John Williamson, Obituary/Death NoticePorter County obituaries and death notices . . . .
John Williamson
Accident on the Railroads.
One of the most terrible railroad accidents happened on Monday night, 25th, at the crossing of the Central and Southern roads 7 miles this side of Chicago. According to our information the circumstances were these.
The freight train from the east, on the Central road, with two emigrant cars near its forward end, had arrived at the crossing at about 9 o'clock, and stopped, according to custom for the passenger train from Chicago on the Southern road, which comes at about that hour, to pass the crossing; but the engineer on the freight train seeing the lights of the passenger train coming, and judging it to be so distant as to allow him ample time to pass, started, but had only proceeded far enough to bring the emigrants on to the crossing, when the passenger train, whose engineer could not see the freight until close upon it, as it had no light, ran crosswise into or through the other, making the most terrible destruction of life and property. Several cars were smashed and thrown off the track into the deep marsh over which the roads there pass burying an unknown number of persons, sustaining every degree of injury from the slightest shock or scratch to instant death, in the mud and water, under and amongst the ruins. Ten dead and many injured persons were presently extricated and taken to Chicago, where the received proper attention. Those killed and bedly hurt were mostly foreign immigrants. We learn of but one exception. Mr. John Williamson, of this county, who, it is said, had his legs torn off up to his body and could not long survive. The engineer on the freight train was out of the way of danger, and the one on the passenger train, as soon as he saw the freight, it is said, jumped off and saved himself. Erasmus Ball, of this place, now acting freight agent at Calumet Station, was on the passenger train, but not materially injured.
Newspaper: Practical Observer
Date of Publication: April 28, 1853
Volume Number: 1
Issue Number: 18
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