Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-02-01
BAD wreck ON HOUSTON
AND TEXAS CENTRAL
Fast Owl Left Track Near BenchIey Killing
Engineer and Fireman and Iwuring
Several Others.

lConductor Singer succeeded in hauling
aside the broken steel which impris-
oned them their bodies were badly
burned.
| Mr.. Hines of this city was in the
car that turned over, and the extent
of his injuries is uncertain. He has
been taken to the Fountain Santa
rum. The others injured were brought
to Bryan in the Pullman remaining on
the track by an engine from Bench
ley, and were examined by DIR. P. M.
Raysor, the company surgeon, who re-
ported that none were seriously in
ljured. The bodies of the engineer and
fireman were turned over to Under
taker w. t. James, who prepared
them for burial. Fireman Durham was
taken to Ennis this morning on spe-
cial which left this city over the /. &
G. NJ tracks. Engineer Latchford was
taken to his late home in Houston by
the southbound Owl. which detoured
from Hearne to this city over the l. &
10. N, after running down to the scene
of the wreck and picking up the pas
|sengers there.
Engineer Johnnie Latchford was
well known figure up and down the
line, and for a period of fifteen years
or more had been famous for his cal
liope whistle, which he made himself
of pieces of yarious-sized pipe. An
acquaintance was of the opinion that
he leaves wife and four children in
Houston. He was badly scalded, and
had received a terrible lick between
the eyes, and his rightle was broken.
Fireman Durham was badly bruised,
and presumably met his death from
a blow on the head. 1t is thought that
he, too leaves family at Ennis.
Superintendent Hall received lib
eral shower of seat cushions, grips and
packages when the car left the rails.
Il was riding in the smoker and had
Just glanced at my watch" he said
this morning. 1--WE were running
about thirty minutes late and guessed
that we were travelling about thirty |
five miles an hour | felt sudden |
lurch and then heard steam escaping. |
Then the lights in our coach went out |
and it began to rain seat cushions and |
baggage. | knew that we were off the !
track and grabbed hold of the seat. |
must have been unconscious for a min
ute, and then when came to / heard !
a negro woman screaming. | crawled !
in there and with my fist broke out |
a window and handed her through to
someone on the outside.
"The party of rescuers, recruited
from the Pullman, worked rapidly and |
without lights. Soemone struck
match and escaping gas from the
storage drum caught fire. But the steel
coaches saved us all. The crew ex-
the blaze before any dam
age was DONE"
Messenger Irwin crawled through |
a small opening in the bottom of the
negro coach. He was painfully bruised !
and was badly cut about the face. The |
baggage car was loaded with fish, and
as it was cold in there Irwin was rid !
ing in the negro coach.
The Owl was loaded with passen-
gers from Houston and Galveston en- i,
route to Fort Worth and Dallas. John
young attorney of Fort |
Worth, was passenger, but escaped |
injury.
When the engineer and fireman |
were found they were lying close to-
gether, showing that both, like the
heroes they were, met death bravely |
at their posts of duty.
Many went UP from this city today |
in automobiles to view the scene of
the wreck and inspect the wrecked |
cars and engine.
A wrecker and wreck crew passed |
through here at noon today, going to
the scene to open the way for the re-
sumption of traffic. In just a few |
hours the damaged track will be re-
paired, the wreckage cleared, and the
wheels of commerce will go thunder
ing on. needless OF the death and woe
and suffering recently wrought in the
one terrible and sudden crash.