Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-06-29
Fatal Railroad Accident.

Batal Railroad Accident.
A serious accident occurred on the
Louisville, New Albany and Chicago rail-
road yesterday morning, which resulted
in the death Of one person, the injury of
several others, and the complete wreck of
the engine, tender and baggage-car. About
two miles north of the Battle Ground
there is heavy ravine, which, until re-
Gently. has been crossed by trestle-work,
but which had been filed in with earth,
with culvert at the bottom to carry off
what water might accumulate during
heavy rains. During the heavy storm
night before last, this culvert became
choked up, so that the water on the right
hand or east side accumulated to the
finally washed out the track The pas
senger train, which arrived here at one
o'clock, passed the spot in safety, as also
did freight train a short time afterward
going north, the men on neither of which
trains noticed anything wrong. The
train from New Albany for Chicago,
which passed here at 2:10 A. NJ, in charge
of conductor John Bentley, engineer Will
liam Crimson, and fireman Edward Whit
mer, was, however, not so fortunate, as
the sequel will show. The train, consist
ing of engine and tender, baggage and one
passenger car, was running at the rate of
twenty-five miles an hour, and all on
board unconscious of danger Suddenly,
as the fatal c'llvert was reached, there was
a deafening cash, and then all was still,
save the Kissing of escaping steam, the
roaring of the torrent, and the groans and
shouts of the trainmen and passengers.
As the engine passed the treacherous
spot the track gave way, and it was pre-
cipitated into the gulf beneath. The ten
e.. was turned completely bottom side up,
on the top of the boiler; the baggage-car
ran on top of the tender, turned twice
over, and landed right side up in the wat
or, twenty feet off to the right, while the
passenger car ran on to the wreck, re-
tanning its upright position. with no 9TH
er damage than the smashing of the for
ward platform The engineer, Mr. Grim
son, by frantic effort forced himselffrom
the wreck by jumping through the win
dow of the cab into the water, leaving his
boots firmly imbedded in the debris of the
wreck. Had his boots not come of, his
death would have been certain His cries
in the water brought an uninjured passen-
ger to his assistance, but who also fell in
TO the water, and both were rescued by
the brakeman. Strange as it may seem,
he escaped with only a few slight bruises,
serious sca,d on one arm, and strain
of the back. He was able to be about yes
lsrilay afternoon.
The fireman, Mr. Whitmer, was caught
by the tender and the wood it contained,
and firmly imprisoned, with his stomach
and the lower part of his body bent over
the boiler, near pipe from which the
steam escaped upon his person. His
death must have been instantancous.-
When taken from the wreck about 8
O'Clock yesterday morning, his body was
found to be literally boiled to pieces. The
flesh on his thighs was completely gone,
the cavity of the stomach, and below, all
sloughed off, and the intestines and bow
els so shriveled by the heat that they
would not have filed quart cup.
In the baggage car were Amos Slider, a
veteran baggageman, and Henry Kinney,
the brakeman, but but both escaped with
out serious injury
There were but few passengers on the
train, and all escaped without serious in
jury, except John Brownfeld, ESQ.,, of
South Bend, who suffered confusion of
the head and broken rib or two, and a
Miss Wilson, of Kentucky, who was also
badly hurt. The gentleman was brought
back to this city, while the lady is the
guest of farmer who lives within a hun
dred Yards of where the accident occurred,
who tas shown her every attention, and
who vii, care for her until she is able to
resume her journey. 1t is fortunate for
the passengers that there was but one
passenger car in the train, as had there
been another one behind it, the death or
serious injury of all on board would have
been unavoidable Mr.. Brownfield, the
male passenger hurt, was on his return
home from Asbury University, at Green
castle, where he has been attending a COL
legiate course.-Lafayetts Journal, June
24th.