The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-17
Passengers Badly Frightened by the
Terrific Impact of the Collision,
but None Was Hurt.
ENGINEER RITcH1E's STORY
HE THOUGHT HE WAS FAR ENOUGH
FROM JUNCTION OF TRACKS.
Track Torn Up and the Property Loss
Was COnsiderable-COllisi
Was Spectacular.

A wreck that fortunately was attended
with no loss of life, but which injured En-
gineer John Ritchie and Fireman John c.
Straw, both of Indianapolis occurred at
6:25 o'clock last night on the Jeffersonville,
Madison & Indianapolis division of the
Pennsylvania railroad near the bridge over
Pleasant run. The Jeffersonville, Madi-
son & Indianapolis track parallels the west
side of Garfield Park, and had the acci-
dent been two hundred feet further south
the consequences must have been dire. as
several cars would probably have been
derailed and plunged into the rocky bed
of the stream twenty feet beneath.
The collision was between a passenger
train and freight train. The passenger
train, No. 30, drawn by engine No. 4S7. in
charge of Engineer George H. Frazier. Is
Walcott street, and Fireman Lewis N.
Grant, 1914 Southeastern avenue, left the
Union station at 6:15 o'clock. 1t was a COM
bination train, a portion OF which was de-
tached at Columbus fol. Madison, the main
portion being scheduled for Louisville. 1t
contained four day coaches and a baggage
car. and was comfortably filled with pas
sengers. The entire train was in charge
VI SoHouctOT w. M. ftODeTtSOn. lne Otuer
train was an extra freight which was be-
ing made up by engine No. 4l6 in charge
OF Engineer John Ritchie. Is Beville avenue,
and Firman John c. Straw. The engine
and crew were assembling the freight train
on siding just this side of the Pleasant
run bridge. They knew of the schedule for
the passenger train and were partly on the
siding waiting for it to pass. Engineer
Ritchie supposed he was entirely OF the
main track, but about one,third of his
engine-the forepart-was on. The pas
senger came to the point at about twenty
miles an hour on a down grade from the
Belt road, and hit the freight engine al
most amidships. The freight engine was
turned over on the east side of the track.
while the passenger jumped the main track
and fell down the emDankment
CARS DERAILED.
The baggage and two passenger cars were
derailed, but did not reach the edge of the
embankment before stopping. The track
for three rails length was torn up. The
cars were uninjured and were soon lacked
up and set back on the rails.
The overhead switch signal at this time
was supposed to show green light, indi-
conflicting stories as to whether this light
showed. but the opinion is expressed that
1t showed safety. The engineer of the
passenger was not aware of the danger un-
I'll he was almost on the freight engine He
reversed the lever, but the act was futile
in preventing the collision, though 1t re-
duced the momentum of the train and per-
haps prevented more serious consequences.
The engineer and fireman of the passenger
train stuck to the engine. Engineer Ritchie,
OF the freight, did not jump. but his fire.
man. Straw, did. Straw leaped down the
embankment and struck a post injuring
himself about the hips. Ritchie was hurled
from the cab by the force of the collision
and fell under the baggage car. His in
juries were bruises on the lower part of the
body and not of serious character
The escape OF the engine crews is regard
ed as almost miraculous. The injured were
brought to the city on the passenger train
and attended by DR.. John H. Oliver.
Although the accident occurred at 6:25
o'clock, 1t was fully o'clock before the
news of 1T became generally known The
wrechng crew had been called out prompt
ly and put the passenger train back on the
track. BY the time this had been done
reached the scene and her passengers were
transferred to No. 81 and with its passen-
gers brought back to the Union Station.
showed that the freight engine was prac-
tically demolished. but the passenger was
capable of restoration to service without
much repair. When the engines came to-
gether the cylinder heads of the freight
were knocked loose and a steam explosion
followed A peculiar feature of the wreck
was the position of the freight engine. 1t
lay on the east side of the track at the
very edge of the steep embankment. 1t
seemed balanced so carefully that little
effort would have been necessary to tumble
1t off the edge.
STEAM EXPLOSION.
The high speed at which the passenger
train was running caused a great impact
when 1t struck the freight engine. The
cylinders of the freight engine were
knocked of, allowing steam to envelop
the two engines. The fireboxes of both
engines were broken. throwing fire and hot
cinders high in the air. When Engineer
Frazier reversed the lever and started the
air brakes the sudden jar was very great.
Passengers were thrown from their seats
over one another. A number of window
panes in the coaches were shattered by the
force of the concussion.
A man named Hume, a passenger on the
train going to Louisville. said that he was
thrown ont of his seat some distance for
ward. Others piled on him. he said. and
all was confusion. They realized that a
wreck had happened, but could not ascer-
tain how serious 1t was until some minutes
afferward- When they were crawling from
the floor and regaining their equilibrium
Conductor Robertson entered the car and
told what had happened. He then gave
orders TO every one to remain in the car
as the train would be taken back tn the
Union Station until the tracks could he
cleared and another train made up To TN ke
them TO their destination.
A. l.. Yakey, conductor on the Garfield
Park car. was standing I'm the front end
of his car when he saw the two engines
come together. He said the noise accom-
was at least four blocks away from the
wreck. and when the engines struck he said
II sounded like a peal of thunder. This WAS
followed by clouds OF steam rising above