Norwich bulletin., 1921-02-28

Porter, Ind, Feb. 27.-BetWeen tnfr- ty and forty persons were reported kill ed. and an unknown number injured to- night when a west-bound New York Central train here :n what officials said may be one of the most disastrous wrecks in history.
 Michigan Central officials placed the number of dead al more than thirty, while unofficial reports made the death list as high as fifty;
 The tower man of the Michigan Gen. tral was arrested immediately after the wreck. officials saying they believed he had left switch closed. causing the de- raiIment of the east-bound train
 The Michigan SAntral train left Chi cago at 5.o5 p. m.. hound for Toronto Canada. It was cut in half by the vest bound flyer, and both engines plunged down an embankment
 Both enginemen of the New York Cen trai train were killed. The engineer was Claude Johnson of Eikhart. Ind. Five bodies were recovered near the debris of the two engines. Fifteen bodies have been recovered with sng a few hours after the wreck.
 II is believed that virtually all, of the dead were in two of the Michigan Gen. trai coaches which were demolished when the New York Central train hit it.
 The only dead known on the New York Central train were the two elIgineme1. The engineer of the Michigan Central is missing It was reported thai he leaped from his cab when he saw the oncomins New York Central train. -S.
 The tracks of the two railroads inter- sect here at a sharp angle, being all most parallel. The. Michigan. Central train was believed to have started across the intersection and then to have been derziled The tower was blamed by railroad officials for allowing the Mich igan Central train to attempt to cross ahead of the west bound train. :
 A few persons living at this junction point immediately began the work of Reseue, using lanterns in their search far the dead and injured. Relief trains arrived from Michig gan City and Chicago nurses and doctors. The victims were taken to Gary and to Michigan, City.
 The list of identified dead fellows:
 Claude Johnson. engineers of the New York Central train. Elkhart, nd.
 Carl Deland. fireman of the New York Central train, Erkhart, Indf U 7
 Mrs. Barney Kramer, Michigan City, Indiana.
 = Rosenwald, high school. teacher at Michigan City. 'i.---'>.' i-.'-4. :.
 - Heck, travelling salesmaN of Chi cago. s.,
 At ten o'clock twenty-six bodies had been recovered from the wreck2ge and ralway officials were Of the, opinion thai the total death list might exceed forty i've 7: 1
 Twenty bodies were taken to Chester ton, Ind, and four to Michigan City, In diana. f1 automobiles ,-t
 Identification of many of the bodiei vas impossible because of their mangiee condition.
 There were no physicians here and frs aid was given the injured only by pas Aengers. :,
 The scene of the wreck is at the exac spot where the Hagenbach-Wallace cir GUS train was demolished and approxt mately 80 persons killed several year ago. The circus train was running on tn New York Central tracks and the Michf gan Central train crashed into it. :
 All of the dead and injured passenger were the occupants of wooden bag gage and passenger coach which was de nolished. -'-.< 'z-.-' -5-'
 According to railway officials, the dis aster was caused by the failure of tn engineer of the Michigan Centrai,tfain t heed block signal at the cross-ove where the Michigan Central and Ney York, Centrals tracks intersect.
 The block signal automatically set | derailing switch, when the Michigan Central train failed to heed the sigma against it. It struck the derailing switc and plonghed along the ties for 300 fee before it stopped, with the wooden coac directly on the track in front of the or coming New Yo.k Central-train wh:c vas hit squarely and. then -ploughed i way through the wreckage before 1t coul be stopped. - -s .f
 The telephone operator at the locs exchange sent ous an emergency; cal md farmers for miles around gathered a the scene to aid in the work of recue.
 All of the victims so far as known ex cept two members of the New York Cen tral engine crew. were occupants of tn wooden day coach and were mostly res dinets of Illinois Indiana and Michi points. r