The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-08

Warrington.
LAFAYETTE, IND, May 7,-one OF the
most horrible wrecks in the history OF
railroading occurred on Big Four road
in this city at l:l5 this morning, as u
result OF which ten men are now dead
and many more injured. The train
was tho east bound passenger leaving
Chicago at OPP, m, The accident was
caused by the failure OF the air brakes
10 work. The engineer undoubtedly
discovered this before reaching tho cut
beyond the Wabash river, as the vicor.
Gus whlstling OF the engine for brakes
could be heard when the train was still
mile west OF the city. The engineers
desperate efforts to stop the train was
shown by the large amount OF sand
thrown by him in the bridge, through
which the train came just before the
fatal crash. The engine dashed out OF
tho bridge over tho Wabash river at a
Epood OF not less than sixty miles an
hour, crashing into the depot building,
carrying OF portion OF the depot and
train sheds, and carrying them several
hundred feet
Tho engine, when it left the track,
was followed by the baggage car, two
postal cars and the express car and
piled in one promlscuous mass, total
and complete wreck, burying score or
more OF victims in the awful pile Of
debrls. The trucks OF the frat day
coach were dragged out and the side OF
the car knocked into fragments, but no
passengers in the car were injured.
The chair car and two Pullman sleepers
also remained on the track. The wreck
was u most complete one, the engine
and cars being piled up with their
conte nta.
FIRE ADDS TO THE HORRORS.
To add to the CONSERVATION, fire broke
out from the stove in the baggage car,
but the fire department speedily OK
tinguished the flames. Several victims
Of the wreck were persons standing in
the depot waiting for tho train, hack.
man, mail cart driver and passengers.
Tho list Of dead is as follows; Michael
Welch, Indianapolis, frightfully man
gled, head crushed, limb torn from
body, found under the engine; Fireman
McGinnis, indianapolis; L. D. Myers,
Loransport mail clerk; - McMahon,
Cincinnati, express messenger; a. r,
Chadwick, Cincinnati, mail clerk;
Charles Myers, Lafayette, hickman; /;
John Lonnon, Lafayette, mail cart
driver; Jesse II. Long, Lebanon, Ind,
mail clerk; Charles schahill. passenger,
Just bought ticket to indianapolis;
Otto Jerselson, Alhambra hotel, Chi
cago, passenger, going TO the train.
These wore all irightfully crushed and
mangled, their limbs being severed in
several instances aud bodies terribly
diaigured.
Tie injured are as follows: Jefferson
Reese, Kempton, bruised and cut about
tho head; Richard Jones, Pontiac, ILL.,,
cut about head; Louis Leiller, Fowler,
cut by glass from breaking windows;
sophaa Bergencral, Milwaukee, cut
about head and badly bruised; William
Place, Frankfort, Ind, bruised and cut;
Charles Rousl, Lafayette, leg broken In
two places; William Brentell, Lebanon,
Ind, arm and hand lacerated. Also u
number OF others were moro or less in.
iured, but not seriously.
The damage By property destroyed
will be fully $4,000, while tho conse-
quent losses which will grow out OF the
disaster will mako tho total a very
large sum-
AIR BRAKES FAILED TO work.
The accident was caused by tho fail
urc OF tho air brakes to work properly.
High bluffs rise on tho west bank OF the
Wabash just opposite the city, and
there is long and steep grade Mt that
point. Tho Ill iatGd train must have
been a milo up the grade from tho river
when tho engineer discovered that there
was something wrong with the air
brakes, for he began to shrilly whistle
for hand brakes. The speed had by
that time increased so torrihcally, how.
over, that It's control was beyond human
agency. With almost lightning like
speed tho monster engine dashod around
tho curve and across tho long bridge,
although tho man at tho throttle had
reversed tho machinery, aud Immense
strOnms Of fro woro being dashed of
from tho driving wheels running in tho
opposite direction TO that OF tho swiftly
flying cars that followed. Just after
leaving the east end OF tho long bridge
over tho Wabash tho tracks describe n
Bomi.cIrclc, ut tho midway point Of
which tho union station Ia located.
TltG AWFUL SWIRL
When tho engine struck that sharp
curve 1t left tho track followed by the
cars in m awful swirl, and thoy pilOd
up on each other 100 trOt away, after
crashing through train sheds and bring.
ing down tons Of structural iron to add
TO tho ,Otrors oi tho situation The by.
slnndors wont TO work at once, and tho
police and fro department quickly re.
spondo1, tho latter rendering valuable
service In promptly checking tho angry
flames, which threatened tho lives ot
scores Of others In addition 10 those
Killed outright who wore imprisoned In
tho mountain OF debris,
superintendent Bender arrived at nm
carly hour, aud under tho direction oil
trained wfcCkCrs tho tracks wurO soon
cleared and rpnuy fnr tho Fnsumntion mi