January 1917

Terrible Scottish Express Smash

With a crash like a great explosion the 4.18 express from Edinburgh to Glasgow hit a light engine and crumpled up. A second later only a tangles mass lay on the permanent way. In that awful wreckage 11 persons lay dead and over 40 injured. Another death subsequently took place in Edinburgh’s Infirmary, taking the number killed up to 12.The accident took place when the express was approaching Ratho, and it is a mystery how the light engine came to be on the line. It is reported to have come off the Kirkliston branch. The force of the explosion derailed the heavy express engine and tender, wrecked the first long passenger coach, which was closely packed with passengers, and tore up and twisted the heavy rails at the point of the impact. The tender smashed through three third class compartments of the first carriage, killing and injuring most of the occupants, of whom, however, three escaped without a scratch.

In the confusion that followed there were heart wrenching scenes, as well as many striking incidents of heroism and coolness. It was some time before any effective rescue work could be done. In the crowded compartments of the first carriage the passengers were huddled together, the dead pressed in tight against the living. Large numbers of the injured suffering severe pain penned up, and were powerless to help themselves in any way whatever.

When the sad work of removing the bodies was commenced it was found that one man who had been killed had met his death while in the act of eating an orange, which was still pressed in his mouth. One of the injured was found close up against him in the position in which he had been thrown by the rending woodwork of the carriage. Some of the injured were writhing amongst the wreckage with dead bodies on top of them. One of the Edinburgh contingent of the V.A.D. who was early to the scene stated that he found several persons huddled together in one compartment. To release the passengers the side of the carriage had to be stripped off.

The danger of fire was lessened considerable by the fact that the train was electrically lighted. A high wind was blowing at the time, and if to the horrors of the collision and breakage there had been added that of fire the results must have been terrible indeed, in view of the inextricable manner in which the passengers were imprisoned in the wreckage. Fortunately there was no escaping gas and no fire, and results which would have been indescribable were avoided.

The train was a very heavily laden one with returning holidaymakers from Edinburgh to Glasgow. It left Waverley Station at 4.18 sharp, stopped at Haymarket to pick up passengers and the next stop was to have been Queen Street Glasgow.

Dundee Men Injured

As noted above, two Dundee men were among the injured. They were Mr John Ramsay and Mr James Cairns, and they were the driver and fireman respectively of the light engine. Mr Ramsay had a long record of service with the North British Railway Company. He is a man well up in years and is regarded as a very reliable driver. The “Jingling Geordie” as the engine is named, was formerly a Dundee-Edinburgh engine and was only this week transferred to the Dalmeny branch line. Both men are at present in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

4
War Saving Sale
There is no mistaking the fact that all foods are rapidly becoming dearer, and that money spent wisely today is money you can save tomorrow. Bearing this in mind, you can’t go wrong when you buy goods at our sale, as everything for sale is the genuine remains of this season’s stock offered at reduced prices.
C. Dargie & Son,
The “Tailors O’ Dundee
6, King Street.

Foster Clark’s

Foster Clark’s 2d. Soup squares makes 9 varieties of
Delicious nourishing soup of unequalled excellence.
You simply add water.
2d Soups.

A Dress Dictator

Soldiers’ wives find it a bitter struggle to exist on their separation allowances; but fashionable women, whose purses bulge with their husbands’ war profits, flaunt their prosperity in the face of their hard-pressed sister. Those women will sentimentalise over wounded Tommies – call the “poor darlings” and so forth – and perhaps give a few pounds here and there to war charities, but their main object in life is the gratification of their own expensive tastes in frocks and fripperies. They are brainless butterflies dancing above a swamp of misery and mourning. They are slaves to the spending habit, with whom dress has become not merely a pleasant distraction, but is a consuming vice!

Here is a list of little luxuries which a trio of graceful shoppers purchased in Glasgow the other morning:-

Half a dozen pairs of stockings, 6 guineas.
Wrist watch, £45.
Fur coat, 80 guineas.
Petticoat (taffeta, hand-embroidered), 5 guineas.
Black moire wristband, set with diamonds, 10 guineas.
Silver chain bag, £8.
Set of combs for hair, 4 guineas.
Dinner gown, 23 guineas.
Evening wrap, £30.
Afternoon hat, 4 guineas.

“Let no money be squandered in luxury!” said Mr Lloyd George the other day. “There should be greater pride subscribing to the War Loan than in wearing the costliest of garments. Extravagance during the war costs blood…the blood of heroes!”

With women rioting in extravagance to this extent small wonder that a cry has gone up for the appointment of a Dress Dictator.

Exciting Scenes at Station

Extraordinary scenes were witnessed at Tay Bridge Station, Dundee, on Wednesday on the arrival from Aberdeen of the 7.19 train for Edinburgh and London. The carriages were filled with soldiers and sailors returning to duty after their New Year’s leave who joined the train at Aberdeen and at other stopping points along the route. At Dundee there was a large contingent of men in khaki, besides a fair number of men in blue, as well as recruits, awaiting to entrain for the south, and the problem was to find accommodation for these, as also for the civilian passengers who were on the platform. When the train drew up there was at once a rush for carriages, which were soon completely crammed, standing room in numerous cases being impossible to obtain. The scramble for accommodation surpassed in liveliness anything that had been witnessed on the starting of a football special or of an afternoon train on the opening of the Dundee holidays in pre-war times.

Broughty Ferry Pupils Donation

The pupils of Eastern School, Broughty Ferry, have contributed and forwarded to the Belgian Relief Fund the sum of £7 16s. In acknowledging the gift, the Belgian Consul expressed his “high appreciation of their fine contribution, and for their interest and practical help.

Dundee’s Roll of Honour

Our Glorious Dead
Two pages of Portraits
Next week every copy of
The “People’s Journal” will contain two whole pages of
Portraits of Dundee men who have fallen in the fighting of 1916.
This is a memento you will be sure to keep.
Be sure you get it early next Saturday morning.

People’s Journal
(Dundee Edition).

Book Your Seats Now

For the grand
Matinee
In aid of the “People’s Journal” and “People’s Friend”
Y.M.C.A. Huts Fund,
In the
King’s Theatre, Dundee
On
Saturday, 20th Jan., at 2.30.

Members of the comedy club will present
“The Will” by kind permission of Sir J.M. Barrie.
Other artistes include Ivan Phillipowsky,
Fletcher S. Perry, Miss Rosa Macdougaid and a
Troupe of Juvenile Dancers trained by Miss Anderson.

Tickets: Stalls (reserved) 2s 8d; Circle (reserved) 2s, 2d
Unreserved 1s 1d; Pit, 1s 2d; Gallery 7d from
“Dundee Advertiser” Offices, Newsagents &c.