The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-02-01
A Terrible Accident on the L.
&c. Air Line.
Three Cars Drop Through a
Bridge.
Killing and Manning a Num-
Der of Passengers,
And Destroying the Bridge and
Train.
Awful Accident.

Indianapolis, 31.-The south
bound accommodation tram on the
Indianapolis 81 Chicago Air line, due
here at 1880 this morning, met with
a terrible accident seven miles from
the city, at Broad Ripple. At that
point lie railroad crosses White
river on truss bridge, two
spane, each one hundred and City
feet in length. The engineer had
gone to the baggage car for a drink
Of water, and the locomotive was In
charge of the fireman. When the
locomotive reached the centre of the
bridge the fireman felt the structure
sinking. He had his hand on the
throttle, which he opened, giving
the locomotive al 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, smoking car and
coach dropped through and piled up
in mass at the foot of the piers.
The wreck was partially submerged,
but the portion above water imme-
distely took fire from the stoves.
The fireman states that when he
looked back after the locomotive
reached the south end of the bridge,
the Gals were On fire and the smoke
was o0scuring the scane. News of
the wreck reached the city in q
short time, and wTecking train,
with surgeons and others for
assistance, wss made up and
sent to Broad Ripple. On reaching
the wreck chaotic scene was pre-
sented. The bridge and cars were
yet burning and those present were
so lacking in presence of mind as to
be unable to eXtinguish the flames
or afford relief to the sufferers. The
officials of the road went to work |
vigorously and Systematically, and
in short time the fire was eXting>
uished and search for the bodies be,
gun. Six persons were either killed |
or burned to death. The |
remains recovered were burned and |
charred almost beyond recognition,
being horribly mutilated, and the |
only means Of Identification was the |
finding Of incombustible trinkets
known to be the property of the
dead. Following is a list Of tie
dead: John Brewer, Lafayette,
Ind, engineer; j. E. Ricketts,,
luggage master, New Albany; Geo.
Lovely, brakeman, Buena Vista,
Ind; Thomas Parr, bridge foreS
nan, Indianapolis; A. Z, Smith,
American Express messenger, In.
iianapolis. The only passenger
killed was Jno. Bray, a stock dealer,
at Deming. Ex-Sheriff |
Seamen, of Noblesville, had his right
arm broken and was injured badly
about the head and body. Lynn
Clark, of Westfeld, Indiana, was in
iured internally, and will die. A
number of passengers were seriously |
injured. A gang Of workmen on
,he bridge were all more or less hurt.
The accident is now attributed to q
detective thread on the supporting
DDS of the bridge, the nuts on the
md Of the rods fitting SO loosely that
he bridge was unable to support
he weight of the train. Frightful
screams came from the ruins near
he pier, as the wreck was being con-
umed by fire. A patch of gray
,eard led to the Identification Of
Tohn Bray. A train order in the
'est pocket led to the belief that
he handful Of bones to which were
hanging few shreds of roasted b
lesh, were the remains of Engineer
Brewer. A button or half an inch ,
( suspender or undergarment led
D the Identification of others. 1t is
that all the killed have been
except Thomas Parr, who
7as working on the bridge and |,
hose remains are supposed to be !
! the bottom of the river. The
ridge and train were entirely de-
troyed.