Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1890 — THE WRECK OF CARMEL. [ARTICLE]

THE WRECK OF CARMEL.

He Eimed His a long, a Last FanwalL Touching Insidsnt of the Wilson Crook (Ini) Wreck, Pathetically Told By an Iniianap* olia Special Reporter,— Sad Expsrieics of Ooaduetor Engle— “We Will Save Them.

On the 27th of January of the present year an account was duely flashed over the country of the horrible wreck :md burning of a train while crossing Wilson Creek near Carmel, Indiana. Among the he irt-rending scenes of that awful hour, a most touching one is thus graphically wired by the press agent at Indianapolis. » When the train pulled into Sheridan for a stop, a middle-aged man, D. S. Oldham, accompanied by his wife, a handsome woman of about 30 got Into the second coach. W ith them were three beautiful children, two little ones aged 3 and 4. and an older one asred 8. The mother and the oldest occupied the fourth seat from the rear end and the Uttle ones were playfully jumping on the seat facing the stove in the end of the car. “By-by papa, hy-by," they chorused as the father kissed them and his wife, and then left the cur. Little did he think as he stepped from the platform that it was the last time these littte voices would ring merrily upon his ears, or the warm lips, unsullied and innocent, press to his own kisses of love. At the window the baby faces watched him as the car pulled from the platform and it was with anything but the foreboding of the terrible disaster that the former waived his hand to the departing group. The party was bound for Indianapolis, where they expected to spend a week with relatives, aud no thought save that of the anticipated pleasure of the visit occupied the mind ol mother and children alike. After the train left Westfield. Conductor Angle came into the oar and saw the little ones on the seat and paused. He Remembered when hh own were like these, and stepping over to them he chucked their dimpled chins and shook their hands as he would if he had found an old acquaintance and then took a seat in the middle of the ear and watched the pranks of the children, who, kneeling upon the cushionod ( ’Beat, watched the flitting scenery.

The next instant came a sudden jerk, the car swung and suddenly turned over, and the unconscious conductor •aw no more. The mother, who from her seat had smiled upon her babies, lay close to him, also stunned, and by her side the eldest child. She knew nothing until she felt strong hands seize her and help her. She opened her eyes and in an instant realized the situation. “My God, my children, where are they?" she cried feebly and struggled superhumanly to release herself. “We will save them,” oamo a broken reply. “You are hurt badly and musi keep quiet Your children are all right"

As she was lifted from the already burning wreck she again lapsed into a faint and was laid upon a blanket upon the ground. “We will save them,” Brave words, but the most extraordinary heroism could not carry out their meaning. Save them? Yes. Through the window of the car * little hand stretched, limp and lifeless, but one man seized it It was still warm. “We will save them/’ But the man looked through the window and there saw the impossibility to rescue. The red hot stove loosened from its fastenings had fnllen upon the babies, pinned them down with its’ awful bly, all the work of a moment, and when the promise had been made tc “Save them” the little souls had gone to their Creator. The mother recovering from her fright, partly arose, but hep eyes caught the burning cat and again the faiat of aagusih overcome here. She sank back conscioui only of the truth. A higher power had saved them.