The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-01-01
TWENTY-FIVE DEAD
IN TRAIN WRECK
Passenger Trains In a Crash Near
Grand Rapids, Mich.
THlRTY-ElGHT 0THeRSlNJURED
The Accident Occurred On the rere
Marquette Line and Was caused
h. Wind Blowing out Red
Lighg Set a. stop Train.

Lighg Set a. stop Train.
Grand Rapids. Mich Dec = The
death sr Sunday night resulting from
the head-on collision between two
Pere Marquette railroad passenger
trains near East Paris Saturday even
ing stancs al -. with s. persons in
iured. several OF them probably fatally.
Ii was the most disastrous wreck in
the history Of the Pere Marquette sys-
tenn. and instead OF being caused by
any mans carelcssnes or mistake. is
charged TO the high wind which OK
tinguishcd the rel signal light in the
order board AZ McCord's station.
where the westbound train was ex-
pected % stop and receive new orders.
Two minutes before the train rushed
by MoCords the light was burning
says the operator there but in that
brief interval the blizzard which was
raging eNtinguished ii and train No.
dashed past the station u crash into
eastbound train No. G. near Paris
The trains. which were two OF thu
finest on the system. were reduced to
a promiscuous pile OF broken and
twisted timber and metal with dead
and injured pinned down and crushed
BY the fragments OF heavy cars
Five cars and two LARGE locomotives
were jammed into q space originally
occupied 10y three coaches and tho
wreckaec was strewn across the rail-
rOad right of way from fence % fence.
Collision Was Inevitable.
When train No s bound west.
whizzei by McCord's instead of stop
ping the frightened operator notified
the dispatcher. and then found that
his red signal light had been ext.n-
guished lie reported this fact and
then there was bur one action 70 take.
The collision was inevitable The lis-
patchors Office called for medical aid.
and gave orders 10 hold the train over
the Saginaw branch az the depot ana
get the wrecknz outfit under steam.
They then waited for the word they
knew must come
IN Awful Loss 81 Life.
There was no chance Of che fast
running trains % SEQ each other
through the driving blizzard In time
70 even siow down. and ia a few min
utes word came from the conductor
OF 80 trat thev had crashed to-
e. 30 a-7 that there was ain awful
loss Of Hfc
The westhOund engine drove through
NJ. G's engine like a wedge sepaTat-
ing the gear from the boiler and stand
ing the latter on end Ike q broken.
twisted she'll The running gear was
crumpied up Ike 50 much Irvine Great
cast steel side rods bent into many
shapes ana even tho steel tires Of the
btg driving wheels split ami sprung
from the wheels. landing in some cases
ten feet from the engine
Engineer AMI Fireman Escape.
The boiler or engine 80 turned
over several times. and the very force
~ the twisting impact seems % have
been the means 81 saving the life of
Engineer Natgman H. was flung ID
feet over the fence az the ci-e 81 the
right Of way Moon his fireman was
sitdng en- thc opposite Of the cab. and
he too was thrown clear Of the pile Of
wreckaEa
a mail ami baggage car. a combina- (
ton smoker BUFFET. parlor car. dav I
coach AMI dining car The bar-aga Z
coach caught between The engine and 4
heavy train. crumpled up Ike paste I
board. only tho roof remaining partly I
unhroken Tae big blind mail coach. 4
heavily bulk healed took tho hrrnt II /.
The blow hnt w.thstood tie shock and 4
communicated Il % the smoker next Z
in tho rear. The smoker was swept 4
clean as The mail car telesconed ia l
entire lengtb and turned over 81 the 4
north side ~ me track The smoker. 4
in turn. crashed several feet into the 4
parlor car and il was az tie rear end 4
OF tho smoker and forward end ~ tho 1
cafe car where the passengers we're !
killed and injured
Deeds % HeroE~m.
The westbolnd flyer with its heavy 4
hulkhead~d cars stayed on the rails. \
back OF the baggage and mail cars. I
and the passengers on this train es- \
capped serious injury As one man I
they rushed ont of the train 10 as 4
sist the less fortunate ones on the /
train from this city. Many stripped |
warm oyercoats from their backs and Il
covered the suffering injured as they 1
were borne from the less shattered 4
cars and taken into the remains Of par 4
Tor car No. 6. Nearby farmers. hear
ing the crash. returned with blankets I
and did valiant service.
Tho cafe coach Of the Inflated east.
bound train. which was demolished as
far back as the rear Of the forward I
trucks. one Of the most shocking OF 4
the many tragedies Of the wreck was
enacted
chance. ar,o.,-~ rt-.h.. ooss