The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-09-22
Two Indiapians Among Those Who Escaped
with Wounds-Elespy Engineer and Fire
man Charged with Being Responsible
Santa Fe Express Wrecked by Robbera
Who Wanted q Million Dollars
Four Lives Sacrificed and Thirty.Five Persons
Injured. Some of Whom May Dis-Ths
Money Buried in the Debris and Saved.
WRECKED AND BURNED.


Horrible Accident Near shreve, In which
Thirteen Persons Lost Their Lives-
CLEVELAND. O., Sept 2l.--What will I'M.
doubtedly prove to be the most disastrous
accident that ever occurred in the history
of the Pittsburg. Fort Wayne g. Chicago
railway took place this morning at 8 o'clock
In what is known as Browns cut, one mile
and half west Of tho village Of Shreve,
Wayne county. Ohio. Train No. g. the fast
east-boun passenger and express train.
collided at that point with the first section
of freight No. Is, west-bound. The pas.
senger train was about one hour late, and
was running at the rate of sixty miles sn
hour. 1t is stated that tho engineer and
fireman on the freight. while standing on
the side track at Shreve. fell asleep and
were awakened by hearing o train
rushing By. Thinking that it was No. 8 the
engineer pulled out on the main track and
had just got under way when the trains
met. The collision occurred on . sharp
curve and neither crew was able to see .
train approaching. The engines came to-
gether with such awful force that the mail
car and smoking-car of the express were
Q freight car filled with printing presses
was thrown over the freight engines.
Passengers and trainmen who escaped say
the accident had hardly taken place be-
fore flames burst forth and they believe
that but two or three persons were killed
outright. the others having been pinned
down In the cars and slowly roasted to
death. Thirteen burned and blackened
trunks have been taken from the wreck.
Those known to be among tho dead are:
GEORGE SMITH, Crestline, O., passenger
fireman.
d. E. REESE, Massi.on O., postal clerk.
III. s.. ALLEN, Columbiana, o., postal clerk.
g. Q. MANN, Chicago. postal clerk.
]. ID. PATTERSON, Beaver Falls, Pa, postal,
A. d. GLENN, Allegheny, Pa, front brakeman
n. HAMMOND. Allegheny. Pa, fireman ON
SAMUEL JACKSON, Chicago, express messen-
Two UNKNOWN. WOMEN, whom the con-
ductor said had tickets for Espysllle; Pa -.
train at Mansfield. o.. for Alliance.
ONE OTHER UNKNOWN.
Those seriously injured are:
FRANK BURT, Crestline, engineer of tho en-
press train
JAMES ABE, Upper sandusky, o.. passenger.
g. SToKER. Pittsburg. Pa. passenger.
-.
". H. BROWN. Huntington. Ind, Passenger.
l.. KOCH, Massilon, o.. passenger.
NJ. A. ARMSTRONG. NobiesviIle. Ind, passenger
j. ERNEST. Melville. n. j., passenger.
Jacob Weltman. of iShreve, O., who was
a passenger on the train, said that he was
half asleep when he w6s aroused by tho
shock of the collision. He said there wac
terrible rumbling noise, and almost in.
stantIy tho air was filled with cries and
screams for help. He was pinned to tho
floor of the car by wreckage. but with great
difficulty he finally freed himself and went
with others to the aid of woman, who.
with her child was held by the heavy tim.
bers. They worked with might and main
to rescue the two. but were finally driven
back by the flames and compelled to leave
the woman and child To their fate. Mr..
Weltman said the cries that came from the
imprisoned people were such as be never
can forget. The fireman on the freight
train must have had n horrible death. as
he was caught in the cab and frightfully
burned, the body dangling In the air in
view of the hundreds of visitors to tho
scene. The rescuers were unable to get AZ
1t because OF the heat.
The poor postal clerks imprisoned in the
mail cars. which were thrown upon the
passeD ger engine, had no chance to escape.
and they were doubtless all burned to
death. All the fatalities occurred in the
two locomotives. the postal and smoklnR 3
car and the day coach. The sleepers did
not leave tho track, ard the other passen-
GERS hey yond shaking. escaped injury. Az
soon as tho people of Shreve heard of the
wreck they hastened TO the scene with all
the physicians available. The injured were
tenderly cared for and every effort possible
made to rescue those who were perishinR in
the burning cars. The heat was SO intense,
however that little could be done. As sooR
as possible after the accident the injured.
none of whom are believed TO be fatally
hurt, were taken in charge by tho railway
company and all were removed to their
hOmea
Two postal cars filled with through mail,
one express and three freight cars were
consumed by the fire. Wreck trains were
sent TO the scene within an hour after ths
accident and when they arrived the en-
gines and destroyed cars were q mass OF
red-bot iron and embers. The coroner has
begun an inquest 10 ascertain the cause Of
the collision. Attached to the rear OF the
Pullman was the pay car. which was bein &
taken TO Pittsburg from Chicago. There
were two clerks in charge of the car, but
botn escaped injury, though they were
badly shaken up. This afternoon $50. 0O0 in
q silver brick was taken from beneath tho
masses of iron and cInders. Some Of the
silver had been melted. A temporary track
has been built around the wreck and travel
Is partially resumed.