The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-02-12 00:00:00

RAILWAY DISASTER IN AMERICA.
PASSENGERS BURNED TO DEATH.

A disaster unprecedented in painfulness and horror
occurred in Vermont early on Saturday morning.
With over fifty degrees of frost prevailing, a portion
of a train fell over a bridge upon the ice of a river,
and the carriages catching fire, the imprisoned pas-
sengers were burned to death. It was feared at first
that over sixty lives had been lost. The train was an
excursion express that left Boston late on Friday
night for Montreal, carrying a large number of ex-
cursionists bound for the famous ice carnival on the St.
Lawrence. The Central *Vermont Railway crosses the
White River, which divides that State from New
Hampshire, upon a wooden bridge 650 feet lon.. The
engineer of the train had nearly crossed the bridge
about two o'clock on Saturday morning, when he
realised that something was wrong. Looking back-
wards he saw the four hind cars topple over the aide
of the bridge, and fall a distance of 50 feet upon the
frozen river. Immediately, the stoves and broken
lamps set fire to the ruined cars, and the debris were
a mass of flame before any of the passengers could
struggle out into an atmosphere of terrible cold. The
struggles of the ur.happy victims were fearfully un-
nerving to those who had extricated themselves. One
man who had got out unhurt, returned to his wife,
whom he could touch but not release, and perished
with her. Some were dragged out with their
clothes in flames. Others tore off their gar-
ments in order to reduce themselves to a size
small enough to crawl through the apertures that
afforded a chance of escape, and found themselves
absolutely unprotected from the intense cold. Two
boys, college companions, conversed together as they
remained, pinned in immovable positions, awaiting
the rapidly advancing fire. The fire came, and set
one free, the other was consumed. Few of the sur-
vivors have not some pitiful stories to tell of their
escape, and of their terrific struggles to rescue with
their naked hands those who proved to be beyond
human help; their efforts were continued until the
flames drove back the would-be deliverers. Within
half an hour all was over, the tragedy was complete,
and the only evidence of the indescribable horror of
the last thirty minutes lay in the charred fragments,
the shapeless metal, and the glowing embers—all that
remained.of the bridge and the cars. The nearest houses
were five miles away, and before help arrived from
them the cold had increased the number of the
deaths. About thirty passengers, who were in the
forward part of the train, escaped unhurt; of those
in the rear curs seven suffered only slight injuries,
and twenty-six were seriously injured. That gives a
total of sixty-three who are believed to have escaped
with their lives, and leaves a remainder of sixty-two.
The cause of the accident is supposed that, with the
extreme frost, a rail had broken. The cars, driven
off the metals, went bumping along until the hindmost
car dropped over the side of the bridge and dragged
after it the next three cars, between which and the
foremost part of the train the coupling-iron broke,
thus leaving the letter standing on the rails.

LIBERAL UNIONIST CONFERENCE IN
MANCHESTER.
On Saturday afternoon an important conference of
Liberal Unionist was held in the Assembly Rooms of
the Free Trade Hall, Manchester. The Right Hon.
Sir Henry James, Q.C., M.P.' presided, and there
was a large attendance. Lord Hartington wrote: I
hope that the conference under the presidency of Sir
Henry James may tend really to strengthen the
organisation of Liberal Unionists in Manchester which
has already been established, and I am convinced
that the interests of the party, if extended in due THE GLEBE LANDS BILL.
proportion to its numbers, and in weight in the Lord Cross introduced a Glebe Lands Bill, which he
country, cannot fail to exercise a beneficial effect, both , explained as being a permissive measure framed with
in resisting the measure opposed to the interests of the view of further facilitating the sale of such lands.
the United Kingdom, and also in promoting further Under the bill any incumbent proposing to sell glebe
reforms, which, I believe, will be the best safeguards lands wonld apply totne Land Commissioners, who
would have to consider whether the sale would be
against the policy to which we are opposed. for the benefit of the living; and if a sale
Mr. John Bright (whose name was received with were effected with their authority, a title
loud cheers, the meeting rising), having been asked to would be given to the purchaser by a cer.
take part' in the conference, in a later regretting ' tificate under their hands There were pro.
that tie could not help them in that way, wrote: I visions in the bill for glebe lands being sold in allot.
hope the Liberal association may increase in num- ments, and for the investment of purchase money and
hers, and that they may save the country from those the carrying out of details necessary to the working
evils with which we were threatened in the bills re- ' of the measure. The noble lord moved the first reading
cently before Parliament, and which the country Bo ; of the bill.
emphatically condemned at the late general election. After an objection by Lord Granville that Lord Cross
(Cheers.) ought to have given notice of his intention to
introduce the bill, when its introduction was to
Sir Henry James spoke of the present and future be accompanied by a statement, the first reading was
position of the Unionist party. This time last year agreed to.
their position was different from what it was to-day. Their lordships rose at five o'clock.
They had all been members of the Liberal party in THE ADDRESS DEBATE.
the fullest degree; in union with it to the full extent In the Housz OF 00AINIONs, the adjourned debate on
of that unity which generally prevails amongst the Mr. Parnell's amendment to the Address was resumed
Liberal party, and the men who were there to-day by
were men who, perhaps, for the whole of Mr. J. Morley, who premising that he did not intend
their political lives had worked strenuously and to deal with tho history—ancient or recent—involved
sincerely on behalf of Liberal principles. Some of in it, but would confine himself to the policy of the
those present had shared in the councils of the leaders future, said he would certainly vote for it because it
of the Liberal party, yet until this time 12 months asserted that Home Rule was the only remedy for the
ago not a word was said—not one whisper ever came, existing crisis.
.Evidently the Government had made no
that Home Rule formed a portion' of the Liberal pbrovgerrensisbginfreolloatbadmianngd ahaclufe b
d ailed alteogpetrhopeerrtomiendsepireei
prop amme. Nay, more, they had been led, and their governing
in the breasts either of their opponents or
policy had been so framed that they had become the their friends, and the reasons which they gave for
very aversion of the Home Rulers. Speaking of the rejecting Mr. Parnell's Bill—that there had been
P plan of campaign," he said no one with a legal mind no fall in prices, and that the Land Commissioners had
could doubt that the plan was an illegal action and provided for any such fall—were abandoned within 24
contrary to legal right. Ought they not to ask for hours after they were uttered. As to the Plan of Cain-
judgment to be passed by those who now held respon- paign, he said there was no proof of the perpetration
Bible positions upon this continued illegal action, lest of actual injustice, and that such a combination was
it should be supposed that they were giving respon- better than secret associations; but if he were called
Bible support to a breach of the law? They might on to pronounce judgment, it was not more imf t
motoseral,
ask him upon whom that responsibility rested. Well, unjust, and unpatriotu than the conduct o
he distinctly said that the responsibility rested upon landlords who had exacted the rights of propertywithout performing any of his duties. Defining
those Liberal leaders who were now allies with the the position of the Opposition he asserted that it
men who had framed and are now carrying out was impossible to deal with the social condition of
that political action. For their part, they would Ireland solely from the legality point of view, and
take no hand in trusting the government of Ireland repudiated the suggestion that he and his friends
as a whole to the Land League and the National were responsible tor the utterances of the Irish
League. The speaker then referred to the necessity members, or bound to support every motion they made.
of protecting the minority. Speaking of the future Referring to the removal of Sir R. Hamilton, he appre.
of the Unionist party, Sir Henry said if they had !et bended that it would make it more difficult for the
ambition only move them, if power and place had English Government to obtain accurate information
been their only object, and if they bad been willing to 1 about Ireland, and that to make the
.offitocethpeohliatincdaal
depart from th. lAberea faith of IntllvlOutsl thought woe would
lbaew to r
lawyers.
throw
Examining the
to administration
various
laialternatives
and responsibility, he did not think the Liberal emigration, land purchase, and coercion—he main'
Unionists would have existed at all; but as they came tamed that they would have no remedial effect, and
into existence, so, for the sake of what they believed that nothing would avail but reforms of law and a
to be right, would they continue. By combination in system of government which would secure the confi-
almost every locality they could hold the balance, dence of the people.
and in holding the balance the great and the chief Mr. Howorth, who failed to see anything in Mr.
power lay, and they would hold it so that the balance Morley'a speech which could help to pacify Ireland,
in their hands would not be wrongly adjusted. Let maintained that it was only by systematic emigration
them lose what they might, the time would come that the existing evils could be remedied. The Plan of
when retrospect would follow reflection, and when a Campaign had been a complete failure, and the con-
record would be written which would tell of a battle (112 jet icin
deprecated o f the r
Home
recrimination
party seemed hopeless, but
that was right well fought in behalf of the great in- Irelan and appealed
-a
rothezeoesn
ftohreatwo o parties. in
combination
terests of their great country. (Loud cheers.) which should enable a settlement to be arrived at.
Mr. J. P. Thomasson (Bolton) proposed: "That Sir E. Grey, in a successful maiden speech, excused
this meeting records its firm determination to support the Plan of Campaign on the ground that a desperate
the leaders of the Unionist party in resisting the disease demanded a desperate remedy. Coercion, he
revival of Mr. Gladstone's scheme of Home Rule and argued, had always failed, and at the utmost had only
Land Purchase, or any other measure which does net been a temporary check; on the other hand, a policy of
respotnhsiabillity, such at.i that advocated in the amend.
of
shouldoi in other tshueoro
oe d countries,inrel
haul . he lse
Land
a nil
adequately provide for maintaining the real supremacy
of the Imperial Parliament, and for the protection of
inreeanso'n whys
life, liberty, and property of all classes in Ireland by
an executive responsible to the Imperial Parliament." Purchase Bill worked through a responsible local
authority would, he thought, go a long way to remedy
This was seconded by Professor Boyd Dawkins and i the difficulties of the agrarian question.
carried. Mr. Alfred Hopkinson moved: "That this • Colonel Waring contended that the depreciation in
meeting expresses the earnest hope that steps may prices .referred to in the amendment had not been
be promptly taken to settle the Irish question on a proved; Mr. E. Robertson thought the present was a
basis just to all parties, and also to make such arrange- fitting time for conciliation and consideration by the
ments for the management of Irish local affairs as may two sections of the Liberal party, and Mr. H. S. Wright
conduce to the permanent prosperity and content- suggested that the one-sided protection which tic
merit of the people of Ireland in union with Great Prophesied would result from Home Rule would not
Britain." This resolution was also carried. Mr. act beneficially to Ireland.
Mr. E. Harrington spoke in support of the amend-
John Fell next moved: "That the Liberal Unionists great length, and Mr Hozier, who severely
of the district represented at this conference ought to Tgiat criticised the speeches and action of Mr. Labouchere,
have an effective organisation to enable them to make argued that a Home Rule policy would never have been
their due influence felt, and that it is desirable that adopted by the Radical, party if any one of less
the local associations and committees in the several authority than Mr. Gladstone had proposed it. He ad-
constituencies here represented should be formed to vocated local government in all the divisions of the
promote the Unionist cause in such constituencies, kingdom, but did not consider that simultaneity was at
and to act in union with associations established in the all essential, and was strongly in favour of single
principal centres.' This concluded the prearranged ownership
business. Mr. Jacob Bright enlarged upon the packing of
In the evening Sir Henry James attended the house juries, and on the error of governing Ireland against
her will. He commented on the cruelty of the recent
dinner at the Reform Club. evictions, and declined to blame the originators of the
ad it that it was illegal,

I 1 the House OF LORDS, on February Bth, the
Pluralities Act Amendment Bill was read a third time
and passed.

WRY should should a man never marry a woman named
Ellen ?—Because by so doing he rings his own (k)Nell.
I cAN'T go to sleep at all of nights, said Mr. D.
—How tiresome itlmust be t,o lie awake. What do you
do to pass the time? asked Mrs. M,—Oh! I take a
book and read, replied Mr. D.—Ah ! said Mrs. M.,
that is very bad, for you will injure your eyes if you
read much when you are aslee

Plan of -Campaign or to ml
Home Rule he thought the only remedy.
The Solicitor-General for Ireland read numerous
extracts from the speeches of the Nationalist mem-
bers to illustrate his argument that the Plan of Cam-
paign had been got up to produce the disturbance
which Mr. Gladstone had predicted. He defended the
action of the Crown officials in the striking of juries,