This tripwould takemuch longer and would be a new

experience that I will never forget.

Dad loading baggage on train

We got down the Bradshaw switchbacks and Middleton ingood time and were about to cross

several trestle style bridges.They all had a lot of water running under them, as there had been a

bad thunderand rainstorm the daybefore. I watched the water as itrushed underthetrestle

bridge. It was fun being pulled over the bridge by the engine as it chugged away.

I could see we were aboutready to cross over another trestle bridge. I watched the engine as it

reached the other side. All of the sudden there was a terrible sound as we were jerked back and

thrown to the floor.

Motherhurther nose and had broken her glasses. Alice hurt herarm and was bleeding. I had

fallen and hit my head on the seat. But I was too excited to feel anything.

I jumped up and looked out of the widow. I could see the engine and one car on the other side of

the bridge. Looking down I could see the middle box car at the bottom of the canyon broken in

pieces. Our passenger car and one box car had stayed on the bridge while the middle car had fallen

into the canyon.

Every one was yelling and crying while trying to get out of the car. The conductor, who had a desk

at one end of the baggage car, tried to calm us down. He had been badly hurt but was still able to

get around.

A ranch house was close byand the rancher had heard the noise and rode over. The conductor

met him and borrowed his horse to ride to Blue Bell (about 5 miles). It was the closest railroad

station with a telegraph operator. He wired a message to Prescott where they had a roundhouse,

more engines, passenger cars and a wrecking crew. He asked them to send another passenger car

and engine to bring the passengers to Prescott, along with the wrecking crew. He also wired back

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