West Lebanon, IN Train Wreck, Mar 1912

FIVE KILLED IN TRAIN WRECK

Every Coach Left the Rails and Rolled down Embankment.

Danville, Ill, March 7.---Five persons were killed and nearly three score injured tonight at Redwood bridge, two miles west of West Lebanon, Ind., by the derailment of the Continental Limited train, west bound, on the Wabash railroad. All the cars left the rails and some of them turned over. A broken rail is said to have caused the accident. Two cars are said to have rolled partly into the creek, the derailment taking place at the end of the bridge.

The locomotive remained upright on the rails. Word was sent as soon as possible to division headquarters at Peru, Ind., and Decatur, Ill. Delay was caused by the wires being torn down by the coaches as they rolled over.

Wrecking and relief trains rushed to the scene from the east and west began the work of rescue. The wounded were rapidly placed aboard a special train composed of two cabooses and hurried to Danville.

Several of the injured may die and it is said others may be dead in the wreckage.

The train was going toward St. Louis and passengers were preparing to eat dinner as the train approached Redwood bridge near the Illinois state line. Without a jolt at first, the whole train seemed to weave to one side and then the coaches rolled, crushed together and piled up alongside the track. The baggage and mail cars suffered much as they led the rest of the train from the track.

Nearly every passenger on the train was hurt by the rolling over of the cars. Those persons in the coaches that were crushed suffered more severe injuries. Two or three were killed instantly, but others were pinned down by seats or splintered timbers and mangled to death more slowly.

The Grand Forks Daily Herald, Grand Forks, ND 8 Mar 1912

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ONLY TWO WERE KILLED IN WRECK ON WABASH ROAD.

Danville, Ill., March 8.---With the exception of a negro cook, unidentified, the score of people injured on the Wabash railroad near West Lebanon, Ind., late yesterday, will recover, it was said today. The bodies of Mrs. D. B. Good of St Louis and Mrs. Fred Grant of Adrian, Mich., crushed to death when the day coach of the train rolled down a 30 foot embankment, are at West Lebanon. The report that two unidentified men were dead in the wreckage proved unfounded.

The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, MT 9 Mar 1912

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SEVEN DEAD AND SIXTY INJURED IN WRECK

Continental Limited on the Wabash in Bad Smashup in Indiana.

ACCIDENT AT A BRIDGE.

Two Caboose Loads of Injured Passengers Taken to Danville for Treatment.

DEAD AND INJURED.

DANVILLE, Ills., March 7.--- The dead:

MRS. U. G. GOOD, boarded train at Fort Wayne, Ind., en route to St. Louis.

MRS. GRANT, en route to Kansas City.

Pullman porter, name unknown.

Two unidentified men.

Seriously Injured:

Mrs. Paul Triece, Danville, internal injuries.

Mrs. Ellis, Danville, Ills.

Mary A. Hudson, Sydney, Ills.

Fred Henshen, St. Louis, traveling auditor Wabash railroad, hurt about head.

T. H. Robertson, Camden, N. J.

Wm. Bridewell, Decatur, Wabash signal man.

J. H. Green, Detroit, dining car conductor, colored, scalded.

DANVILLE, ILL., March 7.---Seven persons were killed and 61 were injured tonight at Red Wood bridge, two miles west of West Lebanon, Ind., by the derailment of the Continental limited train westbound, on the Wabash railroad. All the cars left the rails and some of them turned over. A broken rail is said to have caused the accident.

The injured were placed on a special train and taken to Danville.

Several of the injured may die and it is said that others may be dead, in the wreckage.

Nearly every passenger in the train was hurled over the cars. Two or three were killed and others were pinned down by seats or splintered timbers. Those who were unhurt soon dragged the injured from the overturned cars.

Along the snowy banks of the railroad fires were kindled to keep the women and children warm while the men attended the more seriously injured.

It may be many hours before the wreckage is cleared away and the total number of dead announced definitely.

Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID 8 Mar 1912
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!