Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-12-08
THRILLING EXPERIENCE
OF NARROWED PASSENGERS
An H. G. T. c. Passenger Train With
175 Passengers Was Marooned "a
Hours Near Marlin.

j. G. Smith, mechanic living at
312 McKeen street, was the first OF
the passengers of the II & I. c. train,
which was marooned six miles south OF
Marlin for twenty-four hours last
Wednesday and Thursday, to reach
Waco. After riding a switch engine
to Mart, he walked from Mart TO Wa
co, reaching here at IL o'clock last
night. 1t was an awful night, that
night those seventy-ive passengers
spent with water on either side OF
them for miles, nothing to eat and
small supply of drinking water.
1--WE had little hopes of getting out
alive" Smith said, "for after the en-
CINE had left us with the engineer,
fireman and conductor to go to Marlin
for relief, the water began to creep up
on the sides of the car wheels .Wo-
men and children were hystericaL A
greater portion of the passengers on
the train We're negroes. These with
their hideous moaning and grooming,
would permit none to have mo-
ment's rest The six American wo-
men on the train showed wonderfully
brave spirits, but when the water be-
gan to lap upon the car steps 1t was
too much for even these brave wo-
men. One of them went into hyster-
les and we had to work with her
some time before we could quiet her.
Some men lost heart and prepared to
die. None of us had much hope OF
ever seeing our loved ones again. A
few of the drawer passengers walked
the aisles of the train and gave en-
couragement to the women and chill.
dren. None of us closed our eyes
from the time the engine left us We'd
nesday Afternoon
"Wednesday night about o'clock
the conductor returned in small skiff
and told us that before he could get
relief and could start back with the
engine the track had been submerged
and it would have been absolute sui
eide to have made the run in the en-
CINE He said that he had exhausted
every effort to obtain boats, but to no
avail He assured us that he would re-
turn with boats as soon as he possibly
could get them.
"The first rescue boat reached the
train Thursday morning at o'clock.
This boat had to cross a current that
was almost as strong as the main
river. 1t was caught in an eddy and
almost capsized. Three hours were
required to make the trip to the train.
The first boat load consisted of the
American women and myself, and one
other man. We put off from the train
about o'clock Standing on the plat
form and leaning out OF the windows
the passengers waved us goodbye. Ma
ny of them never expected to see us
again We had some doubt about
reaching the shore alive. For three
hours and a half the oarsmen battled
with the current. Myself and the 9th
er flood victim took turns at the oars.
AS we crossed the current the boat
was almost overturned, but the wo-
men were remarkably brave. While
fear was written in every line of their
faces they held steady nerve and
kept the courage of the men up by
their brave actions. We reached Mar
lin about noon Thursday. Other boats
returned and by 6 o'clock Thursday
afternoon the train had been emptied.
Every passenger had been brought to
the shore alive.-Waco Times Herald.