The herald., 1893-05-08
BRAKES REFUSED TOWORK
A Terrible Disaster on the
Big Four Road.
Ten Men Killed Outright and
Many Injured.
One Of the Worst Wrecks in the
History of Railroading.
twenty-five Men Terribly scalded on a
Mississippi River Steamboat.
Six of Them Dead and
Others Dying.
Bv the Associated press.l

BY the Associated Press.l
LAFAYETTE. Ind, May 7.-One of the
most horrible wrecks in the history of
railroading occurred on the Big Four
road, this city, at l :15 this morning, as
the result of which 10 men are now dead
and many more injured.
The train was the sast bound passen-
ger leaving Chicago at 9 p. m. The ac-
cident was caused by the failure of the
air brakes to work. The engineers des-
perate efforts to stop the train are shown
by the large amount OF sand thrown
by him on the bridge through
which the train came just before
the fatal crash, and his vigorous whist
ling for brakes. The engine dashed out
cf the bridge over the Wabash river at a
speed of not less than go miles an hour,
crashing into the depot building, tearing
off a portion and carrying the train sheds
several hundred feet. The engine, when
it left the track, was followed by the
baggage car, two postal cars and the ex-
press car, and piled in one promiscuous
mass, a total and complete wreck, bury
ing q score or more OF victims in
THE AWFUL PILE OF DEBRIS.
The chair car and two Pullman Sleep
ers remained on the track. To add to
the CONSERVATION fire broke out from the
stove in the baggage car, but the fire de-
partment speedily extinguished the
flames. A large crowd gathered quickly
at the scene of the disaster and assisted
in rescuing the victims and large force
of local physicians gave the necessary
attention to the wounded Several vie
Tins of the wreck were persons standing
in the depot waiting for the train.
The dead are as follows: Michael
Welch, engineer, indianapolis Fireman
McInnis, Indianapolis; E. D. Myers,
Logansport, mail clerk; Mcmahon,
Cincinnati, mail clerk; Charles Myers,
Lafayette, hackman; John Lannon, La
fayette, mail cart driver; Jesse HI
Long, Lebanon, Ind, mail clerk !;
Charles Schahill, indianapolis Otto
Jerselson. Chicago.
These we're all frightfully crushed and
mangled, their limbs being severed in
several instances.
The injured are as follows: Jefferson
Reese. Kempton Richard Jones, Pom
tiac, III. Louis Letter. Fowler; Sophas
Bergenhsle, Milwaukee; William Place,
Frankfort, Ind; Charles Roush, Lafay-
cite; William Bechtell, Lebanon, Ind. /;
@. A. Wissell, A. w. Cornahsn, L. A.
Wertsol, J. N. Vickett, all mail clerks,
Cincinnati.
The damage by property destroyed
will be fully $4,000.
HOW THE DISASTER OCCURRED.
The ill-fated train almost mile from
the station, began dashing around
curves and tore across the long bridge,
although the man at the throttle re-
versed the machinery and immense
streams of fire were being dashed off
from the driving wheels running in the
opposite direction to that OF the swiftly
flying cars that followed. Just
after leaving the east end of the
long bridge, the tracks describe
semi-circle, at the midway point, of
which the Union station is located.
When the engine struck the sharp curve
it left the track, followed by the cars in
an awful swirl, and they piled upon
each other 100 feet away. after crushing
through the train sheds and bringing
down tons of structural iron to add to
the terrors of the situation.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
The bystanders went to work at once
and the police and fire departments
quickly responded. Superintendent
Bender arrived at an early hour, and
under his direction the tracks were soon
cleared and ready for resumption oil
traffic.
The injured were removed to their
homes or the hospital and no other
fatalities are expected than those here
tofore noted.