Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-08
T(le Jree press.
TERRIBLE RAILWAY ACCrpENr.
"A Train Falls Through n Bridge with
Great LOfs OrLite,

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan, 31.--A south bound
accommodation train on the Indianapolis and
Chicago Air Line this morning met with u
terrible accident when seven miles from this
city at Broad Ripple. There the railway
crosses White liver on a truss bridge of two
spans, each t50 feet in length. The engineer
had gone into the baggage car for 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 opened, giving the locomotive
all the available steam. The engine sprang
forward with great force breaking the coup.
llngs between the tender and the baggage
car The locomotive kept on the track but
The baggage and smoking car and another
coach dropped through and piled up in a
mass at the foot OF the pier. The smoking
car was partially telescoped on the baggage
car, aud the wreck partially submerged. The
portion above water took fire from the stoves.
The flrcman states that when he looked
back after the locomotive reached
the south end of the bridge the cars
were on fire. The smoke obscured the
scene. When the news OF the wreck reach
ed here assistance was sent at once to the
scene of the disaster. Upon reaching the
wreck chaotic scene presented itself. The
bridge and cars were yet burning and those
present were unable to e1iingush the flames
OF relieve the sufferers Officials extinguish-
ed the flames and a search for the bodies be-
gan. Six persons were either killed out
right or burned TO death and their bodies
charred almost beyond recognition and hor-
rlbly mutlated. The only means of iden-
t1cation were ncombustibe trinkets known
to be the property of the dead men.
The dead are: John Brewer, Lafayette,
Ind, engineer j. L. Rickett, baggage mas
ter, New Albany Geo. Lowry, brakeman,
Buena Vista, Ind; Thomas Parr, bridge
foreman, Indianapolis; Abel I. Smith,
American Express messenger, indianapolis.
The only passenger killed was John Bray,
atock dealer, of Deming. Ex-Sheriff Scman
OF Noblesvlle had his right arm broken, and
was injured badly about his head and body.
Lynn Clark of Westficld, Ind, was injured
internally and will die. Seven other pas
sengers and a gang of workmen who
had been making repairs on the bridge were
also injured. The accident is attributed to
defective thread on the supporting rods of
the bridge G. j. White who was working un-
Ger the bridge on the ice when tle tram went
over and the falling bridge and cars struck
him on the head and drove him through the
ice aud down to the very bottom of the
river. The timbers did not rest upon him
and he swan ont covered with bruises but
able to walk The newsboy of the train says
he could have eXtinguishcd the fire with one
buck, Of water, but it was not to be had"
In five minutes after the train went down said
Conductor LOseyn the entire wreck was
wrapped in flames. In less time than that all
who had not escaped already were drowned.
Frighlful screams came from the ruins near
the pier but with two buckets and no boat
we were powerless. 1t is believed that all the
killed have been recovered except Thomas
Parr whose remains are supposed to be in
the bottom of the river. The bridge and
train were entirely destroyed,