The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-10-16
TEN CARS
OFF TRACK
NEARDEPOT
Sensational Wreck, No One
Reported Fatally Injured
In Miracle
ESPECIAL TO THE TIMES1


The heavy Monon night train from
Louisville, travelling at terrific
speed. was Gerailed here early this
morning. ripping a bridge to splia-
te-s. ploughing up the roadbed and
stringing coaches along the track
for a quarter of a mile.
CONSIDER 1T A MIRACLE
Railroaders consider IL miracu-
lous that there was no loss OF life
Some trick OF fate kept the coaches
from jumping off OF the bridge and
prevented them from topping over
the 2o-foot enbanknent which falls
away abruptly along the east side
OK the track for several hundred
feet
When a hasty inventory OF dam
ages had been taken by trainmen.
Il was found that the baggageman,
James r. Brown OF Louisville, Ky.
was the only person seriously in
iured. HIS left shoulder was dis
located. Mrs. c. A. Grinner. 2S4o
Commonwealth ave. Chicago. who
y as in one of the Pullmans. had a
slight cut over her eye. That was
the wrecks toll in injuries
HOW 1T HAPPENED
The train, which passes through
Dyer at $40. was making It's US
nal speed when It approached the
station. Just before reaching the
bridge over the creek, which is
about 100 feet south OF the station.
the second baggage car is believed
10 have left the rails. Other cars
tho z. ]. & E tracks which cross
the Monon at the depot and contin-
ued across the Michigan Central
tracks which are several hundred
feet north OF the depot. Then the
locomotive and first baggage car
broke free from the train.
ENGINE STICKS TO RAILS
The locomotive remained on the
rails. The ten coaches came to a
stop at various angles with the
tracks. Not one turned over
Practically all of the wood work
OF the creek bride was chewed to
stream below The steel rails held
in spite of the rough usage. The
cars could not fall through.
PASSENGERS LUCKY
Along the east SIDE of the track
from the bridge to the Michigan
Central tracks the roadbed falls
away sharply for 20 feet to the
creek bed. Fortunately none of the
cars headed that way. They all
stuck to the west side of the track
The little depot was splintered in
nj hxy ~i oFi
steel which were thrown from the
coaches.
Halfway between the E ]. & z.
and Michigan Central and opposite
the depot is the interlocking tower
From his nigh perch the towerr1an
witnessed it all. expecting momen-
tarily 70 be hurled down the en-
bankment. When it was all over
his tower Rad not been touched.
SEND FOR HELP
Someone Immediately sent a hur-
~ call to Hammond for all avail
able physicians and ambulances.
They were there in short order but
there was little to do. The bag
gageman was removed TO the hospi-
tai Mrs Grinner's cut was dress
ed and the work was done.
But the property damage will run
into thousands Of dollars. 1t will
be necessary TO rebuild the bridge.
A quarter mile of new rails and
cross ties will be required The
roadbed IS in frightful condition.
Practically all OF the cars had their
under-rigging torn away.
TRAFFIC BLOCKED
Traffic on all three railroads was
blocked until late this afternoon.
Passengers on the Monon train were
pincked up by the train due here at
9 o'clock, which was detoured
around the wreck.
SOME OF THE PASSENGERS
william Orr. the cartoonist: Mrs.
Leon Errol. wife OF the comedian
Of Sally fame: William c. Cum
mings. president Of the Drovers'
National bank; Manager Hat of the
Boston Store; Eugene Byield. the
polo player. and other well-known
people were on the Mcnon train
Two sleepcrs were crowded with
people returning from the week
end at French Lick. They included
william C. Cummings, William ].
smith, MIS- T. r hC4Iy, MIS- grace
Kennedy. Mr.. and Ms. Richard
Griner, John Rurmeister and Frank
Bering of Chicago. and Miss May
Bonner of New York and Chicago. |
Although all were thrown from
their berths. none was seriously |
hurt. The French Lick Pullmans
were at the end of the train and |
left the track.