The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-28

showed the steel rails ahead gleam-
ing ont, while the trees and shrub
berry alongside the track elistened with
moisture. The rain beat down upon the
train and the exhaust-coal from the engine
ratified on the roofs of the cars and accu-
INFLATED in little drifts and shallow lplaces
about the car steps and platforms. The old
veteran engineer, West, though, had made
fast trips in many another such q night;
he was familiar with the track ahead,
knowing every curve, every crossing, every
~trestle, every bridge. every ill and every
cut.
Two miles west of Statewide is q high
stone bridge over Third creek. The bridge
was bulit years ago of solid masonry. 1t is
ninety feet high. and is arched for the pass
ing of wagons in the road way beneath. as
safe as a bridge could be-in fact, a track
on solid ground could be made no
safer. Trains therefore do not slack
speed upon approaching 1T. The fated train
was running at the rate of forty miles an
hour when the pilot of the engine threw a
shadow over its approach. In the center
of the bridge there was a gap in the gleam-
ing rails. The engine struck the gap. gave
a bound and fell down into space.
Along the with 1r.ir it o wsDs s sssry t sas
other, with their human loads,
crashing upon the hard ground ninety feet
below. The engine struck the ground first
and then upon it came one car after an
OtuCI. Will uOlIlb2O CkaoACo, -
crunches. Every car was smashed into
kindling wood, and the wreckage was
heaped in a confused and disordered
heaped-up pile. Down under were the torn
and mangled bodies or the crew and unfor-
tunate passengers.
THE SEEN AT DAYLIGHT.
An eyewitness who arrived at the scene
just at daylight says. to use his own words:
The scene appalled, me. The great high
bridge apparently remained intact. but the
rails were torn up and the edges of the
stone were knocked Oft where the falling
cars had come in contact with 1T. 1t
was early morning. A mist filled the
valley. News of the accident had scarcely
gotten abroad. but already one hundred
willing people from the surrounding farms
were helping 10 remove the wreckage and
draw out the bodies of the dead. 1t was q
terrible scene. The debris of the cars was
piled mountain-hlgh ir seemed. in the ut
most confusion. In the fall the
Pullman car had leaped over all
and striking the ground with terrible
effect, away IN front of where tho engine
ley. 1t was mashed as one would crush an
egg by throwing it against a stone wall.
The sight was sickening. but / lent a help
ing hand IN pulling out the bodies. We
got out engineer West in small pier"a He
was crushed eyond recognition. g fire.
man, Fry, of Hickory, was also badly mu-
tilated. From the debris of the passenger
cars people were brought mangled
in all sorts of ways, only two or three bod
les being brought out intact. The bod
les were ranged in q row on the hillside,
and they were ready to be sent to States
Vile when l left, and workmen We're there
digging in the wreck for other bodies"
The conductor was badly hurt, but he hob
bled to Statesville and gave news of the
wreck. Three ladies in the first
class car were killed, and every
passenger in the sleeping car met death
not a living soul escaping. The casualties
may reach forty, as 1t Is not believed that
all the bodies have yet been taken out. The
accident was caused by the spreading Of
the rails. The bridge Is not materially
injured, and trains are now running on
regular schedule time.