The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-09
After Smashing Into a II. 4 f.. Engine
in This City 1t Is Wrecked
at Mattoon.
TRAIN CREWS MARROW ESCAPE
ENGINEMEN HAD To JUMP FOR
THEIR LIVES TWICE.
An Open Switch Near MattOOn the
Cause of TrOuble-No Passen-
gers Were Hurt.

Big Four fast passenger train No. 10. run
ming between Boston and st. Louis. met
with enough bad luck yesterday To war
rant the belief that there was "hoodco"
aboard. After leaving Indianapolis yester-
day afternoon fifteen minutes late, on its
way to st. Louis, it dashed into a pas
senger locomotive of the p. & E. road,
near White river and the Kingan switch,
damaging it's own engine so badly that the
train had to be taken back 10 the Union sta
ton until new locomotive could be pro-
vided.
After getting started finally, and proceed
ing without further trouble until it got
near Nation, ILL.,, No. 10 ran into de-
rallied switch and the i'll luck had it's eli
max. The locomotive was completely de-
molished and the smoker and baggage cars
were battered to pieces. Fireman Brown
was badly scalded and the engineer only
saved his life by jumping. None of the
passengers were injured. No such run of
bad luck in one day has been known to
happen to single train in years.
HOW ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
No. 10 is due to leave Indianapolis at 3.25
p. m. Yesterday afternoon it was q. quar-
ter of an hour late In getting away and
the crew of the engine were anxious to
make up time. Just before 1t reached the
series of switches on the Kingan road, near
White river. James Kennedy, the switch
tender. knowing that No. IS was late, had
given the right of way to a big p. & Z.
passenger engine that was on its way to
the Union Station for a train of cars. Ken
nedy had gone out on the tracks before
No. 10 showed in sight to see if it was COM
ing, and neither seeing nor hearing it, he
signaled for the z. & E. engine to go ahead.
AS the p. 6, E. locomotive went over the
bridge, No. Is and its long line of Pull
! mans came in sight Kennedy jumped for
his lever and threw the switch, tagging
the p. & 4. engine to go on. A col
lision was inevitable, and though
Engineer Garner of the Big Four had
slowed down On account of the curve near
the bridge, he was sending his train along
at fast clip Engineer John Stacker and
| Fireman Fishinger of the Z. & E. had
plenty of time to save themselves, and
| they jumped through cut OF cars The
crew of No. 10 had to jump for their lives.
and both were badly bruised. The engines
| smashed together with crash. and the p.
| * Il. locomotive was buffeted back down
the track, where it collapsed. Its tender
was wrecked, the trucks knocked off the
| track and It's boiler bent and dinted. No.
| 19's locomotive suffered almost as much.
| Inc pilot was SnlVered, and the front OF
| the boiler was smashed. The cars of No.
| IS were Immediately taken back TO the
depot and new iron horse sent out from
| the yards.
! AN HOURS DELAY.
An hours delay ensued while the tracks
and bridge were being cleared and No
| 1873 new locomotive secured. 1t was well
on to 5 o'clock wher the train got away
! toward st. Louis. The run was made with
out any further evidence of "hoodoo
until the train reached the Illinois Central
crossing. about three-quarters of a mile
| west of Nation. No. 10 had slowed UP
| somewhat when 1t approached a switch
| near the crossing, or the wreck that took
place might have been far worse in de-
| struction and in loss of life. The heavy
| train plunged into the switch, and the
| locomotive, smoker and baggage car piled
| one on top of the other. Fireman Brown
was slow in jumping and was caught un
der his locomotive. He was seriously
scalded. Engineer Nick Robinson man
aged TO jump In time and received no in
juries. A tramp who riding on the
head end of the train was cut and bruised
The passengers got a shaking-up and
scare, but no one hurt.