Fowler, IN Train Wreck, Jan 1907 - At Least 16 Dead

TRAIN RAN PAST LIGHTS AND AT LEAST 16 DIED

Engineer of Big Four Flier Paid No Heed to Signals.

INJURED PERSONS BURNED

Wife of Railroad's Vice President in the Wreck----She Aids Some of the Victims.

FOWLER, Ind., Jan. 19.----At least sixteen persons were killed early to-day when an engineer on a Big Four passenger train ran past a red light and other signals in a fog at the rate of fifty miles an hour, and a minute afterward ran into a freight train coming in the opposite direction. The passenger train known ad the Queen City Flyer, was crumpled up by the impact, the engine being forced through a combination car. Three of the cars were burned, and some of the persons who had been only injured in the collision, were burned to death.

The flyer left Chicago for Cincinnati last night. It consisted of a combination coach, three sleeping cars, and a Big Four private car, occupied by Mrs. C. F. Schaff, wife of the Vice President of the railroad. An important freight train, westbound, was ordered to give way to it at this place, and orders were given to the operator here to notify the engineer of the flyer.

The passenger train came first. It was behind time and the engineer was putting on speed. The operator turned on the red light in the semaphore, but in view of the heavy fog and the recent terrible accident at Washington caused by an engineer's failure to heed a red light he took other precautions. As the express approached he ran out, waved a lantern, and fired several shots from a pistol. He failed to attract attention and the train rushed by and a minute later crashed into the freight train.

The locomotive of the express was telescoped with the combination coach, making a mass of wreckage under which the passengers in the car wedged. Seats were hurled through the roof and coals from the firebox set the debris in flames. Trainmen and others did all they could to rescue those who were in the wreckage, but were compelled to see some persons burn to death.

Among the first persons to reach the wreck were County Recorder Ray Gillespie and County Auditor Lemuel Shipman. They procured axes and saws and began the work of rescue in the mass of wreckage caused by the tender and the combination car. Four bodies were seen protruding from among the broken seats. One man was alive, with his arms and legs pinioned. He was John Meyer of New York, and he was rescued when the fire was within a few feet of him, and he was begging some one to shoot him. He has a broken leg. After Meyer was taken out the rescuers were driven away by the flames.

A woman in the car was heard shrieking for help, but could not be saved. She is believed to have been Mrs. Henry A. Price, whose husband was burned to death.

The private car was saved by dashing water from the ditch over it with hats. When the wrecking crews arrived at daylight the debris was still burning. Enough fragments to make eight bodies were recovered from it.

It is probable the exact number of victims will never be known. Railroad officers, of whom there were several on the train, said there were not more than fifteen passengers in the combination coach, but passengers say there were nearly thirty persons in that car.

Mrs. Schaff was asleep when the crash came. Hastily dressing, she went out and assisted in the work of aiding the injured. She offered the use of her car, and took five persons in it to Kankakee. She was taken with them to the hospital, and after seeing to their wants was able to continue her journey to Cincinnati.

Among the dead are PETER J. HIDDINGER, Indianapolis, conductor; I. H. MAGEE, baggagemaster, Indianapolis; HENRY E. OLCOTT, Cincinnati, fireman; HENRY A. PRICE, Long Beach, Cal., body totally burned; Mrs. HENRY A. PRICE; W. R. HARRIS, Indianapolis, and J. A. SHANNON, Williamsport, Ind. Other bodies were not identified.

E. W. Tripp of Indianapolis, engineer of passenger train, jumped and was nearly drowned in a pool beside the tracks. His condition is serious. John Cobble of Indianapolis, engineer of the freight train, was slightly injured.

The New York Times, New York, NY 20 Jan 1907
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!