Jackson County IN Archives News.....New/Obituary June 8, 1921 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Gaye Hill genealogygjh@yahoo.com April 18, 2012, 1:35 am Seymour Daily Tribune Newspaper, Seymour, IN June 8, 1921 Seymour Daily Tribune newspaper, Seymour, IN Thursday 9 June 1921; Front Page, Column 3 HILL FUNERAL FRIDAY ---------- Service Will Be Conducted from Home at 10 O'clock Tomorrow The funeral of Thomas J. Hill, Baltimore & Ohio railroad fireman, who was killed in the Medora wreck early Wednesday morning, will be held from the late home, West Bruce Street, Friday morning at 10 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Pierson. Burial in Riverview Cemetery. ---------- Seymour Daily Tribune newspaper, Seymour, IN Friday 10 June 1921; Page 8, Column 3 Card of Thanks We wish to thank all who so kindly assisted us after the death and at the burial of our husband, father, son and brother, Thomas J. Hill, and especially do we thank the neighbors and friends, the minister, Rev. H. C. Pierson, the singers, those who sent floral offerings and furnished cars and the undertaker, Mr. Voss. Their kindness will always be remembered. The Family ---------- Seymour Daily Tribune newspaper, Seymour, IN Friday 10 June 1921; Front Page, Column 1 FUNERALS OF THREE WRECK VICTIMS HELD TODAY ---------- Hundreds of Friends of Men Who Died in Crash at Medora Pay Last Tribute at Services ---------- The funerals of the three victims of the Baltimore & Ohio wreck at Medora Wednesday morning were held today. All were largely attended by the fellow empleyes(sic) and friends of the unfortunate men who died in the crash. The funeral of the late Thomas J. Hill was held from his home on West Bruce Street at 10 o'clock, conducted by the Rev. H. C. Pierson. The last rites over the body of the late Hugo Siefker were said this afternoon at his residence on Indianapolis Avenue and from the Lutheran Evangelical Church, the Rev. E. H. Eggers in charge. The funeral of the late Harry McCalley was held from the First Baptist Church this afternoon conducted by the Rev. M. L. Banister. The burial of the three bodies took place in Riverview Cemetery. ----------- Seymour Daily Tribune newspaper, Seymour, IN Wednesday 8 June 1921; Front Page, Headline Story THREE KILLED AND TWO HURT IN WRECK AT MEDORA ---------- TWO LOCOMOTIVES ARE DEMOLISHED ---------- Seventeen Freight Cars Piled Up Near Depot - Cause of the Disaster Not Determined ---------- INJURED MEN BROUGHT HERE ---------- Room of Resdience of Asher Hardner, Near Track, Torn to Pieces by Debris from Wreckage ---------- TWO WRECKING CREWS CALLED ---------- Seven of the Cars Loaded with Livestock, Eight with Merchandise and Two with Produce ---------- Three were killed and two seriously injured early today when two engines pulling a fast Baltimore and Ohio eastbound freight train turned over at Medora, piling up seventeen loaded box cars. Although it is reported that the train ran into an open switch, officials of the company stated this morning that the exact cause of the wreck had not been determined. The dead are: Hugo SIEFKER, 40, engineer, Seymour. Find A Grave Memorial# 86487082 Thomas J. HILL, 37, fireman, Seymour. Harry McCULLEY, 28, brakeman, Seymour. Find A Grave Memorial# 87343290 The injured are: M. E. Downing, 39, engineer, Seymour. Severely scalded. Claude R. Harding, 26, fireman, Seymour. Suffering from scalds and burns. The wreck is the worst disaster that has occurred on the Indiana Division of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad since the wreck at North Vernon three years ago. The accident occurred at 2:12 o'clock on a straight stretch of track near the stock pens only a short distance went(sic) of Medora passenger station. The train which was wrecked was a quick dispatch freight No. 90, bound from Washington to Cincinnati. The train had right of way over all other freight trains on the road and was traveling at a high rate of speed when the accident occurred. The trainman and enginemen who were killed were riding on the first engine, No. 2825. The injured men were riding on the second engine, No. 2849. Downing and Harding were brought to this city and are receiving trreatment at the Schneck Memorial Hospital. The bodies of Mr. HILL and Mr. McCULLEY were taken to the Voss Mortuary and the body of Mr. SIEFKER was taken to Hustedt's Undertaking Establishment tobe prepared for burial. The train was composed of fifty-nine loaded cars and one empty car. Seventeen cars, all loaded, left the track and most of them were demolished. Some of the box cars were reduced to kindling wood. Seven of the wrecked cars were loaded with livestock, eight with quick dispatch freight and two with perishable produce. A large number of the cattle being transported on the train were killed in the crash and their carcasses were strewn along the right of way. Other stock was injured and was killed by the wrecking crew. When the engine left the track and turned over the box cars crashed into the wreckage and debris was piled high. At one point the wreckage was almost as high as the top of a telephone pole along the right of way. The steel and iron framework of the box cars was twisted and bent and the task of clearing the track was unusually difficult. One room of the residence of Asher Gardner, which is located about fifty feet from the track, was demolished when heavy timbers were hurled against it. The furniture in the room was torn to pieces but none of the members of the Gardner family was hurt. The wreckage of the room in the Gardner house served to illustrate the tremendous force with which the heavy timbers were hurled after the crash. Wrecking crews from Cincinnati and Washington were ordered out and reached the scene of the wreck about 6 o'clock this morning. The division officials here said the track would not be cleared until late in the afternoon. Both the main and passing tracks are blockaded with debris. Eastbound passenger train No. 12 and express runs No. 29 and 30, were detoured over the Pennsylvania lines and the Monon railroad through New Albany and Mitchell. It was expected that passengers on No. 66 and 67 would be transferred at the wreck. A temporary track was built around the wreckage and was opened about 1 o'clock. Mr. SIEFKER was born in this city March 28, 1881. Although he was only forty years of age he had served as engineer for a number of years and at one time was one of the youngest engineers in the service on the Indiana Division. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Siefker, of this city. He is survived by a widow and ten children. Mr. HILL, aged 37, was born October 27, 1884; and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. S. D. Hill. He had been in the railroad service a number of years and was one of the trusted empolyes(sic) of the company. He leaves a widow and a son, his parents, two brothers and three sisters. Mr. McCULLEY, 28 years old, was born February 7, 1893. He leaves a widow, a son, two years old; three sisters, Mrs. Chester Riley, and Miss Marie, of Seymour, and Mildred, of Indianapolis, three brothers, Claude and Francis, of Seymour and Raymond of Camp Knox, KY. George T. Manuel, coroner of Jackson County, was notified of the wreck shortly after it occurred. He went to Medora to investigate but found that no inquiry could be started until the wreckage was cleared away. He said his investigaion would not likely be started before Thursday or Friday. He declared that he would endeavor to ascertain the cause of the disaster but was unable to say how it occurred until after witnesses had been called before him. A report late today stated that an examination of the switch revealed that it was in good condition and that the points were close to the rails of the main track, even after the wreckage was cleared away. It is suggested that some part of the engine may have dropped to the track. There is nothing definite as to the cause of the disaster, and the officials of the company are to start an inquiry as soon as possible. Many local people have driven to Medora to see the wreckage. ---------- CARS OCCUPIED BY LINEMEN MOVED JUST BEFORE WRECK ---------- Western Union Cars Moved Feom Passing Track At Medora to Brownstown Late Tuesday Two cars occupied by linemen in the employ of the Western Union Company which stood on the Baltimore & Ohio passing track at Medora several days were taken to Brownstown late Tuesday. The removal of the cars to Brownstown a few hours before the wreck occurred saved the lives of the men who sleep in them. The cars were standing at the "D" rail at the point where the debris was piled the highest. They would have been crushed and the occupied killed. ---------- Seymour Daily Tribune newspaper, Seymour,IN Thursday 9 June 1924; Front Page, Column 3 INVESTIGATION OF DISASTER IS MADE ---------- Officials of Indiana Division of Baltimore & Ohio and Coroner Conduct Separate Inquiries ---------- STRIVE TO ASCERTAIN CAUSE ---------- Passing Track at Medora Is Cleared of Debris - Wreckage Still Blockades the Main Track An effort to ascertain the cause of the wreck of a Baltimore & Ohio freight train, eastbound, at Medora yesterday, which resulted in the death of three and serious injuries to two others was being made today by officials of the Indiana Division and by George T. Manuel, coroner of Jackson County. The railroad officials are gathering information relative to the wreck, but it is understood that the formal inquiry will not be started until after the wreckage is cleared away. The passing track at Medora was opened late Wednesday and the wrecking crews from Washington and Cincinnati were still engaged today in the task of clearing the main track. It will be late tomorrow or Saturday before the main track can be used again, it is said. In clearing the passing track the wreckage was lifted from the rails and thrown to either side of the track. This will be burned or removed later. Coroner Manuel stated this morning that he would continue his investigation from day to day until all witnesses who might be able to give any information as to the cause of the disaster had been questioned. George Moore, conductor of the wrecked train, and James McGannon, flagman, were called before the coroner late Wednesday. They testified that the accident occurred so suddenly that they did not know what had happened until they saw the eigines overturned. They were unable to account for the wreck. Melford Downing, engineer, and C. R. Harding, fireman, on the second engine, who were seriously scalded are improving nicely at the Schneck Memorial Hospital where they were taken for treatment. ---------- Seymour Daily Tribune newspaper, Seymour, IN Friday 10 June 1921; Page 8, Column 2 NEWSY PARAGRAFS Coroner George T. Manuel expeects to complete his inquiry relative to the recent wreck at Medora tomorrow. Several witnesses are yet to be examined. Thus far no information tending to disclose the cause of the wreck has been revealed at the coroner's investigation. ---------- Seymour Daily Tribune newspaper, Seymour, IN Monday 13 June 1921; Front Page, Column 3 WRECKAGE AT MEDORA HAS BEEN CLEARED AWAY ---------- Wrecking Crew and Force of Men at Work at Medora Complete Work Sunday ---------- The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad freight train wreck at Medora in which three men lost their lives early last Wednesday morning, has been cleared away. The wrecking crew and force of men completed their work Sunday. The damaged engines and cars have been removed to the shops and the only remaining evidence of the wreck is some iron scattered about the track. The railroad men worked night and day clearing away the debris and putting the track back in shape. ---------- Also posted on GenDisasters.com ---------- From Family Search.org Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 groom: Thomas J Hill bride: Pearl Sons date of license: 21 Nov 1902 county of license: Jackson date of marriage: 22 Nov 1902 place of marriage: , Jackson, Indiana digital folder number: 4646678 number of images: 1 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/jackson/newspapers/newobitu16nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/infiles/ File size: 12.5 Kb