Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-02
LOCOMOTIVE
JUMPS TRACK,
TURNS over
Fireman Badly Scald-
ed AS Passenger on
Trip North Derails
Near to Harlingen

G. G.. Massey. 80, Of Yoakum, vet
eran Southern Pacific engineer, was
instantly killed; ii. N. Burkett, rs.
fireman. also Of Yoakum, was ss-
riously injured; and "A score OF pas
sengers we're severely shaken and
had n narrow escape from death.
when the engine, tender and three
coaches OF ths outbound night pas
senger train were derailed nc Ia
Coma, 16 miles north OF here abou5
o'clock Tuesday night.
The heavy Southern Pacific ems
gine left the rails near n switch.
plowed along the ties for approxi-
mately a car length, and picked up
tha rails Of the switch, while the
engine tender continued along the
main line. Both overturned. the end
OF the tender being almost buried III
the ground.
Mr.. Massey 1as pinned beneath
the enormous weight OF the over
turned engine and was believed to
have been instantly killed. The
fireman was badly scalded about the
hips. and was otherwise injured
about the back. He remained nc the
scene OF the wreck until after
o'clock, when ne was removed 20 the
Valley Baptist hospital mt Harlir-
gen. His condition Wednesday was
zaid to be good, and doctors hold
out every hope for his recovery.
Possibility that gravel left on tha
track By grading crew working on
an automobile road that crosses the
track at the point where the engine
first left the track may have caused
the wreck was expressed by Off
cials Of the road here Wednesdas-
"A full and complete investigation IS
to be made, IL was announced.
In addition to the engine and ten
der. the baggage car. day coach AMI
half a length Of the front Pullman
,ieft the rails, all except the engine
wheels, however. The last three ears
Of the train remained on the track
The sll-steel equipment is credited
by road officials with having pre-
vented "A disastrous accidens-
MANY persons would undoubtedly
have been killed liz the old style
wooden coaches had been IN use on
the line" one man here said.
Train service into and out Of the
| Valley with the exception of the
train actually i'm the wreck was not
impaired. A spur track was laid
around the wreckage, which was
still in place Wednesday morning.
and by daylight incoming and out
going Valley trains were creeping
around the scene OF the disaster.
Wrecking crews from Brownsville,
Harlingen and Edinburg rushed e.
the scene Immediately word of the
accident had been spread, and aided
in bringing order out Of the con-
fusion.
A spare engine and one Pullman
from Harlingen was sent 20 the
scene and shortly after the accidsnt
the passengers on the traian wexn
on their way to their respective dez-
tinations.
With the exception or the ergirs
crew no one on the train was ntA
riously hurt. The train was bearing
in the neiFhborhood Of - paHInn-
gers, according TO j. A. Martin. city
ticket agent here. Several persons
from Brownsville were among these.
included being ars. "A. Volney Tay-
Tor. wife Of Judge Taylor, who WAS
on her way 70 attend u conventi1n
in Beeville. Officials of the read
tpHlptiUtnttu utF VH Htf CoOtG9&r&
and thanked her for her efforts fn
restoring the excited women rsxt
sengers to N state eff calm M
Other members cg the train ereE
extricated the fireman from ttd
wrecked cab. and the latter aided IN
the work or removing the body ar
the engineer from beneath the err
gine. Although suffering great
pain. Burkett stayed with the en-
gine and aided in the work OF clear
ing the track until after q o'clock
Mr.. Massey. who has been on thei
preferred" run out or San Antonid
for the past several years. He has
been in the employ of the Southern
Pacific almost all of his life. and
had been in charge of the Valley
train Stree the road opened into
Brownsville in November.
The body IL being held in VI
Thompson mortuary at Harlin
pending word from his family
garding funeral arrangements.