The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-10
RAN OFF A TRESTLE
DISASTROUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT
NEAR LINCOLN, NEB.
Train Wrecked and Burned, at Least
Eight Persons Killed and n Num-
Der Seriously Injured.

LINCOLN, Neb., Aug 9.-One of the
worst railroad wrecks in this section in
years occurred shortly after 10 o'clock to-
night. The north-bound Rock Island pas
senger train went off a high trestle four
or five miles south of the city. Eight peo-
pie are known to be killed and several in
jured 1t was local train, consisting of
engine, tender, baggage, smoking and
COACH The engine and combination car
went over the trestle, leaving the coaches
and a brakeman of the end coach were
not injured. They managed to release two
others. The killed are
C. d. STANDARD, conductor.
ISAAC DEPEW, engineer.
FOREMAN, name unknown.
THREE TRAVELLING MEN AND TWO
FARMERS, names unknown.
The engineer and fireman are buried un-
der the engine. Others are supposed to
have been burned in the wreck, which
caught fire soon after breaking through the
trestle. The injured are:
F. F SCOTT, expressman.
c. d. SHERER, mail clerk
l. S. BELL. of Lincoln, travelling man.
About twelve others were injured, but
their names are not known.
In response to a telephone message from
the State prison in the vicinity of the
wreck. a party of physicians, police and
fire department went to the scene and
rendered all assistance possible.
Colonel Bills, of the Second Regiment,
State militia, was one of the passengers,
but escaped unhurt. Henry C. Foote, of
Council Bluffs, the brakeman, was the only
one of the crew who escaped injury. His
story and that of the others who sur
vive indicates the wreck was due to the
work of train wreckers. and Walter
Seidell, who lives near the crossing, and
was the first one on the scene, states a
fish plate and the bar with which it had
been wrenched loose were found near the
trestle after the wreck occurred.
The train was due in Lincoln at 1910
and was running at lively gait when the
trestle was reached There were about
fifteen passengers in the chair car, all of
whom were got out more or less injured.
In the smoker there were ten or twelve
and it is not thought single one escaped.
When the engine struck the broken rails
it jumped the track and, bounding along
over the ties for a hundred feet rolled to
one side and plunged down on the Union
Pacific tracks below, followed by the
other three cars.
The brakeman tells this story: 81 knew
the trouble was in the smoker and rushed
forward to see what / could do. 1t was
a sickening sight. The car was shape
less mass of broken pieces and wrecka ge
and 1 could see the crushed and
mangled bodies OF the passengers
inside By this time help arrived and
we got out the baggageman and
mail clerk. The baggeman was terribly
injured. He was squeezed between broken
timbers and begging piteously for some
one TO save him from the flames which
were rapidly eating their way towards
him. The rescuers worked franticaIly with
saws and axes while the hot breath of the
approaching flames scorched their hands
and faces. When released the flames were
WllDln lNlIletu VI the lildll Hedu.
The engineer and fireman found
crushed under the engine, which was
turned upside down."
In the midst of the excitement the brake
man had presence Of mind enough to send
men out to flag a freight train following
on the Rock Island and another approach
ing on the b. & NJ. He also sent to the
penitentiary for assistance, and from there
the fire department was notified. The
chemical was soon on the ground, but
could do no good, and every vestige of the
burning bridge soon reduced TO a
heap of smoking ruins.
The trestle where the wreck occurred is
about two miles south OF the penitentiary,
five miles from the city. 1t about
three hundred feet long and sixty feet
high, and carried the Rock Island track
over the Il. * NJ. and the Union Pacific.
The B. & NJ. track is still open, but the
Rock Island and Union Pacific are block
AIDED. a freight train which arrived sooa
after the wreck carried the wounded to
| the city. Among those said TO have been
in the doomed smoker are five travelling
men, but it will be some time before a list
OF the dead can be procured. for all that
will be left in the morning will be a heap