Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1850-08-08
Accident on the Erie RailrOad-..LOss
of Life.

Wednesday afternoon, the brldge gave way, pre-
cipitating the entire train into the stream and
strewing the freightin all directions. The train
was very heavy, consisting of nearly twenty cars,
which were filled principally with Live Stock for
the New York market:
/, The accident occurred soon after the passage OF
the Express train. AS the locomotive of the
Freight.train came upon the Bridge,sit was OBJ
served to settle gradually but the Engineer put
ting on all the steam, the increased power carried
the engine over safely. The tender parting from
it, FELL with some fifteen of the freight-cars, into
the ravine below, distance of some 25 feet
The stock on board consisted Of some 500
Sheep, over 100 head Of Cattle, and 200 Hogs,
nearly all of which were destroyed. Only 25 cat
tie and 100 sheep were saved.
The most painful part of this calamity, however,
is the loss of several lives; the number of which IS
not yet accurately ascertained 1t is supposed
that fue men were killed-three Brakemen and
two Drovers. Three men had been taken out
dead at the time of the passage Of the next train
which reached the City yesterday morning, at.
ter detention Of several hours.
One OF these was Brakeman, whose name as
not ascertained. The other two were Drovers. in
charge of the stock. Their names, ages, and Pla-
ces Of residence are as follows:
Thomas Campbell Clapp, ls years old, from
Mention, Ohio, A nephew Of Alex. Campbell, OF
Bethany College, Va, and in charge OF lot OF
sheep and swine.l
Mr.. Randall in charge Of cattle, from Corning,
New York.
1t is feared that Other lives were lost.
The engineer and fireman escaped with some
slight scratches. The engine having run on ihe
track rested upon the abutment OF the bridge, ana
gave time for these men to escape. Our informant
States that the Conductor OF the train was badly
injured and was not expected to survive. cor
respondent of the Commercial Advertiser states
that another of the injured men was still alive at
the last accounts, but suffering intense agony
the horn of one of the cattle having been driven
through his breast. a ta ,T
The bodies of the killed were Immediately taken
into Port Jervis.
The drovers and hands in the rear cars saved
themselves by jumping off as the train went down,
and so escaped with little injury.
The scene was painful in the extreme. The
mass was wedged in between the two banks oil
the chasm over which the blidge passes, the cattle
being pierced with numerous spllnters o the cars,
and impaled upon the horns of each other A lew
were still alive, and after fearful struggles, sue
ceeded in extricatng themselves, and getting out
upon the adjoining plain. But those that did thus
escape were apparently all more or less injured.
A number of sheep also escaped in the same way
1t is supposed, upon rough calculation, including
the cost OF cars and BRIDGE that the loss OF proper
ty will amount TO about $4,000.
The bridge was 81 feet in length and 25 feet IN
hight. The damages, we understand, Will be re-
paired TO day, and the communication on the line
will suffer little interruption.
A correspondent of last nigt's Ecen,ng Post,
who came through yesterday morning, says:
The scene was one of heart -sickening horror.
1t had rained very hard some hours before we ar
rived, which tended TO increase the gloom and
dread Of crossing.
The first knowledge we had Of the catastrophe
was on reaching Narrowsburg, some miles west
of the bridge. Here the passengers East and
West exchanged cars-and at the bridge we took
the train punctually and came into Piermont
This unfortunate event is greatly to be deplored.
The Railroad Inspector had but few days before
examined this part of the road, and this bridge
it was deemed entirely safe. / judge, however,
that the tIrnbers too light. judging from the
manner in which they were broken.
Beside, ravlne like this shonld have been arch
ed by strong bridge. believe It is the only
weak place in the entire road Honery passed
over il several times and particularly examined it,
especially its bridge. | deemed it as one of the
most substantially bull, roads in the country. This
failure of the bridge has by no means changed my
opinion 1t is great mercy that the express train
Just before passed safely. The owner OF the cat
tie being in the third car when the bridge gave
way, took hold of two of his men, leaped from car
to car, and thus escaped with their lives.