The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1914-10-24
THE WRECkINC
OF PASSENGER
TRAIN NO. H

Near Broussardville, Sunday
Morning, at III O'clock
No One Seriously Hurt.
Southern Pacific passenger
train No. II, Calhoun, engineer,
and CARROTS, conductor, engine
No. 900, while on her way west
ward, was wrecked opposite ST.
Julien place at Ill Sunday morn
ing. The first car back of the
tender broke loose and went down
the fifteen foot embank ment, roll
ing completely over before coming
to q rest in the ditch at the bot
tom. The locomotive did not
leave the rOadbed. The next
three cars turned on to their sides
and skidded down the embank-
ment, after stripping themselves
of their running gear. The next,
a chair car, started on its head
long plunge down the slope, ram
ming the proceeding overturned
car and came to a rest. It's back
end was cooked high in the air
aud it was creened to the left at
an angle of about 45 degrees
The next two cars were sleepers,
the "Springport" and the La-
porte." The first Of these had
made a good start down hill, but
was stopped by the chair Car.
The last sleeper had changed its
course but did not leave the road
bed.
All of the six coaches in that
train were of the all steel con.
structiOn and not one of them col
lapsed. They were all lighted by
storage batteries and as these bat
teries were wrecked in all but the
last two cars, the lights went out;
bnt there was no fire to add to
the horrors of the night. In the
last two coaches their lights burn.
ed till extinguished at daylight.
Immediately after the wreck
the train crew, assisted by the
cooler headed passengers, started
the rescue work; getting the
frightened passengers out Of the
cars. Fortunately the passenger
list was light that night. As
soon az all we're gotten out and it
was learned that none we're fatal
ly injured, wire message was
gotten through to Lafayette, an
Douncing the wreck and giving
the particulars as rapidly as they
could be learned and transmitted
At 2:2O Superintendent Knight
linger was advised of the happen
ing. At 3:04 the relief train, car
ryiDg doctors, nurses, and all first
aid appliances, was on its way to
the scene. 1t arrived at 3:25 and
started it's return trip al 3:55
The relief train reached Lafayette
at 4:10 and at AGO m the unin
jured passengers, destined for
points beyond, were started on
new train on their westward
course.
There were some l5 or 20 per
sons, including members Of the
train crew, who suffered more or
less from painful bruises and
wounds. But six of this number
needed the services Of physician
and but one of the six was at the
time considered at all dangerously
hurt. This one in the course of
5he following days came out OF
The trouble with no lasting i'll con
sequences. Mr.. L. e. Bouchard,
me of the Travelling Freight and
Passenger Agents of the road,
who makes his headquarters 10
his city, was on that train at the
lime of the disaster. He escaped
With y slight sprain Of the wrist
If the right hand.
The railroad track was com
torn up for couple of
lundred feet and blockaded by
he last two crippled coaches.
As the wrecker arrived from the
vest, the track had to be rebuilt
before that engine could be
brought into action in clearing |
he track. This delayed the clear
Dg some hours. In consequence
# this, trains number IL, 8, 8, 2,
!, and 6 Of that day, had to be de.
CURED via Cade, st. Martinville
md Breaux Bridge, to Lafayette.
These intermediate towns we're,
or once. on the map. Train No.
o, that evening, went straight
through over the re- built track.
A board of investigators was
during the forenoon to
make inquiry into the causes of
he derallment and wreck. Their
7erdict was as follows:
aboard OF Inquiry convened to
investigate deraiIment of train No.
L, mile post No. 1877, one mile
,ast Of Br0ussard, Ill q. N. date;
md accident due to spikes pulled
rom about three rail lengths of
,oo ord hnlfc romOvQd from a