On Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, 1924, the worst train wreck in Indiana history took place in the small village of Alfont.
How would could two trains collide on the same track in broad daylight?
Union Traction Railroad Co. was very popular and carried passengers between Muncie, Anderson, Pendleton, Fortville and Indianapolis. The tracks are still there today; however, several safety features have since been installed.
According to “usdeadlyevents,” this single wreck killed 21 passengers and injured another 36. Every newspaper in Indiana, plus several major city papers, carried this story.
Here is the worst part: “It should have never happened!” Sometimes incidents happen due to a chain of events. That is exactly what set up this deadly train wreck. Timing and human error were directly responsible for those people losing their lives.
During that era, train passenger cars had a steel underframe, and the rest of the train coach was made from wood. Some of you may remember the old wooden cabooses on the end of all trains years ago. Each passenger train had a separate “smoking car” and stoves, to keep the passengers at comfortable temperature. The normal running speed for these Interurban trains was about 65 mph, however, depending on conditions, speeds of 75 to 85 mph could be reached.
Our Madison County Historian, Stephen Jackson, wrote an article on some of the details of this wreck. Jackson reported, “Two interurban trains collided head-on with such a force that the two motor cars, or front cars, telescoped into each other, clear through to the cars’ smoking compartments. Nobody will ever know for certain how many people perished in the wreck and the fire which followed; however, the death toll was tentatively set at 21.”
There was a thorough investigation of the incident, conducted by the Indiana Public Service Commission, the Madison County Grand Jury, plus the Madison County Coroner Jess Helbert’s report. The following is a summary of that investigation: Train No. 21 of the Union Interurban was coming out of Anderson, heading for Indianapolis. Union Interurban train No. 24, was coming out of Indianapolis and left the station at 3:17, which was 17 minutes late. As No. 24 reached Lawrence, the crew received an order, directing it to meet a train at “Goul,” This was a small “pull-off” area, where trains could meet and pass on a single track. It was located about seven miles east of Ingalls.
This is where things really gets confusing according to Deadly American Disasters. Government officials also conducted their own investigation. The following is part of their finding.
The conductor on a local train No. 917, met train No. 24. A dispatcher said, “The order was to meet No. 23, which was following train No. 21, but the crew of train No. 24, said the order was to meet train No. 21, and after leaving Lawrence at 3:50 p.m.; they rushed on past “Mur” (another small pull-off side track area near Fortville), which was where train No. #21 was to pass through. However, train No. 24 continued full speed ahead.
Historian Jackson thinks, “It is possible that in the hurried writing of an order, one name might have resembled the other. Thus the two motormen could have been operating under a different set of orders.”
Train No. 21, had left Anderson, at 3:33 p.m., which was also 18 minutes behind schedule. As the crew on No. 21 reached Pendleton, they received orders to meet No. 24, at a small pull-off siding named “Dent.” As train No. 21 traveled through Ingalls, at 4:11 p.m., they were now 27 minutes behind schedule. The motor man saw train No. 24 approaching him and immediately began trying to slow his train down! But, it was too late.
The front car of No. 21, telescoped the front car of train No. 24. The impact was so great that No. 24’s engine went about 15 feet into the passenger car of No. 21. Fire immediately broke out. Passengers sitting in the front car, were shoved back and trapped in their seats!
The coroner’s report had some other details: “Walter W. Riggs of Anderson, was in route from Indianapolis to Middletown, seated in the front car of the eastbound train. He recalled seeing the motorman of that train pull the door of the baggage compartment and jumping to safety. The baggage compartment was located in the front of the car next to where the motorman sat.
Many of the passengers were severely burned. A detailed report covering the investigation was released by the commission assigned by the government. They and the coroners report listed the following deaths:
Dr. E.B. Haskin, Indianapolis, the state veterinarian
John L. Hutchins, Greensburg, employed by Union Traction
Samuel T. Greenwalt, Selma
Joseph L. Windsor, Indianapolis
James A. Bryan, Jr., Indianapolis
Carey T. Bogue, Marion
Oliver L. Shaw, Indianapolis
James E.T. Sargent, Indianapolis
Sherman Fay, Fort Wayne, reported missing but later identified in morgue
David A. Alverson, Chicago, an adjuster for Aetna Insurance
William J. Davis, Fort Wayne
J.H. Clark, Reformatory guard
B.T. O’Brian, Indianapolis
Charles Wiseman, Reformatory guard
Lawrence H. Flood, Indianapolis
John Moriarity, Marion
Willis H. Kinnear, Indianapolis
You will find a burial site in East Maplewood Cemetery in Anderson, which contains remains of four unidentified bodies, including an infant. These were buried in a single casket. The headstone reads: “Four Unknown Persons Killed In Alfont Traction Wreck, Feb. 2, 1924.” This brought the total deaths to 21.
One of the saddest stories from this tragedy came from a Mrs. Waymire, who was also injured in the wreck. She said, “A woman and baby were passengers in the same car, a seat or two back of the smoking compartment. Owing to the smoke and flames, the woman had a small baby she held close to her breast and she looked to be about 20 years old, with dark hair.” Several people outside of the car window, pleaded with her to hand the baby to them, since she was pinned to her seat by the crash. Each time, she refused. She continued holding her baby with her left hand and fanning the flames with her right hands. She was wedged between the seats so tightly, it would have been impossible to pull her out. She repeatedly said, “The two of us would die together!”
Claude Miller, a passenger on train No. 24, grabbed two fire extinguishers’ and could not get anything from either extinguisher. In disgust, he threw the extinguishers’ out the train window, yelling, “They are empty!” He then found a water cooler. He took it down from the rack and found it only contained about a pint of water. Only two suits, each asking $10,000 because of alleged injuries suffered in the wreck, were filed in superior court, in Anderson, by Claude Miller and his wife.
indictments’ were made from the incident. Rollin Flynn and C.O. Sawyer, both of Muncie, crew in charge of the east bound train. They were under a $3,000 bond, each charged with involuntary manslaughter. Both men were re-arrested and their bond was increased They were later found guilty as charged. The Indiana Public Service Commission recommended immediate changes be implemented with all trains:
1. Relay of train orders through a third party must be stopped.
2. The 13-hour day for train crews with short rest periods must be abolished.
3. The company has been guilty of lax management and must take immediate steps to remedy conditions.
According to the List of Indiana Railroads, starting in the late 1800s, there were 353 railroad companies. Several were freight carriers; some were privately owned, usch as Steel Dynamics; very few were passenger carriers.
Here is a small example: The Carthage, Knightstown & Shirley Railroad from 1978-88; Elwood, Anderson, & Lapel Railroad from 1897-1929; Pendleton & Indianapolis Railroad (later changed to Indianapolis & Bellefontaine Railroad). The Union Interurban Traction Co., which started in 1850, never survived the incident.
This writer drove through the area of the disaster. You will not find any trace of this tragedy.
There are double tracks today, instead of the single tracks. Communication has vastly improved with switching, control room live feeds and instant communications. In fact, it is now one of the safest modes of traveling.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Lapel/Fishersburg happenings” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
I would like to hear from readers.
What history would you like to read about from this area?
Did you know the small village of Fishersburg was the largest community in this area during the early 1800s? Or that from 1897 until 1929, a railroad operated between Elwood, Anderson and Lapel?
For those who have ancestors who grew up in this area, I would like to hear from you?
You may have some interesting stories you would like to share.
The oldest yearbook from Lapel High School was in 1918, named “The Echo.” I would like to know more about some of those people who graduated during that era.
I can be reached at [email protected].
– Ray Tincher
[sc:pullout-text-end]