Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Newsletter, May 12, 1855, p. 2.
EXPLOSION OF A LOCOMOTIVE-TWO MEN KILLED AND ONE WOUNDED
About five o'clock last evening the engine of a down freight train on the
Jeffersonville Railroad exploded about two miles this side of Henryville,
seventeen miles from Jeffersonville. The engineer, Mr. Harrison, and a
fireman whose name we did not learn, were killed. The body of Mr. H. was
found about 150 yards from the scene of the disaster, and it was supposed
that it had been blown entirely over the tops of the trees! The only
remains of clothing on him were a portion of the shirt collar, a portion of
one boot, and a strip of one of the legs of his pantaloons. The body was as
limber as a rag, the bones being apparently mashed to a jelly.
The name of the person who was wounded we could not ascertain. His leg was
broken. He was a passenger. These three were the only persons on the
train. The cause of the explosion is unknown and probably will never be
ascertained as the only persons who could give any information on the
subject are dead. Portions of the locomotive were found distant a 150 yards
from the scene of the accident, and the track of the road was torn up for
some distance.
We gather these particulars from a gentleman who came passenger from
Indianapolis in last evening's train. Upon reaching the scene of this
terrible explosion, the train was unable to proceed further on account of
the obstructions. The passengers, therefore, had to remain there all night
and did not reach Jeffersonville till this morning. -N. A. Ledger of
yesterday