Lloyd Watrous, Obituary/Death NoticePorter County obituaries and death notices . . . .
Lloyd Watrous
BAD WRECK SATURDAY ON INTERURBAN
Three Killed and Several Seriously Injured in a Head-on Collision in Laporte County.
COMMISSION TO PROBE
(From Monday's Daily)
Members of the state railroad commission were expected to arrive here today from Indianapolis to place, if possible, the blame for the fatal wreck on the Gary & Interurban Saturday morning that cost the lives of three people and severe injuries to a dozen others. While the general belief exists that Wickersham, the dead motorman of the passenger car, was responsible, a rigid investigation will be made. E. J. Van Atter, train dispatcher, on duty at the time, has duplicates of the unobeyed order on file in the office, he maintains.
Not until late Saturday was it generally known here that a disastrous wreck had occurred. After the reports became current the people who had friends on the ill-fated passenger car began an anxious search for further information.
Following is a list of the victims as given out:
J. Willis Wickersham, Valparaiso; motorman passenger train; legs cut off and head crushed; died in automobile while being taken to hospital.
Mrs. Ellen Reed, Westvillle, Ind.; crushed in seat; on her way to Laporte to attend New Year's dinner.
Lloyd Watrous, Chesapeake, O., principal Union township high school, Laporte county; crushed in seat; was returning from vacation spent in Valparaiso.
The injured are:
Willard Gates, Valparaiso; motorman freight car; bruised about the face.
George Cole, Chesterton; conductor freight car; back injured.
L. E. Payne, Valparaiso; conductor passenger car; head injured.
Floyd Vardeman, Gary; collar bone broken and cut and bruised.
F. H. Brooks, Door Village; badly cut and bruised.
Henry Herbst, Hammond; leg broken.
Florence Gescheilder, Hammond; cut and bruised.
Anna Puduhn, Hammond; right arm broken.
Helen Fedder, Hammond; arm broken.
The train crews had orders to meet at Brooks' Siding, according to the dispatcher. The freight train, westbound out of Laporte, had not reached that point when the collision occurred. Wickersham and Payne ran by the switch. Payne is reported to have made the admission that he forgot. He went directly to the home of his mother-in-law at Pinhook.
Mr. Van Atter telephoned a detailed account of the accident to the state railroad commission at Indianapolis Saturday afternoon, and was notified that one of the members would reach here last night. A later message stated that the arrival would not be made until today, and Mr. Van Atter was instructed to meet him at Laporte. The dispatcher left for there this morning with the office records, to show the orders given the trainmen.
Of the three surviving trainmen, George Cole of the freight car, who is a brother of Supt. Fred. H. Cole, of this city, is the worst sufferer, but his injuries will not result fatally. While Gates had a narrow escape, the only injury is a bad bruise near the eye, it was reported today. Payne is only badly scratched.
The wreck is a severe blow to the interurban. Only a few days ago one of its freight cars was demolished in a wreck at Hammond. In the crash Saturday the two cars were ruined, and injury and death of passengers may mean damage suits against the company aggregating many thousands of dollars.
Newspaper: The Porter County Vidette
Date of Publication: January 5, 1916
Volume Number:
Issue Number:
Page: 2
Column(s): 1
Key to Newspaper Publication Locations:
Newspapers Published in Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana
Chesterton Tribune
The Tribune
Westchester Tribune
Newspapers Published in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Porter County Vidette
Practical Observer
Valparaiso Practical Observer
Vidette and Republic
Western Ranger
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Obituary/death notice transcribed by Steven R. Shook