Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1878 — A Terrible Disaster. [ARTICLE]

A Terrible Disaster.

[From Monticello Herald Supplement. 18th]

At 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon just after the regular edition of the Herald had been run ofl, a span of the P. C. & St. L. Railroad bridge across the Tippecanoe river at this place, fell with a terribis crash, car rying with it a train of twenty-two ears and the locomotive, which com prised the local east bound freight, with the exception of the caboose. The last named was saved from the wreck by Barney Moran, rear Drakeman, who discovered the train going down in time to pull the coupling pin and stop the car. Seven men went down with the wreck, as follows:

Lewis Beam, engineer; Ed. LaTng, fireman; Win. Foster, brakeman Jerome Durfee, bridge watchman, and John Kennedy, Johd Uassady and Wm. Alorton, three tramps, who were steal ing a ride in one of the box cars. At this hour, 4 P. M., Beam and Durfee are still in the wreck and have not been found, but are supposed to have been instantly Killed. Laing received injuries about the head and back, but they are not serious and he will soon recover unless hurt internally. Foster lapped in the afr as the train descended, and clearing the wreck, fell in the river and escaped unhaimed. Of the tramps, Morton was the worst used up, sustaining a deep cut in the right side, a broken nose and the loss of three fingers, besides other unimportant wounds.— Kennedy and Cassady were bruised about the head and face. All the injured cues will probably recover. There were seven passengers in the caboose,-and their escape from almost certain death is entirely due to Barney Moran, the brakeman, who risked his own life for the sake of others. He exercised a wonderful presence of mind. Seeing the perilous situation, he lost no time in making the best of it. The cur was uncoupled and the brakes put on in a twinkling, just in time to avoid the chasm.

The wrecking train arrived on the scene of the accident an hour after its occurrence and at once proceeded With the work of removing’the debris. The distance from the top of the bridge to the water is about eighty feet, and that any life should bo spared after going down in the fearful crash is a miracle The cars are loaded with wheat and corn and are piled up around the engine which is standing bn end, in endless confusion. Two theories are given at this writing as to the cause of the accident; one being that the train ran off the track and crushed through the bridge, and the other that it was caused by the defective condition of the bridge, the rotten timbers of which go fir toward strengthening the latter conclusion. The bridge was built six years ago at a cost of $60,000, and if decayed, material was not used in its construction, it would still be perfectly safe under ordinary circumstances. A week or ten days will probably elapse before trains can pass, but the business of the road will be carried on by means of transfer. Three of the injured persons are kindly cared for at the McCuaig House. Ed. Laing is at his mother’s house. Later —The remains of Durfee were recovered last night, mutilated almost beyond recognition. The wrecking force worked all uighl, and the engineer’s body has no doubt been found by this time.