Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-05-11
FAILED TO WORK.
Fatal Result Of Defective Air
Brakes on a Train.
The Engineer Loses Control and the Cara
DemOlish the Depot at Lafayette, Ind.
Ten Persons Killed and Many
Others Injured.
A RUNAWAY TRAIN.

LAFAYETTE, Ind, May s. One of the
most horrible wrecks in the history of
Indiana occurred on the Big Four road
In this city at 1:15 Sunday morning.
as a result of which ten men are now
dead and many more injured. The train
was the east-bound passenger leaving
Chicago at p. m. The accident was
caused by the failure of the air brakes
10 work. The engineer undoubtedly
discovered this before reaching the cut
beyond the Wabash river, as the vigor-
Gus whistling of the engine for brakes
Guild be heard when the train was still
q mile west of the city.
THE DEPOT WRECKED.
The engineers desperate effort to
stop the train was shown by the large
amount of sand thrown by him on the
bridge through which the train came
Just before the fatal crash The train
dashed out of the bridge over the Wa
bash river at speed of not less than 60
miles an hour, when the engine left the
track, crashing into the depot building.
tearing off a portion Of the depot and
train sheds, carrying them several hun
bred feet.
The engine when it left the track was
followed by the baggage car, two postal
cars and the express car and piled in
one promiscuous mass. total and com
plete wreck, burying a score or more of
victims in the pile Of debris. The trucks
of the first day coach We're dragged
out and the side of the car knocked
into fragments. but no passengers in
this car were injured The chair car
and two Pullman sleepers renamed on
the track. The wreck was complete
one, the engine and ears being torn to
pieces and piled up together with their
contents.
THE DEBRIS TAkES FIRE.
Fire broke out from the stove in the
baggage car. but the fire department
speedily extinguished the flames A
large crowd of citizens gathered very
quickly at the scene of the disaster and
assisted in rescuing the victims, and a
large force of local physicians gave the
necessary attention to the wounded
Several victims Of the wreck were per-
sons standing in the depot waiting for
the train. a hackman, d mail-cart driver
and passengers.
4 KILLED AND INJURED.
The list of the dead Is as follows;
Michael Welch, engineer indianapolis. fright
fully manglcd, head crushed leg torn from
body, found under the engine; Fireman Nc
Innis indianapolis T. d Myers I.ogausport.
mail clerk; T r Mcmahon, Cincinnati, ex-
press messenger, A r Chadwick, Cincinnati.
man clerk charks Myers, Lafayette, hack
man; John Lennon. Lafayette, mail-carf
driver Jesse Il. Long Lebanon. Ind, we4
clerk; Charles SalahiH passenger sst bought
a ticket 90 indianapolis, Otto Jerseison Al
hambra hotel Chicago, passenger going 10
train.
These were an frightfully crushed
and mangled- their limbs being severed
in several instances and bodies terribly
disfgured.
The injured are as follows:
Jefferson Reese, kempton, bruised ana cut
about the head; Richard Jones. Pontiac. H.,
cut a bout head Louis Letter Fowler cut by
glass from breaking windows Sephas Bergen
Gale, Milwaukee. cut about head and hand bad.
ly bruised. William Place, living near Frank
fort Ind bruised and cut; Charles Roush, La
fayette, leg broken in two plr ces; william
Rechten, Lebanon, Ind. passenger in waiting
room, arm and hand laceRted; C. A Wssell
A " Cornahsn, l. A. WetzIer and J n. Wick
cry. mail clerks, all from Cincinnati, were more
or less injured, out not seriously
The damage to property win he fully
$50. 900, while the subsequent losses
which will grow out of the disaster
will make tine total very large sum.