The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-09-26
A CLOSE CALL.

Train Which Ex-Governor Hendricks
Was Passenger Thrown from the
Track-The Scene of the Accident Near
Farmer City, Il1.-Its Cause q Broken
Rail-The Distinguished Indianian Es-
capes with Few Bruises--Several Per.
sons Badly Injured.
ST. LoUls, Sept. 16.-Between four and
five o'clock yesterday morning the west
bound passenger train on the indianapolis,
Bloomington & Western Railway encoun-
tered a broken rail few miles west of
Farmer City, ILL.,, resulting in the ditching
OF the engine, baggage-car, Smoking-car
and two coaches The train was going at
a high rate of speed, and after
being derailed ran for nearly one hundred
yards over the ties and gravel before the
locomotive toppled into the ditch. The
night was very dark, and the panic and
confusion incident to the accident were
rendered doubly great The locomotive
is total wreck and four cars are
smashed to kindling wood. The pas
sengers were nearly all asleep at the
time, and attached to the train was
a special car carrying Governor Hendricks,
John 9. Shoemaker, of the indianapolis
Sentinel and other prominent Democrats
on their way to the Peoria rally. The en-
gineer and fireman saved their lives by
Jumping as soon as they realized the wheels
had left the track. There were only few
passengers in the smoker and the forward
coach, and all these received dangerous
Injuries
Fifteen or twenty persons in the second
coach had an almost miraculous escape
from death. They were rudely awakened
in 10 o1fC
timbers. The car was thrown broadside to
the ground, and as the lights went out the
helpless and wounded passengers shrieked
for help, expecting every moment to be
their last In the next coach the con-
fusion was greater. The passengers
In the special car were more fortu-
nate, and but few received serious
injuries. Those who were forta<
nate enough to escape at once set to work
extricating the wounded from the wreck.
The baggage car at this moment took fire,
but the flames We're put out before they
could spread. Half dozen passengers
We're dragged out unconscious and several
will doubtless die of their injuries. Nearly
twenty persons were seriously injured.
Following is a partial list:
Mrs. Sceava, OF Texas, O., badly bruised
Mrs. Williams, Mechan lcsburg, o., hip broken
anu S0N6f6 luI0fIal luJuflGSS MIS-. Cn6neyp
fredericksburg o., badly bruised and sus-
tanned internal injuries; Mrs. Jennie Waid.
lick, Columbus City, Ind, head badly injured:
j. s. Falls, Pittsburgh, Pa. collar-bone
broken, ribs broken and hp injured-wil
probably die MAS Welisha, ShelbyvilIe, Ind,
skull fractured; a little daughter of the
rbove, badly bruised and injured; John w.
Wright, Springfield o., nose crushed
and head injured; Peter Martin Nauvoo,
ILL.,, leg broken; Mrs. Mary Walker, Fairfield,
Ia, internal injuries; Captain William Pay
son, Omaha, arm broken and shoulder hurt;
Henry Wilson, Keokuk, collar-bone fract-
ured; Mrs. Jenny Bailey, Fort Worth, Tex,
internal Injuries; John G. Shoemaker. In
dianaDois. bruised about the head; Ex-Gov-
ernor Hendricks, bruises on arm and head.
A large number of others refused to
give their names. Governor Hendricks had
narrow escape from death. The seat
on which he was sitting was crushed
to splinters. His injuries are not dam
gerous. He was interviewed, and said that
1t was wonder that the loss of life
was not tremendous. He was awake
when the accident occurred, and was talking
to friend. He felt sudden jar, and then
heard the sound of cracking wood. Al
though injured, the Governor aided his
more unfortunate brethern out OF the wreck.
Many of the injured have gone on to their
destination. Others remain in the care of
hOspitable people at Farmer City.