The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-10-28
Railroad Accident at Lindsey-Great
Destruction of Property-No lives

Railroad Accident at Lindsey-Great
Destruction of Property-No lives
Lost.
On Wednesday morning last a collision occurred
on the L. S, NJ. S. R. R., at Lindsey, eight miles
west of this city, between the passenger train going
East. due at this place at 4:55 A n. and through
freight going West. The freight train was run
ming on the switch, when the passenger came along
and struck dead engine which was about the
middle Of the freight train, and which was JUS
pleaving the main track. The engine of the past
senger train struck this in such way as to- iniure
it but slightly; though the cab was completely
demolished looking as though stroke of the cleo
trie fluid had descended upon it. The engine
pushed by this and ploughed its way into freight
car sending it from the track and landing It upon
its side The next freight car was splintered into
unnumbersd peiees and sent flying in opposite
dire tions. The third freight car shared similar
fate being thrown fIo the track a total W1eek,
while a fourth car had the one end completely
shattered The force Of the collision threw the
passenger engine from the tack, landing it upon
its side with its head toward the west. The force
was so great as to turn it completely around, and
to tear the boiler from the Trucks and send it in
nearly as many different directions as there are
parts to loconod We. The express car, which
followed, was considerably dauaged, and required
the reshipment of its very valuable freight, con-
ssting of about ton of solid silver, and number
of boxes of gold.
1t seems almost incredible that an accident SO
destructive to the trains could have occurred with
out some injury to the passengers. Not single
individual, however, was injured in the least The
engineer and fireman the passenger train, leaped
from the engine as soon as they discovered that
collision was inevitable, and so escaped injury.
We were told by passengers in the rear car of
the passenger train that the shock was less notic-
able than that caused by the sudden starting of
train. wrecking train was Immediately dis
patched to the scene of the accident and work i'm
mediately commenced to clear the track of the de-
bris. It was nearly nine o'clock, however, before
it was cleared SO that trains could pass As a con-
sequence the morning trains bound east were
thrown some hours behind time. The scene
about the track where the accident occurred, was
one of wanton destruction. On either side
of the track were piled in confused heaps, broken
trucks, bent and broken irons, piles of kindling
wood, cars torn, smashed and scattered in every
direction, but bearing no semblanee of their org-
nal shape. Upon wood pile was gathered mer-
chandise Of every kind and description ofsuficient
variety and quantity to meet the demands of a
large establishment. The freight was saved in
much better condition than would be supposed,
the greatest damage being in the somewhat demor-
allied condition of stock of drugs and medicines,
bound for Leavenworth Kansas.
Who is to be blamed for the occurrence Of the &C
cident! By the accuracy of the system which is in
intended to govern the running of trains, such an
accident could not occur without placing the mana
gers Of either one train or the other in fault. By
the conductor of the freight train it was claimed
that the passenger train was three minutes ahead
of time which was all the time the freight required
to have cleared the main track and get safe The
switch The freight left Fremont, it often does,
without special ORDERS with plenty Of time to reach
Lindsey and make the side track. But from some
cause or other, time was lost between Fremont
and Lindsey, and considerable delay occurred in
getting upon the side track. Why his was neces-
sary, We are not able to say. The passenger train
was, it is claimed, about one minute BEHIND, in-
stead of three minutes AHEAD, as claimed by the
conductor Of the freight train which is confirmed
by the operator at the Station. The conductor of
the passenger train expected to meet the freight at
Elmore, but not finding it there, looked for it at
Lindsey When his train approached that station,
it slackened speed. and from the position of the
head light of the freight. it was supposed to be
clear Of the main track, when the passenger star
ted up again. aud did not discover the real position
of the train, until too late to stop. The engi- |
neer then reversed his engine, and with the fire.
man took to terra frma for safety, and the train
went dashing On to its work of destruction.
We have never known of an accident, where two |
trains have met with as much force as these must
have colided, and where cars were reduced to such
total wrecks, without at least some injury if not
loss of fe and the total absence of either in this
case, proves it to have been most fortunate aeci-