The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
FREIGHT WRECKED
At TOWNSVILLE
Train Crashes Into Cars Loaded
With Heavy Tlmbers
ONLY ONE MAN INJURED
|rhe Rev. Charles kean. Tells of crlml-
nal Life In East End Of Lon
don, Where He
Resides.

Selma, February 16.-(Special)-A spe-
,ial to the Selma Journal from Thomas
yille gives the following details of dis
lstrious freight wreck at that point this
morning at o'clock The special was as
Follows
A dense fog and forty-eght hours con-
inuous service by employees caused an
Ugly wreck three hundre dyards south OF
he depot here at a. m. today Inc
.ealousness of employees to care for the
interests of the railroad which employed
hem may also be added to the causes
above given That no lives were lost
nothing short of a miracle.
AT about 23O O'Clock this morning fire
was discovered in one of the several seed
houses along the Southern railway tracks.
rhe fire was presumably started by
sparks supposed to have been left from
cigarettes of crap shooters Near the cot
ON seed houses were many loaded freight
Ears.
The work train in charge of Engineer
Sullivan had laid up at Thomasville for
he night. The north bound regular
Freight with an overworked crew had
hlso laid up here for the remainder of the
hight When the fire was found raging
n the seed houses an attempt was made
30 move the loaded freight cars out of
narrn's way The work train, with fiat
Ear loaded with heavy bridge timbers,
backed out on the main line, attempting
TO pull the cars out of the fires proximity
when suddenly the headlight of an en-
yine doomed up through the fog. Signals
were made in vain endeavor to stop
he train, but they could not be seen on
II 81 &c
90 late and the extra freight with En-
glneer Alexander at the throttle and Con-
iuctor Edwards In charge, crashed into
he car of bridge timber.
The boiler head of the engine was COM
Xpletely knocked out and the engine prac-
ically demolished. The engine of the
work train was also badly damaged and
he main line and side track were both
torn up, blocking traffic for many hours.
bumped and fell through trestle, sprain-
Ing both angles.
Five cars were completely consumed in
he fire. There were two cars of hay.
Eleven bales of cotton and much other
merchandise burned up.
A London Missionary.
THE Rev. Charles Frederic Kean, pas
tG of Stepney Methodist church of the
Wesleyan East End mission, London,
was visitor to Selma Saturday and
viii very. likely return to this city dur
ingthe coming week and on Sunday aft
ern,on next deliver his free lecture on
Lib in the Slums Of London"
Mi Kean comes from the East End OF
Lon4n. where there are over 100000 GRIM
inalsN He was a missionary at the time
the ntorious Jack the Ripper committed
his me horrible murders In the East
End d London, and has made study OF
eriminl life and crime. At the mission
to whih Mr.. Kean belongs there is q
peculiai relationship existing between the
pastor md the criminal, the same that
exists btween the penitent and the priest
His knvledge of what he talks about
is therefre from first hand, and his lee.
ture is sid to be thrilling and instruc-
tive.
Mr.. Ken is on a years leave of alb.
sence and has come to this country in the
hope of be,efting his wife's health. He Ii
on the way to Florida now with his wife
and makest these lectures absolutely free
to the pubic. He is reported to have lee.