. His many friends are deeply con-
cerned about his condition, while his fam
lily has the sympathy of the whole COM
munity. He lives at 1909 Seventh avenue.
General McElmurry, the negro fireman,
was dead when found. 1t was on his
side that the engine struck, and he was
buried in mud, wreckage and scalded by
water.
Describes Scene In Baggage Car.
The scene in the baggage and express
car is best described by M. G. Spence,
the mail clerk, who is lying at st. Vim
cents hospital.
Robbins was a new man on the run,
making his first trip he said, land
had formed an immediate attachment to
him. AS we neared Pratt City, he began
Ito prepare to unload He had just piled
the last box in front of the center door,
when l felt a sudden jolt. The next I'M
preston which came over me was that
of rolling about, and then 1t seemed as
If package after package would strike
me violently on the head. l was uncon-
scious only a moment and then found
myself pinioned under a mass of wood
and wreckage. I could not move my
arms, but managed to get my legs out,
then twisted and squirmed until my coat
gave way and l was free.
II climbed out of the top, which was
open to the sky but just then I thought
of my comrade. My head was swimming
with pain, but I turned and looked down.
Between two boxes, the only part of his
person visible was his right hand. He
w1ived it, or writhed it, / could not tell
which, Just as If he knew it was all up.
and wanted to bid me goodbye. I turned
away, sickened, and called for help"
Robbins was removed, but too late. His
iawbone broken and head mashed. told
the tale of his sudden death. The mail