The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-13
THE BROAD RIPPLE DISASTER.
Conclusion Of the COrOner's Inquest and the
Verdict Returned by Him.

The examination in the causes of the Broad
Ripple bridge disaster was concluded yesterday
by Coroner Maxwell. The testimony of Charles
N. Parker one of the carpenters who was work
ing on the bridge at the time the wreck occurred,
was taken and is the most important which has
been elected in the examination. His sworn
statement was as follows
MR. PARKEBs STATEMENT
I live at Pittsbnrg, Ind, and am bridge
carpenter I was working on the bridge with
Thomas Parr, the deceased, at the time the
bridge went down with an Airline train, Jan.
81. At the time of the accident we were
putting in pipe castings to give the
bridge an iron bearing. On the
span of the bridge which went down, we had
put in three or four sets Of the castings. At the
time of the accident we were just getting in
shape to put in set at the first set of truss rods
at the south end of the north span, about twelve
feet from the middle pier. We had our false
rods in place and the caps all off the permanent
rods, three on either side. Our temporary rods
were fixed just exactly as we had them fixed in
working on other bridges on the road. For in
stance, used the same rods on the south span
of the same bridge, and the same rods
were used at the Wabash bridge
at Pittsburg, last summer We had
the caps on the temporary rods Just as we
wanted, and were looking for the train when it
came. We could see the train about one hundred
yards before it reached the bridge, and we had
plenty of time to get on pier if we had thought
there was any danger, but we were perfectly
satisfied everything safe. About half an
hour before the passenger train broke through
the bridge freight train, with an engine consid-
erably heavier than the passenger engine, passed
safely over. There was no more shaking of the
I,.I
passed over, the temporary rods were in place,
and all fixed. After the train had passed, the
temporary rods apparently were all right. %
short time before the fated train came Parr
said that the old man would have to get in
pretty soon, if he was on time, and | remember
he looked at his watch and said that the train
was due at Broad Ripple in six minutes. By the
old man he meant Conductor Losey just in
few minutes probably FIVE we heard the engine
whistle. | was working on the Cords setting
down. The engine ran on the bridge, and about
the time the pilot got even with me l heard a
cracking, and looked up and saw that the top
cord broke, and the second set of truss rods and
the lower cord at the first set of truss.rOds /
went down into the water and came up and
climbed on the pier, and up it onto the bridge
/ am satisfied the timber was good, all right, and
to all appearances the iron was good. I have
been working on bridges for two years.
and l think the timber was
first class. My opinion is that
our temporary rods either broke, or else the
threads slipped off the rods. 1t must have been
one or the other or else the bridge could not
have fallen"
THE ooRoNER's VERDICT.
The verdict returned by the Coroner is as fol-
lows:
1.-THE said deceased, Thos. Parr, came to his
death by being thrown into White river end be-
ing drowned, the accident being caused oy an L.
N. A. & c. railway train breaking through a
bridge at Broad Ripple. / further
find that the accident was probably
due to the breaking of tie iron rods temperate