New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-01
A TERRIFIC PLUNGE.
A TRAIN THROWN INTO A RIVER.
SIX PERSONS KILLED AND EIGHT HURT-AN AwFUi
SCENE OF pEATH AND SUFFERING.

SIX PERSONS KILLED AND Eltffl hOhi-AN H"'Ss
SCENE OF DEATH AND SUFFERING
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 31.-The Monon passenger
train due here at 1890 a. M, met with
terrible accident at the bridge across White
River seven miles from this city, this morning.
At Broad Ripple, where the disaster occurred, the
railway crosses the White River on truss bridge
of two spans each $50 feet in length. The en-
gineer had gone to the baggage-car for drink OF
water and the locomotive was in charge of the hre-
man. When the engine had reached the centre OK
the bridge the fireman felt the structure sinking.
He had his hand on the throttle, which be opened,
giving the locomotive all the available steam The
engine sprang forward With great force breaking
the couplings between the tender and baggage-car.
The locomotive kept the track, but the baggage and
smoking cars and passenger coach dropped
through the bridge and were piled up in one mass
at the foot of the pier the smoking-car being par
TALLY crushed by the baggage-car.
WRECK TAKES FIRE.
The wreck was partially submerged, but the por-
tion above water Immediately took bre from the
stoves.
The fireman states that when he looked back
after the locomotive had reached the south end OK
the bridge the cars on fire and smoke was OBJ
scuring the scene. When the wrecing train
reached Broad Ripple, a chaotic scene was pre-
sented. The bridge and were yet burning.
and those persons present were lacking i'm pres
ence of mind as to be unable to extinguish the
flames relieve the sufferers The officials OF the
road worked vigorously and systematically, and IN
a short time the flames were extinguished.
SIX MEN KILLED AND EIGHT BADLY HURT.
Then search for bodies was begun Six persons
had either been killed outright or burned to death.
their bodies being charred almost beyond recognf-
tion and horribly mutilatcd. The only means of
Identification was by ncombustible trinkets known
to be the property of the dead.
The scenes at the wreck were extremely distress
ing. The dead were IN the ruins of the smoking
and baggage cars, and these one on top Oh inc
other, were in deep water. A skif wss used for
land.
The following is list of the dead John Brewer.
gage master, New Albany; George Lowry, brake
man, Buena Vista, Ind; Thomas Parr bridge fore
man Indianapolis Abel T. Smith American Pss s,na EI-
dealer, Deming. Mr.. Bray was the only passenger
The following is list of those injured Ex-sheria
fGSsg Gyng dTE HEeq wess saSs Inc na fS Inquired am Internally
fort cut on tie head; A. 4. Peddigs. Frankfort.
bruised about the body; W. ?. Howk. Westfeld,
head badly cut; v. T. Swigert, Carmel SKILL skill
Mrs. Sullivan and babe. Carme slightly
injured; B. Snyder, slightly injured;
gang of Orkmen had been making repairs on
the bridge and all of them were slightly injured -
Seman and Mr.. Clark, wero left ut Broad Ripple.
but the others were brought here,
DEFECTIVE SUPPORTING RODS IN THE BRIDGE.
The accident was at FIRST attributed to the wash.
ing out of an abutment but it is now believed to
be due to defects in the supporting rods of tho
bridge, the nuts on the ends of the rods fitting SO
badly that the bridge was unable to support tho
weight of the train. B. J. White who was work
ing under the bridge when the train went over,
says he thinks that the rods pulled through the
nuts, letting the bridge down. To all appearances
one of the breaks occurred within fifteen feet Of
the pier, and another about midway of the span.
THE FIRE COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY QUENcHED.
Whites escape was truly marvellous. Standing
IN the ice, the falling cars and bridge struck him
,n tho head and drove him through the ice and
Down to the very bottom of the river. The timbers
lid not rest upon HIM, however and he swan out
more dead than alive, covered with bruises, but
tble to walk. The newsboy of the train says he
,Ould have extnguished the fire with u single
Jucket OF water but 1t was not to be had
SHOCKING SCENES AT THE WRECK
c. C.. Loder ard j. b. Horton in the smoking
,ar, at one end of which lay man with his skull
rushed and life almost extinct. Across the latter
md close to the red-hot stove lay Lynn Clark,
leavy timber binding one of his legs immovably.
Loder tried to find an axe, with which each car was
provided but it on the other side of the car In
hree feet of water. For Gods sake don't desert
me-" cried Clark; land we did not desert
lim," Mr. Loder says, until the flames
corched us and we were almost suffo-
ated with smoke. Before leaving tho
ar Loder kicked out window close by Clark
nd left him in agony. Presently the flames burned
he timber in two at q point close by Clark, enao-
ing him to crawl out of the window which bad
een kicked ont by LOder
Conductor Losey says that in five minutes after
he train went down the entire wreck was wrapped
n flames, and in less time than that all who had
Ot already escaped were drowned. fIghttul
creams came from the ruins near the pier, but with
My two buckets and no boats he and bis helpers
we're powerless and all they could do was to close
heir ears and pray for death TO relieve their COM
AIDES.
1t is believed that all the bodies of the killed
ave been recovered, except that of Thomas Par,
Gho was working ON the bridge and whose remains
re supposed to be at the bottom of the river. Tho
ridge and train were entirely demolished.