The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-06-01
WENT DOWN in DARKNESS
A Lake Erie & Western Wreck at Fish.
er's Station, Caused by Heavy Rains.
A Bad Smash.Up Under Worry Unfavorable
CircumstaDces-Several Persons Badly
Injured-Cause of the Wreck.

The terrible rain and wind of Monday
night. with Its washing of banks and loos-
ening of ballast. caused a serious wreck on
the Lake Erie Il Western road, yesterday
morning, near Fishers Station. just over
the line in Hamilton county. The train
that was wrecked is due In this city at $3.50
A. NJ. 1t was on time, and was run
ming at twenty-five miles an hour.
Where the accident occurred is q
stretch of track where a washout
was not deemed possible. and the only
reasonable explanation offered is that the
damage must have been the result of q
cloud burst.
7. w. Griffin. the engineer. first shifted
danger when $50 yards ahead he saw that
the tracks were submerged. He reversed
and threw on the brakes. but not in time.
and after jumping and humping over ties
some distance the train went into the
ditch. The entire train turned over on it's
rlght side. The engine lay to the east OF
the track, the tender across the rails,
while the balance of the train lay on the
west.
The one most seriously injured was en-
about the face and burned by contact with
the boiler head. His injuries aud danger
Gus position did not cause him to forget the
Panhandle express. which was laundering
along in the rear and which would be due
In o few minutes.
Fireman l.. +. Wade was not seriously
hurt and Griffin yelled To him to hurry
back and flag the express. This important
item. however. had not escaped the atten-
tion of the brakeman, and the danger sig
nal brought the Panhandle to q standstill
In time to avert al accumulation of dis
asters. In the meantime In and about tho
deralled coaches were scenes of in.
descrlbable confusion as the bruised
and imprisoned passengers to
release themselves. Some had been asleep.
others 'twlxt sleeping and waking, and the
pouring OF water from the ditch into the
cars immediately following the crash be-
got the idea that the train had gone
through the bridge into the river.
1t happened that q number of the resi-
dents OF Fishers Station were out on &C.
count of q burning building that had been
fired by the lightning. and these came to
the rescue and rendered valuable assist
ance. Car windows were raised or smashed.
and through these the terrified gers
were pulled forth into inclement safety.
There were several ladies aboard the chair
car. but the majority OF the passengers
were men. None were seriously injured.
Several were slightly bruised OF cut by the
shattered glass. but in the majority of
cases the fright was worse than the hurt.
Those who suffered most seriously in tho
smash-up are the following:
J.. F. BARD, Kokomo, hurt about the chest, leg
cut and hand injured.
T. w. GRIFFIN, engineer. Peru. head cut, ankle
mashed, and bruised.
MRS. ELLA CIR AMPToN, 81 Windsor Block, In
dianapolis. bruised about the side and hips.
ALEXANDER MANkER, express messenger, Gin
cinnati, bruised about the head and body.
The injured were all cared for. and
brought TO the city as soon as a train could
he run out and the passengers and their
effects transferred. The wreck train was
on the scene by 4:30 o'clock, and by noon
yesterday the rent had been patched up,
and trains were running as usual. Three
thousand dollars will probably cover the
loss. The Panhandle express pulled back
TO NoblesvIlle. n started for
this city by way of Westfield over
the Midland. but had not proceeded far
over that line before the treinmen became
fearful for the safety of that road and re.
turned to Noblesville. AT 9 o'clock yester-
day morning they went back TO Upton,
from there to Frankfort over the l.. Z. g.
W. main line and then to indianapolis over
the Monon. The Indianapolis mail and
papers were taken to Upton over the
MOnon and L. L. 81 w. line.