Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1899-01-16

ltog s.her was 20 great that tie gre,
In steel driving rods on either side an
the steam pipes on both locomotive
were twisted like straws into all kind
= OF inconceivable shapes The car
nearest the engines were piled on tor
eompletely telescoped from end to end
Every bit Of machinery about the pom
derous locomotives was broken an,
rendered unfit for future use. Th
smoke stacks were twisted off and th,
9 cabs smashed to kindling wood Tt,
i, sheet iron coal tenders were wrenchec
: from the engines and deposited severa
: feet away by the side of the track
/ Other heavy parts of the locomotives
were treated in similar manner and
not part was found intact. The track
and cross ties were torn up for many
feet, and here and there are found
great holes in the ground made py the
force of the falling timbers. Soon
after the smashup the contents of the
cars took fire and blazed with furious
persistency for several hours.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED
aud companies l and 2 responded
| quickly, taking with them the steam
flre engine, which has been kept for
several years for Just such an emer-
gency as this. Luckily a good sized
stream OF water runs ne ir the scene of
the wreck, and Fl ON this good supply |
OF water was obtained ard turned on |
the smoking debris. The fire laddies
worked faithfully until l o'clock in the |
Afternoon, when they succeeded in
mastering the James suff iently to re-
turn home. Their efficient work was
greatly appreciated by the railroad Of
hcials who were at the wreck, and
time and time again the work of the
hre lighters was commended in a
hearty manner by the trainmen and
the on-lookers. Their services will :
not be forgotten, and there will no !
doubt be a more substantial recogni- !,
ion of their faithful work.
A CROWD OF SIGHT sEERs. c
Soon gathered, and all day long there c
vas a continual stream of curious peo a
,le from all directions coming to see q
he wreck. The drive road nearby. a
vas lined with veh 'cles for miles and 81
III the held in the vicinity had horses b
litched to every fence post, while their RI
rivers occupied their .attention with
he wreck 1t is estimated that several CT
persons visited the scene al
uring the day. Among the first per- 81
ons to appear for duty was the came tn
hend and numerous snap shots were 1t
ken to serve as reminders of the g.
orst wreck In this vicinity in many
ears. The awful Hagerstown wreck
elgnt or nine years ago was yividly =,
ought back to the minds of many ~
ho visited the scene of yesterdays -. ~
saster. except that there was no loss ~ ~
life this time. The fact that 'n'
sLY ONE MAN WAS SLIGHTLY HURT r,e
considered by the railroad officials sid
ID those who saw yesterdays smash the
J, to be one OF the most remarkable is
capades In the history of railroad tot
cidents and is unaccountxble. When the
9 engineers and fremen of the re- mu
ectIve freights saw the Slaring cou
adlight almost upon them they used viii
their forces to stop the engines by am
plying the air5rakes, but all to no tair
iil- A catastrophy was about to I
open and their presence of mind Lars
them to leap for their lives before seft
Meg ofzums.- te,ns4GiesS,s> juss- sxrtez--eI
sserman, who was riding on the tra'
st bound engine at the time of the are
lision, was struck by a missile thrown owe
the explosion of the engine, but es- rail
bed with slight bruise over the nul
t eye The other men were slightly s
ured by jumping but were able to ing
about the wreck. dit
iENERAI, SUPERINTENDENT MILLER wo
A., the
me 10 me scene ., .he VIII 49,. eaS sar SGT
W and then giving directions to the
N who were clearing away the wreck
d watching every detail with the wr'
,sest interest. Trainmasrer Green on
of the Indianapolis division and Mi
May of the Richmond wa
7ision were also on the scene, assist asl
: wherever possible. About 1880 dol
,loek Superintendent May telegraph
TO this city for coffee, meat and
her provisions and q special ear was -
ut in to bring the lunch TO the men, 70
10 showed their appreciation os this nu -
ect by eating the refreshing =, d ,
ibles in quick order. After this the Io
,rk was again resumed and at $50 W.T.
3 track was again cleared for traffic, DO
d a long delayed freight was the oo'
st TO pass over the repaired track. cal
iro
THE RESPONSIBILITY. o..
May, in speaking to sn
PALLADIUM reporter at the wreck
sterday morning. said that the re
onsibility of the collision lay with
g conductor and engineer of the the
,st- bound freight, who failed TO read wo
cir orders properly to stop at u COZ
wer, corner of west fifth street and be
Q railroad. 1t is said that four men bu
ad the orders wrong. which would the
AXE it seem that the orders we're not raj
ry explicit in the wording. How
er an investigation, which will be
made in few days, will more
finitely fix the responsibility of
d. blunder, which means thousands
dollars loss.