The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-12-21
TOLL OF RAIL
CRASH DEAD
REACHES '47
Many Others Injured When
Limited Train Crashes Into
Local.

SHEPHERDSVILLE KY, Dec. 81
The death toll taken last night when
Louisville & Nashville passenger train
No Z, from Cincinnati to New Orleans
crashed into the rear end of a Louis
vile, Bardstown & Springfield accom-
mediation train, few hundred feet
south of the railroad station here had
reached forty-seven today.
The number killed was at first plac-
ed by w. F. Sheridan, superintendent
of the Louisville division of the Louis
vile G. Nashville, at thirty-ejght. Re-
vision Of this figure caused by addi-
tional deaths. from among those badly
injured increased the total to forty
seven.
The wreck, which is said to be the
worst In the history of the Louisville
& Nashville, occurred just after the
local train had pulled out from the
station here. 1t had gone only short
distance, when the other train came
into sight travelling at high rate of
speed. Before it could be halted it
had crashed into the slower moving
train ahead and made kindling wood
of the two wooden passenger Coaches
1t carried.
Engine Men Escape
The locomotive pulling .he fast
train was badly damaged by the i'm
pact, but the engineer and fireman es.
capped with a few bruises. The heavy
steel coaches it pulled were uninjurcd
with the exception of one baggage car,
and the train was able to proceed
when second locomotive had been
secured from Louisville. and the
wreckage of the local train cleared
from the rails
Blame for the disaster seems to
hinge upon whether the fast train had
been given a clear block or not Jesse
Weatherford. operator at the station.
said Immediately after the collision
that after the local train pulled away
from the station, he had turned his
fast train and then left his post in
response to orders to help unload
baggage.
AS he left the office, he said he saw
the train approaching, rushed back to
his office, set the red danger signal,
picked up red lantern and rushed to
the platform to flag it. He reached
the platform just as the train passed,
he said.
Superintendent Sheridan closely
questioned the crews of both trains
as well as the station force, but de.
clined to attempt to fix blame. without
further investigation.
Citizens Rescue Victims
Immediately after the crash, passer.
gers from the New Orleans train and
Shepherdsville citizens, rushed to the
aid of those imprisoned beneath the
wreckage OF the local
Several of those killed were so bad.
ly disfigured that it was impossible
to identify them last night.
Two children whose identity had not
been determined early today were
found in snow drifts into which they
had been thrown, and were cared for
last night by Shepherdsville citizens.
One, girl of about II years, was
apparently unhurt. but had suffered
such violent shock as to lose her
memory at least temporarily. The
other child, little girl o5cut four
years old, was asleep when picked up
from the snow-drift into which she
had been pitched by the impact of the
collision. Her rescuers decided not
to awaken her, after it was found sha
was unhurt and the child slept the
night through.
Many of the injured were SO badly
hurt that 1t is feared the death list
will be increased even further.