The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-04-04

BY a cavein of the c., c. & L rail-
road track just west of Minck's brew
cry on Main street, a special train
bearing one hundred and fifteen Red
Men, from a district meeting of the
order at Rushville, was precipitated
down the embankment at three
o'clock this morning and several were
hurt 1t is not known whether their
injuries are serious.
The accident was most unusual
one and trainmen on the train are at
a loss to explain how it happened.
Engineer Wood, who was in charge of
the train said that it felt to him as IL
the train was slipping down the bank.
The engine was on the overhead
bridge across Main street when the
accident occurred. The guard rail
kept it on the bridge although it left
the track.
The coal tender and the first coach
left the tracks, the tender turning
over and the coach falling to its side.
There we're over thirty in the coach
when it left the track. Those sitting
on the east side of the car were
thrown into the laps of their neigh
bors on the vest side.
None of the crew on the train was
injured. The makeup of the crew
was: ]. B. Wood, engineer; Robert
Holder, fireman; E. e. Smith, conduc-
tor and w. F. Frickie and w. A.
Troutman, brakemen.
At an early hour this morning it
could not be ascertained Just what
caused the derailment of the train.
The coach in falling down the high
embankment struck the electric light
| wires and they were strewn about
the street. They were broken and
the iron parts of the bridge and iron
pieces off the coach and tender be-
| came charged, making it dangerous
for any one to try and investigate the
track where the train left it.
There were three coaches on the
train. The last two remained on the
track The first coach remained at
tached to the coach Immediately be-
| hind. This is a singular thing and
illustrates how remarkable the acct
dent was. The train was running at
the rate of about ten miles an hour,
just coasting along, as the engineer
put it.
/ ,I<> TIT, 80 laI w
to walk home were taken to their
homes in the ambulance. Owing ta
the lateness of the hour it was not
possible to ascertain the exact nature
of tie injuries of those who were
hurt.
| Wreck crews were summoned i'm
me diately after the local officials were
notified of the affair. Two crews were
called from Cottage Grove and one
from Peru. 1t will take at least ten
hours to get the track cleared, and
possibly longer. -
The train which was wrecked was
an extra pulled by engine No. 102. It
carried only Red Men who were re-
turning from Rushville where they
had been to attend District meeting
Of the lodge. The lodge members
took the train at Cottage Grove hav-
ing gone to that point over the c. H.
& ID.
The water in the tender of the en-
CINE was spilled over Main street.
forming a good sized pool under the
railroad crossing.
i When the train left the track there
was great flash of electricity. Ser
geant Behold, on night duty at POI
lice Headquarters saw the fash and
thought it was lightning. The electric
al display was probably caused by the
breaking of large feeder wire from
the street car power house near by.
A number Of the wires of that COM
pany were injured by the car falling
on them.