The San Francisco call., 1909-01-03

the old cali. he d1d. as . matter or ra0a
receive no pay. Similar Incidents an
told, are common. There IL somefh1na
in the life which allures.
II wreck seems serious enough q
warrant IT, the wreck master sends fna
the repair gang, provided such gana
has not gone with the crew ~ tn4
start. and within an hour or two eo-n
porary spur OF track has been Lad
around the obstruction, and b1oolcA6s1
trains-often enough with six or sovea
sections impatiently waiting behind kht
wrecked one-are permitted to gst lna
some sort OF schedule again
The Hospital Car
Like the other units OF tbs iooAi
wrecking train. the hospital car Pro-
vided by the Southern Pacific company
for service over the division lying bes
tween San Francisco and Santa Bar
bara is one OF the finest OF ttB kind
ever built 1t stands always In rea6i.
ness to be hooked up 70 the wrecikeI
or to be attached to the division super
intendent's special at a moments no.
tice should the wreck be OF such nature
to demand it. 1t Is q wonderfully
complete equipment for the care OF tha
Injured on the spot, and their humane
removal to a permanent hospital. n
is in every detail as complste a. an
operating room IN the best permanent
institutions Every conceivable COM
fort to facilitate the transportation Of
the wounded; every known surgicas
instrument; every necessary appliances
TO insure proper surgical attention and
cleanliness for the accommodation OF
the injured is there. Light. perfect
ventilation and heat appliances are In
stalled.
A. o-> - - 49, - a.. -. -. 49,
table. sterilizing apparatus, oxygsH
tanks, cases OF surgical Instruments
running hot and cold water, closetf
Of fresh linen, sheets-in short. every
thing surgeon might require for am.
putation, for the sewing and bandagina
Of wounds and for the surgery OF bones
which must be performed Immediately
to save life or limb. The rest OF thu
ear is fitted up with comfortable hos
pital beds. Under the coach are storss
In chests stretchers. crutches, acetylenG
gas generators so that a steady, pow
erful light for night operations may be
had; also axes. saws. cr0wbars, chem
o ical fire extinguishers and every con-
ceivable appliance whereby the rescue
Of victims pinned under the wEeckaga
may be expedited.
Three regular local surgeons stand
ready to answer che emergency cali
within 10 minutes after the summons
ACaCAco AlCn whenever Lne wreck Is
OF sach nature that their services are
required Doctor O'Connor. who is head
surgeon OF the little corps and Doctors
Coffsy and Gardner constitute the force.
Assistants and nurses are taken alons
at discretion.
Improvement in Facilities
The Improvement IN wrecking facili-
ties and IN the matter Of comforts pro-
vtded for their emergency crews By
the great majority OF railway COM
panies within the lastNdve years In
truly remarkable. No expense Is spared
in perfecting the equipment with which
the wrecker must attack and conquer
the weighty problems IN mechanics
presented BY mountains Of inertia
whose displacement and salvage. II pos
sibie, are required.
There was a time, not many years
ago" says Wrecking Boss Allen, when
we piled into an ordinary box car with
q few tackscrews and ropes to work
with. grabbed q box or two OF crackers
and hardtack and q couple OF cheeses.
hooked UP to a rattletrap OF an engine.
and with that equipment went out to
fight wreck. Now I estimate that our
present wrecking train costs In ths
vicinity of $65.0o0-aad we get the best
grub in the market while we're work.
ing"
above referred to, Is one OF the oldest.
most expsrisnoed and most competent
practical wrsckers In tho west. He
has seen 20 years service as wrecker
in the employ OF the Southern PeSiho
. over its various western divisions and
knows as much about the business as
any other man IN the state I am in
debted to him for much OF the forego-
! ing information The chief of thu local
wrecktng department Is d. d. McRea.
master car reDairer in the Kentucky
, street shops Under his fmmediats
authority at all times are the members
OF the wrecling crew He has author
. ity to call them or their regular ward
. activities at an inStants notice. Dur
ing period of particularly heavy traf-
fle across the road. such as was recent
ly occasioned by the arrival of the fleet
and the heavy schedule resulting from
Admission day travel the regular crew
of Is men are kept in readiness on the
wrecker night and day. so that they
may be allowed out of leash on the
minute when the call for help comes in.
The wreclzing crews Of San Francisco
and the transDay terminals have Cpon
many occasions proved not aIODe their
remarkable efficiency in work. out their
unusual fortitude and heroisln in rescue
work as we'll Among the fighters OF
mans battle against those forces OF
nature which he has as yet only par
TALLY conquered and imperfectly mas
tered the wrecker stands out as one OF
} the most brave. competent and in
domitable. His searching face and the
glow of his lantern have TO many a suf-
ferer, from whom hope had fed IN the
hour OF agony. spelled the light OF de-
liverance, and his toll and guardian
ship bring the tithe CT human life and
property loss annually demanded By
steam for the gift OF rapid transls
down to the mlrimuu.