The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-15
Nineteen of the Travellers Instantly
Killed and Many Others Injured.
The Dead Frightfully Mangled and Crushed
The Accident Said To Be the Result of Dis
obedience Of Orders by an Engineer.
A RAILWAY SLAUGHTER.
Nineteen People Killed and Many Others
Wounded in a Collision.


management of J. W. Butler. excursion agent.
collided with local freight train in the cut on
the curve just east of Silver Creek at II o'clock
this morning Lewis Brewer was engineer on
the excursion train. which was drawn by engine
159. and VIM. Harris was engineer of the freight
train. drawn by engine No. G. Both engineers
and fremen saved themselves by jumping.
The excursion train consisted of one baggage
car, one smoker and eleven coaches. Only
those in the smoking car were hurt it being
completely telescoped by the baggage car. The
killed are:
SHARP and WILLIE SHARP, his son; CHARLES
HIRSCH, JOHN MEYERS -. ROSTER, a
boy, GEORGE HELLER, JOHN w. SETFER-
all of Erie.
Deputy United States Marshal W. P. REYNOLDS. of
Dunkirk.
WILLIE HEIDETi, of Erie
HENRY GEBHARDT, of Pittsburg.
JOHN F. GEBHARDT, son of the above
STEPHEN CULBERTSON, hardware merchant, of
Waterford.
J. W. CEDAR, clothing merchant. of Erie.
ADAM PARKHURST, of Mayville.
JACOB ROSTALI4ES, of Erie
And three others unknown.
The fatally injured are:
j. P. HARRINGTON, superintendent Erie Forge
Company.
LEWIS LANCEY, of Erie; legs and arms crushed.
E. W. MARBLE. of Erie; legs and arms crushed and
horribly bruised.
CHARLES SCHENDLER of Erie; same injuries
of ;,o;,
MARTIN ROSITETTER. of Erie same injuries.
PHIL LINTON, of Erie; same injuries
WIN. ZIMMERLING. of Erie; same injuries.
SAMUEL TRACY, of Kearsarge; skull crushed and
arms and legs broken.
CHARLES DILLON, of Erie; same injuries.
PHIL LINTON, of Erie; legs crushed.
Severely injured:
A. w. Cobury, Of Titusville, crushed; A.
Campbell, of Erie. arms broken; John Sherlin.
of Erie, arm broken; Charles McSparren, of
Erie, body bruised One man, living in Silver
Creek. and who was standing at the side of the
track, was driven away by his friends before his
name could be learned.
The accident seems to have been caused by
misunderstanding of telegraphic orders. There
are various causes given for the collision En-
gineer William Harris of the freight train. is
blamed. It is said he had orders to meet the
excursion train at living. He failed to obey
the instructions. and was running at full speed
when the crash occurred. Train men will not
talk regarding who is to blame.
A gentleman who was on the train says that
the freight train had orders to 60 to Silver Creek
and the passenger train to Irving, which is this
side, and it was these orders that caused the
collision. The excitement among the survivors
was intense. The scenes in the smoking car
were most narrowing. The first warning
that was given was the slight jar caused
by the heavy pressure of the airbrakes. Some
of the passengers braced themselves in their
seats, seemingly apprehensive of danger.
Then came a terrible shock, followed by the
smashing of the windows and the roof of the
car, and all was mass OF bleeding and strug-
Cling humanity. Men covered with blood were
them. and on all sides. lay the poor unfortu-
mates who were instantly killed, crushed out of
all human semblance. The wounded crawlsd
out of the debris, and were assisted to the
neighboring houses. People brought bedding,
etc, on which to lay the dead and dying,
and did all they could to relieve the suffer
ings of the wounded until the arrival of medical
aid.
Mrs. J. H. Sigel, of Erie, Pa. passenger,
was on her way to Buffalo. She arrived safely
this afternoon. In an interview, Mrs. Sigel
said: II was in the first coach next
to the smoking car. The train
was large one, and carried
large number of excursionists as we'll as reeu.
lar passengers. The first we knew of the COZ
lision was terrific crash, like an explosion.
Nobody was hurt except those in the smoking
car. The sight was so horrible that could not
look at it. Not single car was thrown from
the track, but the smoker was completely tele-
scoped. 1t was mercy that our car was not
crushed also. It was a narrow escape One
young man in the smoker saved himself by drop
ping on the floor, and escaped with few bruises.
did not learn the cause of the accident but we
were going very slow, while the freight was
coming at high rate of speed. We were just
one coach-length off the trestle when the col
lision occurred. Some Of the wounded were
taken to different houses, and one of the coaches
was turned into q hospital. In another coach
the dead wore placed. Most Of the excursionists
remained at Silver Creek, intending to return