17 KILLED AND 40 HURT IN TRACTION COLLISION.

TWO INTERURBAN TRAINS CRASH HEADON AT CURVE IN INDIANA.

FIRE BREAKS OUT IN RUINS.

VICTIMS ARE PINNED BENEATH THE BURNING CARS.

Fortville, Ind. -- (AP) -- The death toll of the wreck of two Indiana Union Traction Co. trains, which collided head on near here late Saturday, will probably reach seventeen, rescue workers said Saturday night.
Nine badly charred bodies have been removed from the two cars that were destroyed by fire and seven other bodies are believed to be in the wreckage. One man injured in the wreck died later in an Anderson, Ind., hospital.
Forty injured have been removed to hospitals at Anderson and Indianapolis.
The cars were of wooden construction and all that remained of them was a mass of smoking embers and red hot brake rods and trucks.
Each train consisted of a meter car and trailer. The motor cars were telescoped and most the dead and injured were in these cars.
Passengers in the trailers escaped with minor injuries.
The first body identified was that of DR. E. BLAIN HASKIN, of Indianapolis, inspector in charge of the United States department of agriculture and bureau of animal industry in Indiana.
JOHN HUTCHINS of Indianapolis, who was taken from the wreck badly injured, died Saturday night in a hospital at Anderson. The motormen on both trains escaped with slight injuries as they jumped before the collision.
The injured were given first aid treatment by physicians of this place and by others rushed here on a special car from Anderson. Ambulances with medical officers and enlisted men from the medical detachment at Fort Benjamin Harrison were also sent to the wreck.
Hundreds of persons were on the scene within a few minutes after the collision but were unable to help the victims pinned beneath the wreckage of the burning cars. A number of injured were taken to Indianapolis on a work train of the New York Central railroad whose tracks parallel those of the traction company.
The bodies that were recovered were burned so that identification was almost impossible.

The Lima News Ohio 1924-02-03

Additional Fatalities:
JOHN L. HUTCHINS, LaFayette, Ind., traction employe.
J. H. CLARK, Jeffersonville, reformatory guard.
B. T. O'BRIAN, Indianapolis.
CHARLES WISEMAN, New Albany, reformatory guard.
J. A. BRYAN, Indianapolis, salesman.
LAWRENCE H. FLOOD, Indianapolis, salesman.
JOHN MORIARITY, Marioin, Ind.
JAMES F. SARGENT, Indianapolis, president Savings Realty Co.
It was believed two others whose remains have not been identified were:
WILLIS H. KINNEAR, Indianapolis, president Kinnear Realty Co.
SAMUEL A. GREENWALT, Muncie, Ind.

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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!