Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-11-06
Is DEAD and 50 INJURED
Psetbsn Players Mangled ID a Railroad
Wreck.
loo PERSONS WERE ON THE TRAIN.
yhs First Coach Containing Members Of Per-
Sse University Team. Was Smashed to
kisdiiog Weed and the Bodies Of the VIC
uns We're FearfuNy Mauglsd-Death List
Likely 10 Grow.

Likely 70 uIoN.
indianapolis, Ind. Especially Fifteen
persons were killed and over 50 injur-
ed, some fatally, by collision between
= special passenger train on the Big
Four Railroad and a freight engine
with a cut OF coal cars. The accident
happened on the edge Of this city. The
passenger train of IL coaches was car
rying os4 persons, nearly all Of whom
we're students of Purdue University
and their friends, from Lafayette to
indianapolis, for the annual football
game between the Purdue team and
the Indiana University squad for the
State championship, which was to have
been fought in the afternoon.
In the first coach back OF the en-
CINE were the Purdue football team,
substitute players and managers.
Three players, the assistant coach,
trainer and seven substitute players OF
the University team were killed, and
every one Of the hfty-three other per-
sons were either fatally or seriously in
jured.
From the II coaches were coming
the joyous cries OF thousand rooters
for Purdue, clad in gala dresses, with
colors streaming. while in the front
coach sat 70 muscular fellows. trained
to the hour, on whom the hopes OF a
brilliant victory on the gridiron were
confidently placed.
Around a curve at the Eighteenth
street cut Engineer Schumacher found
directly in front OF him the freight en-
CINE and coal cars moving slowly from
. switch leading to a gravel pit. He
reversed his engine and jumped.
The crash hurled the passenger EN-
eine and three front coaches against
the steel freights loaded with coal, that
plowed their way through and buried
under a pile of wreckage weighing
many tons fully 80 human beings.
The first car, in which were the
players, was completely demolished,
the roof being torn away and landing
across a car Of coal, while the body OF
the car. was reduced to kindling wood
against the side OF the steel freight
cars. The second coach, containing
the band OF musicians, was partly tele-
scoped, while the third coach was over
turned and hurled down a I5-foot en-
bankment.
The other coaches did not leave the
track. President Stone, OF the univer-
sity, with his family, was i'll the fifth
coach and was not injured.
Immediately after the shock the pas
sengers, men and women, began the
frantic work OF tearing away the
wreekage and pulling out dead and dy-
ing classmates and fraternity brothers.
Young women performed heroic work.
Though the bodies were in several in
stances horribly mangled. one com
pIetely and one partially beheaded, they
took upon their laps the heads OF the
dying and injured and soothed their
sufferings as best they could. until the
surgeons arrived Their bloodsta ncd
and grimy garments were gloomy wiz
nesses Of their heroism.
4 general alarm was soH"i -. "r
every assistance the city could a:.o d
was rushed TO the wreck. which WIS
three miles from the business centre.
Surgeons dashed up in automobiles
FIRE wagons, ambulanccs, express wa
eons, undertakers' vehicles, private
conveyances, and even delivery wa
CONS, were sent to carry away the dead
and injured.
While these were being carried tn
the morgucs and hospitals the work OF
tearing away the wreck and rescuing
those pinned beneath went on. Big
muscular students wept aloud as they
stood over the bodies OF their dead
friends and fellow workers or gazcd
helpless upon the sufferings OF their
college mates writhing in pain.
To add to the horror the wreckage
caught fire, but the flames were extin-
guished by the students after hard
fight.
All the young men killed were in the
first coach. They were found lying
tangled and bleeding, with the injured
pinned against them. The coach held
about 10 persons.
-. While the work of rescue was goir
on there arrived in the city over ooc
cheering followers OF the red and white
OF Indian University, at Bloomington
Banners waved. college yells were be-
ing hurled from the windows and
4treamers were displayed from the win
dows OF the car bearing the university
football team.
AS the happy and excited students
poured from the train news OF the trag-
edy to the black and gold Of Purdue
was received. Instantly all was sad
ness and sympathy The throng melt
ed into Borrowing groups that separat-
ed to search morgue and hospital for
friends, or took cars for the scene OF
the wreck to lend any possible aid.
Welsh Miners reported.
Philadelphia Especially - Twenty-Five