The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-10
FRISCO TRAIN IN BAD WRECK Two Dead and Several
 Injured. DISASTER AT PRATT CITY Broken Rail Caused Cars to Leave
 Track.
  Young Baxgageman of Memphis, Who Met Instant Death Was Making His First Trip--Condactor
 Behaved GaIiantIy.

Birmingham, Feb. e.--(Special. 1.-The limited passenger train No. 2O3, of the Frisco Railroad, due here at 5:20 a. | m., one or the fastest trains on the road. struck broken rail two miles west of Pratt City and about eight miles from the city this morning about 5:3o o'clock and with the exception of | the last sleeping car, the entire tram was wrecked. Two men are dead, five dangerously l injured and a dozen and more slightly hurt as consequence of the wreck. The dead are:
 Baggageman. W. R. Robbin, of Mem- phis. making his first trip. Fireman. c. McElmurray. negro. bur led under the engine. Among those seriously injured arc: Norman Brooks, engineer. lives at 1909 Seventh Avenue Birmingham; scalded and seriously bruised about the back.
 M c. Spence of Memphis. express messenger: hurt about head and ankles badly sprained.
 \ S. NJ. Cossett, of Memphis, mail agent, hurt about body D. M Stubbs. fiagman. hurt about | body.
 1 Among those slightly hurt are: ! R. P. Cameron, of New Albany, Miss. | mail messenger; body painfully bruis- | cd
 William schick, Amory, Miss, em- | ploye of Frisco, injured about ribs. l Several passengers received cuts | from broken glass and splinters. none of them needing much attention of phy sicians.
 Conductor Baldwin was in the smok- | ing car when the wreck happened and was shocked and bEuised but not suf- fciently to eliminate him from active service in giving relief. was Running Late. Train No. 203 left Memphis last night one and a half hours late. One of the new, largo engines, 1007, was pulling the heavy train, with Norman Brooks at the throttle and Conductor Baldwin in charge Of the bell cord. Good tima was made and when near Pratt City the sehedule was not of more than thirty oT forty minutes The train was making good time when near Blounts crossing, two miles west of the Pratt station when the engine struck a broken rail and went oyer on the left hand side.
 The cars back of the engine began piling on top of the overturned en- zine. Every piece of wood about the engine was torn off and steam began escaping in great volumes. With the other cars piling up in hurry, the scene Is described as terrible sight
 
 car directly behind the engine was badly broken up and the baggage car was smashed to kindling wood. The smoker then telescoped the smashed baggage car and mail car. completing the scene of desolation. The first-class day coach went over on it's side and the trucks of the first sleeper were de- rallied. The second sleeper did not leave the tracks. but the impact was 50 sharp as to arouse the people who were asleep or were making prepara- tions to get out at Birmingham.
 As soon as the train had come to a sudden stop the moans and groanS of 1 the men who were in the wreckage and | those who were making effort to get | out of the overturned cars, expecting | that the wreck would catch fire, was l heart stirring and for several minutes | absolutely nothing was done.
 Conductor Led Reneuern.
 However. the cooler heads. led by the | brave conductor of the train. went to | work to get out those who were hurt | and needed attention. Many passen- gers were on the train and after get, | ting out from the overturned cars they | were wiilinP to render assistance to | those who needed 1t.
 The engineer was found near tho | big iron horse. He was in a serious | condition and was taken from the vol>
 
 cooked to death.
 The two mail clerks, Cameron and l Cossatt, were literally cut out of the | wreckage. One of these men was pin for ed dewn on his head. He was sui. | fering much pain.
 The baggage master was cut out from | a lot of broken timber. He was dead
 The express messenger was found | under a large amount of express mat | ter mostly boxes. Several coops ,of | chickens were in the cars and these | being smashed up the fowls flew in all | directions.
 In a short while after the accident | messengers were sent towards Pratt | City to send a report to the superln- tendents office fin Birmingham The | Memphis accommodation train which | left Birmingham at 6:30 o'clock came | up and passengers on the i'll fated l train were transferred and brought to Birmingham.
 Physicians from Pratt City Ensley and Birmingham were called upon to go to the wreck and render assistance to those injured.
 A wrecking train was hurriedly sent from the local yards and Superinten- dent Sams and other officials of the division went out to care for the in- jured and dead, clear the track and do as much as possible in removing the wreckage.
 Clamp PicIkeRs Describes Wreck.
 Several of the passengers on the train tell exciting stories of the wreck Champ Pickens, who lived fin Birmingham at one time. was In the last sleeping car on the train, en route from Little Rock. Ark, to At lanta.
 He Mates that he was still in his berth when the wreck happened. The train came to a sudden stop. said he, two crashes being heard. Then there was intense silence for a moment. Then screams and groans were to be heard and everybody became excited. The passengers began running through the cars, some partly dressed and others with their clothing on.
 The passengers and trAinfen who were unhurt ran to the front part of the car ss quickly as possible and all kinds of implements were picked up and used in getting the people out