The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-02-06
A rain PIunges Through a Rotten
Bridge,

DIANAPoLIs, January 31.-The
souto bound accommodation train
on the Indianapolis and Chicago
Air Line, due here at 1880 O'Clock
this morning, met with a terribleac
cident at Broad Ripple, seven mile.
from this city. At that point the
railroad crosses the White River on
IA truss bridge OF two spans, each one
hundred and fifty feet in length.
The engineer had gone to the bag
gage car Cor drink of water and
the locomotive WAS in charge of the
fireman. When the engine had
reached the centre of the bridge the
fireman felt the structure sinking.
He at the time had his hand on the
throttle, which he opened, giving the
locomotive all the available steam.
The engine sprang forward with
great force, breaking the couplings
between the engine and baggage car.
The locomotive kept the track, but
the baggage and smoking cars and
a passenger coach dropped through
the bridge and were piled up in
one mass at the toot of the pier, the
smoking car being partially telescop-
ed by the baggage car.
THE CARS ON FIRE.
The wreck was partially submelg-
ed, but the portion above water i'm
mediately took fire from the stoves.
The fireman states 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.
News OF the wreck reached this city
shortly after it occurred and a wreck
ing train, with surgical and other
assistance, was sent to Broad Ripple.
On reaching the wreck a chaotic
scene was presented. The bridge
and cars were yet burning and those
present were so lacking in presence
of mind as to be unable to eXtin-
guish the flames or relieve the sut-
ferers. The officials of the road
worked vigorously and systematical-
ly and in a short time the flames
were extinguished.
Then a search for bodies was be-
gun. Six persons had either been
killed outright or burned to death.
their bodies being charred almost
beyond recognition and horribly
mutilatsd. The only means OF iden-
tification was by incombustible
trinkets known to be the property
OF the dead.
DEADI THE SMOKING RUINS.
The scenes at the wreck were eX-
tremely distressing. The dead were
III the ruins of the smoking cars, and
these, one on top OF the other, were
in deep water. \ skiff was used for
transferring the bodies from the ru-
ins of the ears to land. B. J. White,
who was woI king under the bridge
when the train went over, says he
thinks the rods pulled through the
nuts, letting the bridge down. To
all appearances ore of the breaks
occurred within fifteen feet of the
| pier and another about midway OF
the span. Whites escape was truly
marvellous. Standing on the ice the
falling cars and bridge struck him
on the head and drove him through
the ice and down to the very bottom
of the river This timbers did not
rest upon him, however, and he
swan out. more dead than alive,
covered with bruises, but able to
walk. The newsbOy of the train says
he could have extinguished the fire
with a single bucket of water, but it
was not to be had.
! G. c. Loder and J. B. Horton
were in the smoking car, at one end
, of which lay a man with his skull
crushed and life extinct. Across
the latter and close to the red-hot
stove lay Lyman Clark, a heavy tim
her binding one of his legs immova-
bly,. Loder tried to find an AK, with
which each car is provided, but it
was on the other side of the car in
three feet of water.
A CRY OF DESPAIR.
For Gods sake, don't desert me,
cried Clark, and we did not desert
, him, Mr. Loder says, until the flames
scorched us and we almost sufiocat-
ed with smoke. Before leaving the
car Loder kicked out window close
bv Clark and left him in agony
Presently the flames burned the
timber in two ut point close by
: Clark, enabling him to crawl out o
the window which had been kicked
out by Loder.
Conductor Losey says that in five
minutes after the train went down
: the entire train was wrapped IL
flames, and in less time than thai
all who had not already escaped
were drowned. Frightful screams
came from the ruins near the pier
: but with only two buckets and nc
boat we were powerless, and ali WI
could do was close ouI ears and pray
for death to relieve our comrades.
1t is believed that all the bodie.
of the killed have been recovered
except that of Thomas Parr, whC
was working Oh the bridge anC
whose remains are supposed to bt
at the bottom of the river. Tn,
bridge and train were entirely de
} molished.