Bloomington (IN) Republican Progress
July 6, 1897
[Loose clipping from the Monroe County History Center]

From the Bedford Mail – The most serious freight wreck that has occurred on this division of the Monon in several years took place at Horse Shoe curve about five o'clock Tuesday evening. The local freight train was going north at a good rate of speed when a flange on a stone car near the front end broke while rounding the big curve, and the car was derailed throwing seven other loaded stone cars and six box cars off the track. The cars were piled up in a space of about three car lengths and were badly smashed and the track torn up.

Head brakeman, Pete Allen of Bloomington, who was on one of the cars, was thrown over the telegraph wire at the side of the track and had his arm broken. He was taken to Harrodsburg on the engine.

The section men who began the work of cleaning away the debris about sunset, found two bodies in the wreck of a box car that had been loaded with cross-ties. Coroner Voyles was summoned and took charge of the bodies which were identified as those of Loring W. Reed and George J. Buhner.

Reed was about 25 years of age and carried a card that showed that he was a printer and had been a member of the typographical union at Memphis, Tenn. His home seems to have been at Owensboro, Ky. A telegram was sent to the union and a reply received that Reed was not in good standing and that his body would not be taken care of by the union. It was buried at Beech Grove this afternoon by Benzel & Hamer. Reed had a hole in the back of his head, left upper arm broken, chest badly crushed, one leg broken twice and the other once, big toe cut off left foot and back much bruised.

George J. Buhner was about 26 years of age and had lived in Bedford four years. He was from Seymour and was a son of County Commissioner Buhner of that city. He married a daughter of John W. Owens over a year ago and separated from her some three months past. He was beating his way to Bloomington where he hoped to get work. Buhner's hand was mashed to a thickness of about one inch, his neck was broken, his left arm broken and there were cuts and bruises on his back. The body was taken to Seymour for burial.

Typed and donated by Randi Richardson.