The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-12-21
80 KILLED AS
TRAINSCRASH
New Orleans Express Rams
Accommodation Train at
Shepherdsville. Ky.
ABOUT 40 ARE INJURED
Relief Special Takes Victims of
Rear End Collision to
Louisville.
ABOUT 40 ARE INJURED

SnEPHERDsvILLE, Ky. Dec. 20. -
Thirty -eight persons were killed and
about forty others injured early to-
night when Louisville and Nashville pas
scnger train No. Z. from Cincinnati to
New Orleans. crashed into the rear Of
Bardstown. Louisville and Springfield
accommodation train just south OF the
station here. accordin., to w. F. Shcri-
ian. superintendent Of the Louisville d.
vision.
First reports, apparently authentic.
had placed the number OF known dead
at sixty-seven and the number OF In
jured at between forty and Atty. but
this was reduced when an official check
Of the figures was made.
No cause for the wreck was assigned
by Mr.. Sheridan, who would make no
statement pending an investigation Of
learned that the accommodation had
left the station after making stop.
when the first train came in sight rum
ming at q high rate Of speed and
plunged into the rear end Of the train
ahead. The two wooden coaches ond
the baggage car making UP the lighter
traint were splintered.
A relief train was started from Louis
Vile at once and by the time II arrived
the injured and the bodies Of the dead
had been 'reoavered from tho wrecked
placed aboard the relief train and rushed
to Louisville. Three or four others were
taken to private homes in Shephe rds-
ville. Supt Sheridan reported, but he
said he had been unable to learn the
exact number.
None of the passengers aboard the
| fast train was killed and none OF them
received more than minor injuries. An
other locomotive and train crew were
sent here from Louisville and after de-
tAching one baggage car the New Or
! leans train went on as soon as the right
/ Of way WAS cleared.
Jesse Weatherford, telegraph operator
! at the station here. said that after the
| accommodation train left the station he
had thrown his block to show the track
clear and left the office to help handle
baggage. When he got outside he saw
the fast train approaching. ran back &c
the once. pulled his block to show red
seised a lantern and rushed to the plat
form to nag It. He reached the side oi
the track just as the heavy locomotive
thundered by.
About twenty passengers who had
been discharged by the accommodation
when II stopped here were still on ths
station platform and were eyewitnesse.
to the tragedy they had SO narrowly es
capped. Several women among then
tainted and had to be cared for In addi
ton to the injured.
Within hve minutes of the crash vol
unteer rescuers were at work and loca
physicians administered first aid to tn,
injured before the arrival OF the relic
train from Louisville. Many OF the In
jured were so badly hurt that they wer'
unconscious. and some Of them were a
flrst thought TO be dead.
CINCINNATI. Dec. 30.-Touisvills ant
Nashville passenger train No. lef
Cincinnati At II :l6 o'clock this morning
The train a. made up In Cincinnati
consisted Of . mail baggage and ex
press cars. three coaches. \ sleeper an,
parlor cars.
An oflicial Of the Louisville and Nash
willie here tonight said q through goint
sleeping car from New York to New
Orleans usually Is connected with tn
train at Cincinnati. but that this wa
not done to-day because OF the late ar
rival OF thu New York train.