The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-02-21
PULLMAN BACKS
THROUGH OPEN DRAW
Into River Filled With Sleep
ing Passengers all of
Whom Escaped lIn-
injured.

charging It's passengers for this city
Immediately backs over the bridge tc
East Palatka where it resumes its
journey to Key West, met with an &C
cident last Friday night and ono
which is chiefly remarkable from the
fact that there was neither loss OF
life nor injury to passengers.
Train 81 is a through train for Key
West and usually carries several
sleepers. 1t pulled into Palatka last
Friday night on time with two sleep
ers and a private car. The train usu-
ally comes only to Water street sta
ton, but on this night continued out
to Union depot where the private car
was detached. This being accom-
plished the train started to back to
East Palatka. The rear-end was
guarded by the porter, the fagman
having been left at East Palatka in
charge Of the switch. When the train
reached the bridge over the St. Johns
river and over which it had only a
few moments before safely passed,
the draw was open. 1t had been
opened very soon after the safe pas
sage Of the train to the city in order
to allow the Clyde steamer City of
Jacksonville to pass through.
Whether or not the porter in the
rear did his best to signal the engi-
neer to stop, is not known. Certain
it is that the bridge tender did his ut
most to signal Nthe train to stop.
These sgnals were not seen and the
train backed the rear Pullman two
thirds over the open draw before com.
ing to stop.
There were twenty sleeping passen-
gers in the car. They could tell by
the jolt and the angle of their births
and the floor that something had hap
pened, and all made rush for the end
of the car which pointed upward
The rear, or lower, end of the car
was submerged to the near top Of
the rear window. This end of the car
contained the drawing room and this
was occupied by a lady with maid
and little child. The lady occupied
the upper birth and the jolt threw
her out and she received some slight
cuts from broken glass. This was
the only accident.
The lady and baby and maid were
the last to leave the car. They were
making a desperate effort to get out
through the door when a train hand
rushed to their relief. At the time
of ther release the occupants were
standing in water, the mother clutch
ing the child in her arms. All the
passengers in this car were hurried
into the forward Pullman, and they
went direct from their beds-thelr
street clothes were an after consld-
Grafton.
The partially submerged car held
bv it's coupling, else it would have
zone 90 into the river which is unus-
ually deep at this point. There was
anxiety because of fear that the coup
ling would not hold, especially during
the transfer of the passengers.
The two Pullmans-the one on the
bridge and the one partially over the
draw, remained in this position all
day Saturday, and hundreds looked
upon the wreck which had come so
close to proving a tragedy.
Officials of the road were here on
the first train in the morning studying
how best to clear the bridge. While
thus meditating Mr.. T. j. Barnett,
president of the Palatka Auto d Sup
nIv Co.. stated that he could raise the
car and clear the bridge and track.
"When can you do it," inquired
Superintendent Wakely.
dI can have it clear so you can re-
sume traffic on Sunday evening, re-
nIied Mr.. Barnett, who explained that
t would take till Sunday morning To
get his lifting apparatus here:
"The job is yours" said Wakely'
Promptly at $50 Sunday morning
Mr.. Barnett was on hand with ms
helpers. He had the Wilson .Cyeress
CO.'S derrick and a supply of cables.
The derrick, because Of its length,
could not get between the draw anu e
the submerged car, SO 1t had TO oe
run a little to one side. AcaDle was
run underneath the car and diver
saw that it was secure. Then began
the work of lifting the car: 1t was
a lob requiring caution and had to be
worked slowly, but every pull OF the
derrick lifted some; as the car was
lifted inch bv inch the engine at
tached to the head of the train was
signalled to pull; gradually the car
was S lifted and pulled to the bridge,
and at 4:3O p. m. Mr.. Barnett nag
occomnished his work. Of course the
securing of the submerged truck to
The car so that it could be pulled over
the I,e track. left a little work for the
company, but Mr.. Barnett had ac-
complished his rescue work, a work
which all will agree was well-hlgh
wonderful. .t
Hundreds of people crowded about
the work all day on Sunday and many
cameras made snap shots OF, the
wreck Mr.. Neck is showing a large
view of it in his street case at the
Putnam National Bank,
The only damage to the bridge was
the displacement of some three OF
four ties, but when the damaged car
was pulled away the bridge was IN
shane for immediate use.
DR., Geo, E. Welch was called 70
attend tne lduy WHY WIN ~
and little daughter had occupied the
drawing room of the partially sub
merged Pullman. She is Mrs. Chas
Reilly of Milwaukee. Mrs. Reilly re,
ceived only slight scratches on the
hands and these from an attempt tC
break a window and get out, after
She had failed to force the door. Dr.
Welch states that her injuries were
very slight and were probably made
with the child's tin whistle, the only
thing she could reach with which to
make an attempt on the window.
That the accident was due to care
lessness on the part of the train crew
is likely, but accidents will some
times happen with the most careful
men.