Typed as spelled and written
Kay Cunningham

THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Fifteenth Year - Number 22
Marlin, Texas, Thursday, July 28, 1904

BAD WRECK ON CENTRAL.
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SIX CARS CONVERTED INTO KINDLING
WOOD.
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CAUSED BY BROKEN FLANGE OF AN OIL
CAR.
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     The north bound H. & T. C. train due in Marlin at 3:25 a. m. was badly wrecked Friday a. m at a point just beyond the bridge on Big Creek, three miles south of the city.
     The cause of the wreck is supposed to have been a broken flange on a truck wheel of an oil car. While rounding the curve in the cut beyond the creek at the customary speed, this oil car ran off the track and the mix up that followed was something terrific. Six freight cars were piled on top of each other and the fragments hurled around promiscuously for several yards on either side and up and down the track.
     The train is a mixed passenger and freight and carries an express and mail car, two coaches, a sleeper and a string of freight cars.
     The oil car and five box cars were hurled from the track, bat the engine, the express, mail passenger coaches, sleeper and one or two freight cars stayed with the track.
     There were several passengers on board and a number in the sleeping car. None were injured beyond a severe jolting up three or four negro women were in the colored coach and in their drowsy condition evidently believed that they had suddenly met the day of judgment. Their moans and imprecations to the "Good Lawd" were pitiful in the extreme. Three of them, who apparently believed they were done for, were taken to the office of the local surgeon here and examined for wounds. Nothing of a serious nature was discovered.
     The passengers were brought in a box car to Marlin and a number of them transferred to the I. & G. N. One commercial tourist was discovered fast asleep in the Pullman after the engine left, and he hired a negro to bring him to town in a buggy. The concussion of the wreck did not disturb him in his slumbers and he knew nothing of it until he was awakened by the porter.
     The express messenger got mixed up with a cow in the car but came out on top. Neither were injured further than a few scratches.
     Conductor Jim Smith was in charge of the train. He took a full list of the passengers for future reference.
     The track was torn up some but the wrecking crew were on the scene early and have about cleared the debris and repaired the track sufficiently for use.

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Copyright permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for printing
by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas