This log book is an overview of the “wrecking” calls that Douglas and his crew answered. Whenever a railway car would topple off the track or otherwise have an accident, the wrecking car would arrive to remove debris, right the car, or make repairs. Some details are included regarding cargo that was left in freight trains, casualties (and in some cases, corpses), and probable cause of wrecks. Occasionally Douglas would include information about the crew’s leisure time (see entry #181) or a particularly intensive job, such as when the crew responded to the explosion of the steamer “Julia” at a south Vallejo wharf (entry #209). Page 89 lists the past and present members of the wrecking crew.

Phil Douglas was the Master Car Repairman for Wrecking Car Company No. 1 out of Sacramento from at least 1876 to 1895. No other biographical details are known.

3.0 folders Folder 1: typewritten log, 176 pages. Folder 2: reproduction of log. Folder 3: reproduction of log.

There are no restrictions on access.

Collection open for research.