The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-08
.ERSK|NE RAMSAY IS
 BADLY HURT BY FALL IN COMP PANTS BARGE
Well Known Man Suffers COncussiOn of Skull When Newly Launched Vessel
 Strikes Water at Holt

Erskine Ramsay, vice president and general manager of the Pratt Consolidated Coal company. was seriously injured yes- terdsy afternoon at o'clock when he accompanied the first barge of his com rany Into the water of the Warrior river
 He suffered by reason of severe fall. a concussion at the back of the head and was hurriedly brought to Birmingham where he is confined at St. vincent's hos pital. Dr. William Jordan, who met Mir, Ramsay and party at the Terminal sta ton, made an examination and said that he had every reason to believe that the patient would be well during the next few days.
 The accident to MT. Ramsay threw a damper upon the spirit of the party that he organized to make the trip to Holt, near Tuscaloosa, and witness the launch
 ing of the first barge that his company built. The accident occurred about 2 o'clock or shortly thereafter. Mir. Ram say, despite the advice of friends. accom- panied Captain Keener, builder of the launch, on board. The barge was tilted to an angle of about 70 degrees as 1t slid into the water.
 John l.. Raul, George c. Crawford and others witnessed tho accident, and saw MT. Ramsay fall. He was standing erect at the time and as the boat lighted itself after hitting the water Mir. Ramsay was thrown back towards the side of the barge. In an instant he was unconscious.
 Ellis Mccormack, who was on the boat, yelled back to shore that MT. Ramsay was hurt.
 A motorboat put out for the barge and in the meantime negroes with rope had hauled the barge to shore. MT. Ram say was lifted ashore and carried up tho embankment. A physician for the. Cen tral Iron and Coal company examined the injured coal operator and later on Dr. G. R. Rau of Tuscaloosa, one of the foremost physicians of that section, ex- amined him. Upon his advice he was brought to Birmingham. Dr. Rau kindly left his work in Tuscaloosa and accom- panied the party to Birmingham. In addi- ton to Mr Ramsay ana Dr. Rau the party was composed of George Gordon Crawford, r. G. Shook, r. H. Crockard. w A. Currie, J. B. Keeling, John l.. Kaul and w. B. Mckenzie, superintendent at Holt.
 Dr. Jordan upon request from Tusca- loosa met the train at the station with an ambulance from Shaw S Son. Dr. Jordan. Dr. Moore and Dr. Rau examined Mir Ramsay at the hospital and expressed a favorable opinion. He was conscious from the time he left Tusca ioosa until lie reached the hospital. He was given a hypodernic at the hospital and was asleep shortly afterwards. pr. Jordan, In an- swer to inquiries from Culpepper Exum, George Crawford, Paschal G. Shook, Mrs. Shook and other friends that called, said that indications were that while Mir. Ram say had suffered a very severe fall, at the same time there was no reason for any grave fears as to his eventual recovery. pr. Jordan as well as pr. Rau said that concussions such as Mir. Ramsay suffered were liable to develop unexpected symp- toms, but the general rule was that re- coverfes were rapid and permanent.
 The news, of MT Ramsay's injury spread over the city rapidly, and when the sta tion twas reached last night there were no less than a dozen machines there filled with friends of the well known man want ing to know about the injuries he had suffered. During the first few hours of his stay at St. Vncents hospital the inuuiries were constant.
 Miss O'Sullivan. whom pr. Jordan se- cured to nurse MT. Ramsay, said at 10 o clock last night that the patient was resting comfortably and was perfectly at ease.