Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1921-02-28
PAGETWO

nesvy train struck the derailing
s"itcn- The crash followed
michigan Central officials nlaced +be
numner OF dead at more than 30
nhe unofficial reports had the death
list as high as SO.
me towerman of the Michigan Cen
usI was arrested Immediately after the
tsch, officials saying they believed he
Iao ieit a switch closed causing the
oeraiiment of the eastbound train.
me Michigan Central train left Chi
cago at 5:05 y. m. bound for Toronto.
~ was cut in half by the westbouns
nyer and both engines plunged down
Both Ensinemen Killed
f1otn enginemen of the New York
central train were killed. The enginees
was Claude johnson of Elkhart. Ind.
rive bodies were recovered near the
deoric of the two engines.
The dead engineer was IS years old
and had been with the road for "a
years.
The scene of the wreck is at the
Spot whore the Hagenback- Wallace
circus train was demolished and ap-
prolxmately 50 persons killed several
yesfs ago.
1t Is believed virtually all of the. dead
We're In two Of the Michigan Central
coaches demolished when the New
folk Central train hit them.
The only known dead on the New
YORK Central train were the two en-
ginemen.
The engineer of the Michigan Central
is missing. 1t was reported he jumped.
The tracks of the two railroads in
tersect here at sharp ngle, being AL
most parallel. The Michigan Central
train was believed TO have started
across the intersection when derailed.
The towerman was blamed by rail-
road officials for allowing the Michi-
gan Central train to attempt to cross
ahead OF the westbound train.
The few persons living here imme-
diately began the work of rescue. using
lanterns, Relief trains arrived from
Michigan City and Chicago about an
hour after the wreck. Victims were
taken to Cary and Michigan City.
Anthony Foster of Porter. who was
standing 220 feet from the crossing
when the wreck occurred, said he was
attracted by the screeching or the
brakes on the Michigan Central train.
Story of Eye Witness
Il was Mortified wheE saw the New
York Central train approaching at high
speed as the Michigan Central train lay
across the tracks OF the New York Gem
trial. he said. THE New York Cen
trail train approached at nearly so miles
an hour. and was so close before the
Michigan Central train was thrown IN
it's path that frantic efforts to stop the
train were unavailing.
"rhe crash demolished two coaches
of the Michigan Central train and laid
both engines in tangled mass in the
ditch
'Shrieks rose from the injured and
dying, and trainmen ran about waving
their lanterns as the wreckage caught
fire.
.rhe work of rescue began quickly
but was hindered by the darkness
Bodies were placed along the right Of
way as rapidly as they were pulled
from the wreckage.
I'VE could dimly make out the out
line OF the wrecked trains. Passen-
began the work 81 rescue while trair
crews went to summon aid.
There were no doctors available un
I'll the second relief train arrived sew
eral hours later and the uninjuret
rendered emergency aid to the first in
jured taken out
THE injured were rushed to MIGHT
gan City and scattered through private
homes"
A Passenger Describes Scene
CHICAGO, Feb. 27.-The unin5uret
passengers on the New York Contra
train which crashed into Michigan
Central train at Porter. Ind, wer
brought here late tonight.
J. III. Gelhart of Oak Park, ILL.,, on
OF the passengers told OF the wreck a
follows:
The first intimation we had of TIL
disaster came when our train began t
jerk and jump when the emergenc,
brakes were applied.
1.-THE next moment the windows wer
shattered by wreckage and there wa
a terrific grinding as we ploughe'
through the other train. Women begal
to scream and, l found myself lynn
alongside the track.
we crowded out of the wreckag
as best we could. On all sides wer
people lying, some dead and some in
jured.
MANY bodies were badly mangiet
although we did not know then unit
we began to gather them up.
Every one was running aroun
frantical1y. Flames and clouds O
steam were shooting from the engines
but the wreclSage OF the cars did nc
catch fire.
THE passengers helped in the wor
of recovering the bodies. There wa
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