The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-21

The East-BOund Special COllided with
the west-BOund Express.

ES0st-DOunU Specl31 OOlIlOeO with
the west-BOund Express.
Direct disobedience of orders on the
part of Chicago & Grand Trunk engineer
and conductor, both of whom had seen
long service with the company and were
regarded as model employees, was the cause
of the tragedy. A Raymond & Whitcomb
with Eastern folk who had been taking in
the sights of the worlds fair, left the
Sixtieth-street depot of the road in Chi
cago at $40 p. IN. last night as the first
6. The train was in charge of engineer
Henry Woolley and conductor Bert n.
Scott, both residents of this place. All
went well until the Battle Creek station
was reached. This was at 3:27 a. m. From
here to the railroad yards, a distance of a
mile and half, there is double track
When the whitcomb special came to a full
stop in the depot the night operator hand
ed to conductor Scott two copies of an or
der for the train to proceed to the double
track, about half mile distant, and there
west bound, known as No. 9. This train
which was nearly three hours late, was
composed of thirteen day coaches and two
baggage cars. Most of the day coaches
had seen many years service, and were in
poor condition to withstand collision
Every one of the fated number was packed
with Eastern people. the majority of
whom, taking advantage of the low rates,
We're on their way to the exposition. The
Pacific express was in charge of engineer
Gil Cranshow and conductor Burns, who
had received orders at Lansing to look out
for the east-bound train the double
track, and were on the alert
After receiving his orders at the Battle
Creek station engineer Wooley proceeded
up the double track, but instead of stopping,
as instructed until the west-bound train
had passed, he continued on and entered
again upon the single track. He had hardly
gone more than an eighth of a mile when
seen coming around the slight curve 1t
was speeding west-bound at a rate of fully
forty miles an hour. There was no time
TO apply air brakes or reverse levers. The
engineers and firemen of both trains jumped
for their lives, and a second later the giant
locomotives came together with a crash
that could he bea rd half a mile awav with
fearful force the engine of the special
plowed nearly half way into that of the ex-
press, driving it backwards into the bag
gage cars, and the latter, in turn, into the
day coaches behind. The shock was so ter
rife that the first four of these were COM
pletely telescoped. the first cutting through
the second and the second into the third,
the latter car, like a flash of lightning, pass
ing over the heads of the sleeping passen-
gers and sweeping them in mass to the
further end of the cars.
FIRE ADDED TO THE HORROR.
To add to the horror the wreck took fire,
and the groans and shreks of the wounded
were succeeded by heartrending cries and
appeals for help from the scores imprisoned
by the heavy timbers or held down by the
seats. The travellers on the special, nearly
all of whom had been shaken out of their
berths by the shock, rushed out of the cars,
but before the fury of the flames they were
almost powerless to render any assistance.
At the moment of the crash Henry Gran
field. one of the night clerks in the Grand
Trunk office, a short distance away. pulled
the fire-alarm box and also telephoned TO
the engine house for aid. AS i'll fortune
would have it. however, the key to the tow
er was mislaid, and several minutes were
lost before the alarm bell was sounded to
awaken the citizens. The fire department
was prompt in responding. but the nearest
hydrant was nearly two thousand feet
away, and when a line OF hose laid the
pressure was not sufficient TO throw a