Times-promoter., 1909-02-11
TRAIN WRECKED ON I.C.
ONE DEAD, MANY SERIOUSLY
INJURED.
Coaches Torn to splinters-Hun-
dreds of Passengers Make
Remarkable Escapes.

New Orleans and Chicago limited mail
train of the Illinois Central, known Of
ficially as No. 2, ran into an open
switch at Coldwater, Miss, yesterday
morning at 5:34 and was completely
wrecked, killing Martin Stanton, the
fireman, and perhaps fatally injuring the
engineer, George Barnett, and seriously
injuring about fifteen others.
Fireman Stanton's body was thrown
twenty yards from where the engine
keeled over. He was found few min
utes after the wreck with his brains
oozing out of a big hole in his head.
His face was horribly mutilated, being
smashed in as if it had been caught
between two mammoth pieces of iron
and flattened out. His arms and chest
We're cut in a hundred places and the
bones in his lower limbs broken dozen
Or more times.
Engineer Barnett crawled out from
between the tender and the engine. He
had been thrown against the broken
steam pipes that furnish heat for the
cars, and the flesh ON his face and on
his chest was literally cooked. 1t is be-
lieved he cannot recover.
Officials of the Illinois Central who
went to the scene Immediately On a re-
lief train say it is one of the most re-
markable wrecks known in the country,
inasmuch as the whole train was de-
rallied and practically wrecked, only
killing one person outright.
When the train hit the siding the en-
gine jumped the tracks and carried the
whole train with it. Before Engineer
Barnett could reverse the steam it had
gone fifty yards from the main line, run
ming on the ends of the cross ties and
dragging the coaches behind it.
When the engine hit a smaller switch
to the right of the business track it
turned over and fell fifteen feet to the
right with it's head toward the east. One
of the mail cars was jumped over the
wrecked engine tender, lighting across
the tracks. 1t was completely demol-
ished. Every mail clerk in the car was
injured. 1t is believed some received in
ternal injuries thai may prove fatal.
Every car besides the sleepers was lit
orally torn into splinters. Loose mail
from the cars was scattered over the
ground for hundred yards away. Six
teen registered letters were picked out
Of the wreck and several pouches of |
through mail fished out of the mail cars.
The crash of the wreck was heard for
q mile in the country. Farmers up at |
that hour drove to the scene and turned |
their wagons into ambulances.
Describes the Wreck.
William M. Scott of Marion, Ind, was
one Of the passengers who escaped in
Jury.
ut was the worst wreck I ever saw"
ne said. "I have been in several during
ny life, but want to say that I never
'aw the cars piled up or torn up as they
we're.
81 cannot begin to describe the awful
'cenes following. the wreck. was asleep
n my berth when the shock came 1t
hrew me out on the floor of the car and
Up against the side of another berth.
'The minute the engine jumped the
rack every light in the car went out and
he result was that men and women went
,roping in darkness endeavoring to find
way out. managed to reach the en-
rance of the car and Immediately saw
hat there had been a terrible wreck.
vas first attracted by the groans of some
'oor fellow who called foS help. Present
y Others came and we together rescued
N Italian tramp from between one of
he cars and the tender of the engine.
lis body seemed cut all to pieces. We
aid him on the side of the small en-
ankment and he called in his own lam
uage for Bible. By this time several
aides had climbed off tie car and one
f them handed the fellow Bible. He
eld it between his hands and offered up
prayer, but his pleadings were drowned
y the terrible Kissing sound of steam
hat was making its es .ape from the
ursted pipes under the wrecked engine.
Passengers from the day coaches were
fted out Of the windows of the car.
hose not injured came out Of their own
ccord. There did not seem to be so
luch excitement. The crew of the train
'ere the best workers / ever saw. Espe-
ially the conductor. Go not know his
anne, but he moved about, giving orders
nd rescuing the injured with as much
oolness as if there had been no accident.
"All along the road from the scene Of