The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-07-23

train of two cars on the North Fifth
street hill, in which John T. Alexan-
der. of Benton Heights. a former prom
inent Huntington, Indiana, attorney,
was very seriously injured and twelve
others painfully but not badly hurt.
an investigation was begun this morn
ing by General Superintendent Jeff-
ries of The T. H. l. & E. and other
minor officials in an effort to fix the
responsibility for the wreck.
1t is within the powers Of the In
diana Railroad Commission to make
an investigation. but it is not known
whether such action will be taken by
that body Ehe southbound freight
train into which the northbound Fair
view car dashed was scheduled to
leave the freight station at $3.50, street
car officials state, but was an hour
and a half late, and the crew Of the
presence until the car reached the
crest of the hill, then motorman Ben
Sanford did everything in his power
to avert the impending wreck before
jumping, sanding the track and throw
ing on the brakes, but the rails were
covered with oil from the freshly
treated street, and the city car with
it's load of terror stricken passengers
shot down the hill like a roller-coaster
and dashed into the freight car, which
was just coming to stop. with a
crash that could be heard for blocks.
Hurled Into the Street.
People who were witnesses of the
wreck stated that when the two cars
met, the passengers in the city car
were hurled out as though they had
been shot from a catapault. Motor
man r. r. Denny of the freight train
stuck to his post and escaped with
only a few cuts about his face from
flying glass, as his vestibule was not
crushed in. The second after the ac-
cident the cries, groans and screams
of the injured could be heard all
over the neighborhood and residents
of nearby houses Immediately rushed
to their assistance and carried them to
lawns or into houses to await the ar
rival of the four ambulances which
were called to the scene. However,
a feet of automobiles reached the
scene before the ambulances and sew
eral of the less seriously injured were
taken to their homes in autos.
Three of the injured were taken to
the hospital, John T. Alexander. Ira
Woodard and Miss Irene Pottenger.
The latter was not seriously hurt and
was soon removed to her home.
Car Badly Damaged.
The city car which was in the
wreck was 30 badly damaged that il
will take weeks to repair IL. Nearly
one-third of the car was smashed In
to small bits, the vestibule being alb,
solutely demolished. So tremendous
was the impact that section Of the
city car was driven under the freight
car to the front axle Of the latter car.
1t took the wreck crew at least an
hour to pry the two cars apart and
then they had difficulty in removing
the city car to the shops
Conductor Woods of the city car
just before the wreck occurred jump,
ed and escaped without a scratch
Conductor Fred Ross of the freight
train was thrown down by the shock
of the collision but was not hurt
The only two passengers not thrown
from the city car when the shock
came were Mrs. Oliver Thomas and
Mrs. John Evans, both of Fairview
Mrs. Thomas was hurled to the floor
of the car and Mrs. Evans was pitch
ed over two seats and rendered un
conscious. While she was in this
condition some person relieved her OF
her pocketbook.
Oil Ruins Clothing.
The clothing of those who were
thrown into the street was absolutely
ruined by the oil and it is expected
the total loss in this respect will be
between $500 and $500. The freight
cars were well filed with various
kinds of merchandise but 1t is not
believed the damage to this stock
amounted to much
In the winter a wreck similar to the
one Of yesterday occurred but without
any disastrous results. A city car
dashed into a freight, owing to the
wet condition Of the tracks, and the
motorman of the city car was slight
ly injured
The North Fifth street hill ia rec