On Christmas Eve, 1888, a train collision at Bardstown Junction resulted in two deaths. The circumstances of this collision foreshadow the wreck at Shepherdsville in 1917.
The following article is transcribed from an article in the Fort Worth Daily Gazette, (Fort Worth, Texas) on 25 Dec 1888. It may be viewed by going to the Chronicling America page at the Library of Congress web site.
PASSENGERS COLLIDE
Two Men Killed and Thirteen Severely Injured
in a Louisville and Nashville Collision
The Dead and Wounded
Louisville, Ky. Dec 24. A through passenger train to Nashville and the south on the Louisville and Nashville Road ran into a Mellville branch passenger at Bardstown Junction, twenty-five miles south of this city between 9 and 10 o'clock this morning Two passengers were killed outright and thirteen injured.
Louisville, Ky. Dec 24. Passenger train No. 5 on the main stem of the Louisville and Nashville telescoped passenger train No. 23 of the Knoxville branch at Bardstown Junction at 8:52 o'clock this morning. At the Junction there is a sharp curve and No. 23 stopped on the main track just around the curve. No. 5 was running at the rate of forty-five miles and split the rear and second coach of the stationary train in two, scattering the fragments in every direction. There were thirteen severely hurt and two killed outright. The list is as follows:
KILLED
Mrs Mary Parkins, Old Deposit, Ky.
Willie Houston, Water Creek, Larue county, Ky.
WOUNDED
Engineer McPherson and Fireman Charles King, both of this city.
E. R. Dickerson, Boston, Ky.
Miss Bertha Flownbacker, Boston, Ky.
E. S. Miller, Lebanon, Ky.
Judge Phil R. Thompson, attorney, Shepherdsville, Ky.
Miss Ada Adams and Mrs. S. K. Adams, Louisville, Ky.
Mrs J. R. Mount and John Mount, LaGrange, Ky.
Bertha Rhoner, East Bernstadt, Ky.
Engineer McPherson and Fireman King both of train No. 3 are thought to be fatally hurt. The former remained at
his post, but the fireman jumped. Both recovered consciousness sufficiently to state that they had seen no flagman.
The crew of No. 23 has not made any statement.
The officers of the road said No. 23 which makes all local stops was delayed on account of the rush of express business and for some reason either neglected to notice the time or failed to send out the proper signals. Two coaches of the front train and the engine and baggage car of No. 5 were completely demolished. All the passenger on the rear train were severely jarred, but none of them were fatally hurt. Most of the injured were bruised and scalded.
WHERE THE BLAME LIES
Louisville, Ky Dec. 24. Investigation of the railroad wreck at Bardstown Junction conducted by the Louisville and Nashville officials shows that the conductor of the first and the engineer of the other train disregarded their well known regulations. The first train which had been delayed and was running on the following train's time should have sent back a flagman with torpedoes, but did not send back anybody. The engineer of the following train, as all trains have instructions, should have approached the Junction with his train under full control. His train this morning was going at full speed, thirty-five, not forty-five miles an hour. The companys surgeons were on the ground an hour after the accident and all the wounded were in Louisville well cared for in a few hours. Engineer Faran and Fireman King, it is now believed, will recover.
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This page was last modified on 20 May 2010 .