The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-07
The Chicago Fast Express Wrecked
on the j., NJ. Sc 1. Near Seymour.
But Measre Particulars Obtainable of thu
Accident, Which Was Caused by the
Washout of a Culvert
Four Men known To Be Killed and
Possibly Several Others.
-Four Cars and the Engine Piled Up in the
Ditch and Entirely Surrounded
by Water.

A terrible accident occurred near Farming
ton, two miles below Seymour, on the j., NJ.
q 1. road, about 6 o'clock last evening, by
which an entire train was badly wrecked and
four persons killed and a number injured.
But meagre particulars were obtainable last
night, as the accident happened at some dis
tance from a telegraph office, and but little
Information could be obtained from the rail-
road men, as the night train did not come
in, the track being blookaded.
What is called the Chicago and Louisville fast
express, leaving Chicago In the morning over
the Panhandle and thence over the Wabash
and j., NJ. & L, left here yesterday afternoon at
ago O'Clock. The train, under the charge of
Conductor Mcclellan consisted of engine No. 617,
with David Hutchinson engineer; a baggage
car, a new Pullman sleeper, designed for some
Southern road, a parlor-car and two ordinary
day coaches, which were in the rear, the usual
order being reversed. This is the fastest train
on the road, the running time between this city
and Louisville being but three hours.
THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT.
The train reached Seymour a little late, and
then started to make up lost time. Near Farm
AHRIODy bMO ulllcb D6lOW Uu6 uTbJ-ua106u UOWu, u
culvert, over a mall stream which was much
swollen by the rain, had been washed out dur
irg the afternoon, a fact, of course, unknown to
the railroad men. At this point the train was
running at the rate OF forty-iye miles
an hour, and when the engine struck the
stream 1t went down and careened over to
one side, and the baggage-car, Pullman sleeper,
narloroor apd oaooh ptlad ~ IN toD -
it. The engine, baggage-car and unoccupied
sleeper were smashed to splinters, but the others
were not SO badly injured. 1t was raining hard at
the tine the accident occurred, and it was nearly
an hour before assistance could be Sc
cured from Seymour. When 1t came,
enough Of the debris was removed to
ascertain that at least four men were killed,
and possibly more, while a number of passengers
in the parlor-car were badly injured.
THE KILLED N
David Hutchinson, the engineer, was instantly
killed, but, strange as it may seem, the regular
fireman escaped with some dangerous bruises.
Willard Hnmes, another fireman, who was riding
down to Jacksonville on the engine, TO come
back with his train, was also instantly killed.
An unknown man, who had charge OF
the sleeper, was found crushed into az un-
recognizable mass under the wreck, as was also
George Hammond, the baggagemaster. Hutchin-
son is a married man, and lived with his family
at No. 202 East McCarty street, this city. He
had been an engineer for twenty-five years, ten
of which were spent in the service of the Indi-
annapolis & st. Louis road. Humes was also a
married man, and lived in Jeffersonville, as did
also On account of the wreck, all
trains on the road were abandoned last night.
A dispatch received at the Union Depot at
1870 o'clock this morning stated that the engine
ran $50 feet after leaving the track, and that it
was probable that more people are killed than
at first reported.