The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-15

LINCOLN. Neb.. Aug. Gone of the
worst railroad wrecks in this section in
years occurred shortly after 10 O'Clock
tonight The north-bOuHd Rock Island
passenger train went off high bridge
four or five miles south of the city.
1t was a local train, consisting Of en-
CINE. tender, baggage. smoking car and
coach. The engine and combination car
went over the bridge leaving the coaches
suspended on the trestle.
When the engine struck the broken rail
she jumped the track and bounding
along over the ties for hundred feet
rolled to one side and plunged down
on the Union Pacific tracks below. fol-
lowed by the other three cars.
LINCOLN, Neb.. Aug. lot was
nearly dark this evening before the
frightful mass of debris occupying the
ravine where the Rock Island express
was wrecked and burned a few miles
south of this city last night had cooled
sufficiently to enable the large crowd
gathered at the place, IN the hope of
learning something of the fate of friends
relatives. 10 inspect the charred mass
in detail, but any hope they may have
entertained of securing from the great
ash pile information to the identity
of those who lost their lives in the holo-
caust was soon blasted.
The tons Of water thrown the
twisted relics of the train and the bed Of
embers had been insufficient to prevent
every vistige OF cOmbustible matter be
ing DESTROYED. Occasionally Charred
skull or a partially burned human bone
was raked from the bed of the furnace
but nothing more remained 10 tell the
tale of those who went down with the
aII-fated train and time will be required
20 determine just how many persons
were lost in the wreck.
Killed.
c. n. PINNEY. Council Bluffs.
E. H. MORSE, Kansas City.
HENRY PETERS. blacksmith, Coun-
Gil Bluffs.
e. H. ZEERNECKE, abstractor, Lin
MAJ. d. MATTHEW'S. withavens.
ANDREW S. HANSON, Mcpherson
county.
A A MUNGER. travelling man for
Counselnlan, grain dealer.
w O. HAMBELL. attorney, Fairbury.
WILLIAM CRAIG. fireman, Fairbury.
TWO UNKNOWN FARMERS.
FIVE UNKNOWN MEN.
TWO UNKNOWN FARMERS from
Jansen, Neb.
Those marked as unknown are those
passengers known to have been on the
train by the brakeman and unaccounted
for.
Col. c. J. Bills, Second regiment Ne
braska national guards, Fairbury, deep
flesh wounds in left leg.
Henry c. Foote, brakeman, Council
Bluffs, leg broken.
Jay Mcdowell, Fairbury, legs cut and
face bruised.
c. II. cherry. mail clerk, Kearney, bad
" bruised and cut.
f. T. Scott express messenger, injured
internally.
o. S Bell. travelling man, Lincoln,
Neb., internal injuries.
]. E. PuetZ, travelling man, Lincoln,
Neb., internal injuries.
\ passenger named Somrel. hurt about
the head.
Mrs Fritz and sister-in-law, Lincoln.
bruised.
The body of DR.. Pinney of Council
Bluffs was found in the wreckage this
afternoon. and, although fearfully
burned and merely mass Of flesh, 1t was
recognized by papers which escaped en-
tire destruction He was a prominent
physician.
From the confused tangle of conflicting
stories told by excited eye-witnesses il
has been definitely ascertained that one
man met his death in the flames
The low moaning which had been
heard in the ruins OF the smoker had
ceased before the flames reached it, and
the presumption is that all its unfor-
tunate occupants were dead. One victim,
whose name viii never be known, lay IN
der the tender, the upper edge of which
lay across his thighs, chrushing them
into the hard gravel.
As Col. Bills approached he begged
piteously to be released and saved from
the flames Col. Bills is a man of nerve
and decision. but he was confronted by a
terrible alternative. To move the tender
was an utter fmpossIbility, and the long
tongues of hungry flames were reaching
out greedily for their victim. For an in
slant he thought that only one OF the
mans legs was pinned down and thought
about amputating il. Then he saw both
were fast. and While he hesitated help
lessly for a moment a gush of wind
drove the flames and smoke upon him,
blistering his face and scorching his
clothes. Before he could recover himself
the long, fiery tongues had wrapped
themselves about the BODY and head of
their terrified victim and stilled his
screams.
Reward for the Fiends.
AS the Rock Island has offered a reward
of $1,000 for the apprehension Of the
wreckers the county and state will be
asked to add to the reward
Col. c. J. Bills, treasurer Of the Nation
al guard association of the United States,
was one Of the fortunate passengers, and
his story IS as folowsl Jay Mcdowell
and myself were seated in the middle of
the car. and. as we discovered that the
train vas likely to go over the trestle.
Mcdowell started down the aisle. called
10 him To sit down, and the next instant
the crash came. The lengine went over
board first, and the smoker on top of that
and the rear coach, in which we were
seated. janmed down upon the other.
The car was crowded with passengers,
and we were forced along the backs OF
the seats in front Of US. and all but Nc
Dowen and myself were horrible man
gled. As soon possible climbed
through a window, and in fifteen minutes
succeeded in eXtricating nine persons
who were damned in the debris. Hear
ing the shrieks and cries for help on all
sides, left Mcdowell and ran three miles
across the country TO the penitentiary
without making a stop. 1 had warned
the police department, and they responded
nobly with patrol wagons, carriages and
physicians"
Two Theories Advanced.
There are two theories as to the
wrecking Of the train, it being conceded
that the train was derailed by the re-
moval of the rails for a part of the way
across the trestle. There is plenty of evil