Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-03-11
DROWNEDIN AGAR
The Victims Of the Disaster on the
e. and T. n. Road.
At LEAST Six LOSE THEIR LIVES.

Fireman Caught Under the Engine and
Knied-several Passengers In the smoke,
Plunged Into the Water with tho Car
Which II Entirely and Deeply Submerged
Accident the Result Of the Flood Weak.
ening the Roadbed.
Princeton. Ind. March 1.-THE south.
hound Chicog and Nashville limited
train over the Evansville and Terre
Haute railroad was wrecked about 4
O'Clock yesterday morning at q point
about quarter Of mile south Of the
railroad bridge across White river,
which Is two miles north Of Hazelton,
this county. Backwater from the river
had risen up to within few feet Of the
road bed, which is on a very high en-
bankment or levee. Other trains had
passed over this place few hours pre-
vious, and the road bed was then
thought to be safe. This Inflated train
crossed the bridge and was running
about twenty-five miles an hour With
out warning the embankment gave
away under the train, precipitating the
engine and the combination mail and
baggage and the smoker into the ditch
Brakeman Has Close Call.
In an instant the water from up
stream rushed with terrific force through
the break. tearing the levee away rapid
ly. The mail car went down end first.
and the smoker plunged under II. By
this plunge the entire top was torn
from the smoker. Brakeman Hauei:,en
was caught In this car between the
stove and the end and was held fast.
The car hung over the brink Of the
washout for several minutes. The brake
man hnallyreleased himself and escaped
only few minutes before the car
plunged into the flood.
Perhaps There Arc Sig Dead.
1t Is certain that Conductor George
Sears was In there and probably four
or five others. All met death either by
the conclusion or drowning. A valise
was found bearing the name wv. b.
Phillips. Fort Wayne. 1nd.." and cards
inside indicated that the owner was
travelling for this house, selling shirt
waists. The ladies' coach was derailed.
but did not turn over. and all the oc.
cupants escaped to the sleepers on the
rear OF the train and were taken back
to Vincennes. The engine. No. "a, in
charge OF Engineer John McCutcheon,
ana Fireman Joseph Bowman, turned
over on the east side into I'VE feet of
water. McCutcheon was thrown west.
ward and fell into the water, but swan
out. Fireman Bowman Jumped with the
engine and was caught when II fell.
He lies buried under several feet OF
water and the body has not been re-
covered.
bodies Arc still In the Smoker,
The wrecked smoker sank from view
several hundred yards from the track.
and the bodies In that car cannot be re.
covered until the water recedes. One of
them IL believed to be Herbert Allen, of
Evansville. doorkeeper in the late leg.
islafure. returning home. The baRRa1e.
man. Harry Hill. had a miraculous es-
cape. and was not injured. His car lies
buried In water. The wreck. train with
railroad officials arrived after some de-
lay. a large force OF men was put on
WORK trying to keep the remainder OF
the enhancement from washing. Waves
fifteen and twenty feet high lean
through the breach. and nothing
dumped into the breach seems to be OF
effect In stopping the washing. Present
Indications are that 1t will be several
days before traffic can be resumed over
this place.
List Of the Known Casualties.
Following Is a list of the casualties
believed to be correct as far as II goes:
killed-George A. Sears. Of Terre Haute.
conductor in smoker: Joseph Bowman,
fireman. Evansville. buried under the
locomotives: Herbert Allen. doorkeeper
of the legislature. Evansville; four un-
known passengers. The injured are
Engineer John McCutcheon. Of Evans
VILE, scalded about the legs and arms
and bruised: John B. Hauelsen. brake.
man. Evansville, foot badly crushed.
The seven recorded as killed are known
to be lost.