Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-01
A BRIDGE DROPS A TRAIN
SIX CHARRED CORPSEs FOUND
IN THE Wreck.

Inc AEeSLAe a Ner1taDie 1Dpafh
The Cars Fall in a River. But Their
Tops Mass of FIames+Three Other
Accidents on the Rails
INDIANAPOLIs, Jan. 31.-Ehe passenger
train due here at 1O:30 O'Clock a. m. from
Monon, met with terrible accident at a
bridge across White river, seven miles
from this city. High water had under
mined an abutment, and the locomotive
and two cars dropped into the river. The
engineer, fireman and two other train
men are reported drowned, and six pas
sengers are missing. A Rrecking train
with surgeons and other assistance was
sent from this city.
HOW THE ENGINE ESCAPED.
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 81, IL P. M.-Tbe
accident to-day at White river occurred
on the indianapolis and Chicago Airline
Road. The road crosses White river at
Broad Ripple, on truss bridge of two
spans, each $50 feet long. The engineer
OF the South-bound train had gone to the
baggage car for drink of water. and the
engine was in charge sof the fire.
! man. When the engine had reached
the centre Of the bridge the fireman felt
the structure sinking. He at the time
had MS hand on the throEtie, which he
opened, giving the locomotive all avaiIa-
bic steam. The engine sprang forward
with great force, breaking the coupling
between the tender and baggage car The
locomotive kept the track. but the bag
gage and smoking cars and passenger
coach dropped through the bridge and
were pued up in one mass at the foot of
the per- the smoking car being partially
telescoped by the baggage car.
THE CARS TAKE FIRE.
The wreck was partially submerged.
but the portion above water Immediately
took fire from the stoves. The fireman
says that when he looked back after the
locomotive had reached the south end of
the bridge, the cars were on fire and the
smoke was obscuring the scene. The
news OF the wreck reached here shortly
alter 1t occurred and a Wrecking train
with surgical and other assistance was
sent to Broad Ripple. On reaching the
wreck the bridge and cars were yet burn
ing and those persons present were so
lacking In presence of mind as to be un-
able to eXtlnguish the fire or relieve the
sufferers. The officials Of the road worked
vigorously and Systematically and in
short time the flames were put out.
SIX TERRIBLE DEATHS.
Then a search for bodies was begun.
SIX persons had either been killed out
right or burned to death, their bodies be-
ing charred almost beyond recognition.
and horribly mutilated. The only means
of Identification was by incOmbustibIe
trlnkets known to be the property of the
dead Five Of the dead were employees of
the road. Two passengers are so badly
hurt that they will probably die. Seven
olher passengers are more or less seri-
ously, but not fatally, injured.
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
The accident is now attributed to de-
tects III the supporting rods of the bridge.
the nuts on the ends of the rods fitting 40
badly that the bridge was unable to sun
port the weight of the tram. The scenes
at the wreck were extremely distressing.
Ihe dead were in the ruins of the smoker
and baggage cars, and these, one on ton
of the other, were in deep water.
A skin was used for transferring the
bodies from the ruins Of the cars to land.
THE STORY OF AN EYEWITNESS.
b. j. White, who was working under
the bridge when the trains went over.
says that he thinks that the rods pulled
through the nuts, letting the bridge down.
10 all appearances one of the breaks oc-
Cured within ID feet of the pier. and an
other about midway of the span.
WHITES MARVELLOUS ESCAPE.
ing on the ice the falling cars and bridge
struck him on the head and drove him
through the ice and down to the. very bot
on him, however, and he SWAN out more
dead than alive covered with bruises. but
able to walk. The newsboy of the train
says that he could have extfnguished the
ire with bucket of water, but it was not
to be had.
ANOTHER BOULDER WRECKS TRAIN.
CHATTANOOGA, Jan. S1.-A west bound
Nashville and Chattanooga passenger
train which left here at $3.50 O'Clock this
morning ran into a rock six miles
from here and twelve miles from
the scene of similar accident on Tues
day morning. Conductor Wood was seri-
Ously injured and several other train
men were slightly hurt. None of the pas
sengers were hurt. The engine was de-
mOlished. When Engineer Nicholas
Long first saw the rock, an immense
boulder. which had fallen into the cut. the
engine was about 80 feet from it and run
ming at the rate of % miles an hour.
THE ENGINEERS BRAVERY.
He told the frman to jump from the cab,
but Long remained at his post. reversed
his engine, and was applying the air
brakes when the locomotive struck the
rock, the brave man thus preventing
what might have resulted in the death of
every passenger on the train. Long
miraculously escaped with slight iniu7
ries. A liberal purse was raised by the
passengers and presented to him.
BOULDER IN THE WEST.
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 31.-A passenger train
which left here for the West on the Mis-
souri, Pacific Road yesterday morning en-
countered large boulder on the track
between GascOnade and Hermann, which
deralled the engine. Fireman Brooks had
both legs broken and was otherwise badly
injured, and the engineer was badly hurt
FREIGHT TRAIN WRECKED.
LYNCHBURG, VA, Jan. 31.-A freight
train on the Virginia Midland Railroad
was derailed fifteen miles south of Lynch
burg to-day and nine cars completely
wrecked. An unknown cOlored man who
was stealing a ride was killed.
IARORsC WACT0 VUAD