Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-05-12
CAPTAIN REWARDS srArEMENr.

/
CAPTAIN REMARKS STATEMENT.
Capt. Reinard. of the steamboat Pacific, to pass
which the fatal drawbridge was raised, says:-We
had got about thirty or forty yards from the draw
when we hearl the cars coming at full speed
The diaw was wide open, and the ball was down.
Two passenger cars went into the opening on top
oil what had preceded them; the third broke in
the middle, and half of 1t went down. In this
third car two were killed outright, and many were
hurt. One beautiful young girl, about sixteen
years old, had the back of her head knocked in.
There was one Child about four months old, and
many ether children, killed. The engineer and
fireman OF the train, when they saw the ball down,
Jumped oil before the cars reached the bridge.
| REMARKABLE ESCAPE.
Jonathan Tro;ter, ESQ.,, president of the board
oil assistant aldermen, in company with G.. Flint
Spear and James Bishop, of New jersey and d.
Pierson, OF Salem, Mass, together with several
other gentlemen, left the Union Place Hotel, after
bIeakfastng together, and were all in the first
passenger car that went down. Mr.. Spear, Mr.
Irotter and MIR. Bishop escaped by crawling
through one of the windows, while the car was full
OF water, and have returned TO the Union Place
Hotel, badly injured. DR.. Pierson, of Salem
was killed. George W. Pomeroy, Esq, of this
city, placed his wife and little boy in The charge
OF Mr. Spear, at Twenty-seventh street, Just as
the cars started. Mr.. Spear succeeded, by almost
superhuman exertions, in saving the bow, but Mrs
Pomeroy was killed. Mr.. Spear returned several
times under the water TO the cars, but was una BILE
10 save her, he howeve succeeded in saving two
other boys.
| EXTRACTS OF LETTERS FROM PASSENGERS
| The dead lay in ranks, their faces
cleaning horribly, as lamps were carried along to
enable the newly arrived strangers to discover
whether their wives and children, or parents, or
brothe.s or sisters, were among them. have yery
| frequently seen dead men aud women but never
before so frghtful an exhibition. The males were
| IN one large and rude apartment, and the females
IN another; and both were dark, except as lighted
hliully anu imperfectly by candles and lamps, of
which the rays could scarcely penetrate more than
an arms length from the holder. Every house in
the village is hospital. Every family is devoted
10 the cares OF the suffering and the dying learn
that there was no crying-no apparent excitement
at the time of the catastrophe. Every one seemed
iIightfully calm; and the utmost presence of mind
and energy were exhibited by the citizens of the
village and other in reScung The unfortunate. Iva
ing and dead.
| STRONG TESTIMONY AGAINST THE ENGINEER.
From the evidence at the inquest, and from the
statements OF all who know anything of the mat
ter, we learn that the signal ball had been lower
ed tull fifteen minutes previous to the accident
We could not learn from any passenger or citizen
oil the place, nor from the evidence adduced nj
The inquest, that the whistle for Stacking Speed
hau heen heard, or that any attempt had been
made to break up the speed, rs is usual in going
through town; on the contrary the speed was
greater than usual. This would seem to counte-
nance the report that was current in NUrwalk, to
ihe elect that at Stamford, the conductor had told
lie engineer to drive like hell through Norfolk, as
two men wanted to get off there, and he would
see them damned first.--I'riLune report.
STATEMENT OF THOMAS HICKS.
Nlr. Thomas Hicks, the artist, was in The first
car with Miss King of N. Y. city. They occupied
seat within four OF the rear end of the car, on
the right hand side facing the engine. Mr.. Hicks
describes the scene us follows. The cars were
seemingly going at the usual rate, when he beheld
tue front part OF the car rushing toward him in
fragments, the passengers being tossed in the air
ike chat, dashed up against the top of the car and
thrown about in a hurricane of destruction In
an instant he found Miss King gone from his side
anu himself crushed under thu partially fallen roof
and surrounded by checking atmosphere, in the
MIDST oil shapeleSS mass of ruins, dead bodies on
every hand and The darkened car rapidly fillinr
with water. He began feeling among the wreck
ana under the water for mis- companion, but she
was nowhere to be found. He continued the
search I'LL the water had risen to his chin, q time
which he Judged 10 have been about ten minutes
when deSpairlng of her recovery, he looked about
Ior mode to escape. Just behind him, at the
corner OF the car, he behed an aperture through
whlch he crawledt TO the top Here nc fingered with
view TO renew the search for his companion when
ne was accosted by some one, who asked him for
whom he was looking.
He described the lady's dress, when his inter-
locutor informed him TO his IexpreSSible aStonsh-
ment aud qualification that she had Just gone out
upon the track. He ascer.a aimed afterwards that
the front OF the cars stove to atoms by the con-
cusSion and that the top OF it was split open lat
ery ON the side where he sat, and this occ asioned
that side of the roof 10 fall 1t also appeared that
during The instantaneous process of splitting open
the top OF the and the fall of the ceiling, Miss
hing had been projected through the crevlces upon
the top OF the cur. And here without even having
been wet, but with severe wound in the face
she und herself with another car precipitated up
on II, which passed her and tumbled over into the
river beside the wreck OF the first. Her escape ,
and manner off especially was a miracle MT
Hicks called out, when he discoverd the means of
escape, TO those in the car, il be there were any
living to hear, pointing to the way OF getting out.
nT1n
tce, or escape in any way. Miss King while upon
the top OF the car, am assured, obse rived hand
thrust out OF the water, which proved to be that of
a person struggling under the rubbish. She reso-
iutely removed the distinctions and saved the
mans life. =
MORE INcIDENTs-A BRIDE KILLED.
Edwin. Brown ofthe firm of E. J. Brown &
Co., OF New York, was in the baggage car, and
slightly wounded.
Mr.. Calhoun P. Sanger, of Brooklyn, had
narrow escape, having left the forward car lust
moment before it went over.
A young couple who were married in New York
on Thursday evening, were going to spend their
honeymoon in Boston, when their happiness was
shattered, and the unfortunate bride, with her Jew
els and robes still on her, unfornately met with
watery grave There are many incidents of the
most heart-rending nature, that had we time or
space, we could ielate, but the following must
suthce: young gentleman of the name of Rob-
lnSon asked us if we had heard of the safety of
Mrs. and Miss Robinson-(we hFd just espied
The names from their dead bodies)-he was the son
and brother of the two hapess ladies. We told
him the truth; he was almost crazed.
Mr.. Allen Goss and his aged maiden sister, from
Poughkeepsie, were on board. He was danger
ouSly wounded in the head, and she was killed by
splnters of the broken car.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Mills, of New York CITY,
dangerously wounded, returned 10 town, and are
under medical treatment.
1t was stated at the place that the engineer
Daniel Tucker, had into the Iawbrldge al
Stratford last summer, and that he had collision
at Portcheste- two years ago
clergyman and his wife had Just changed
seats with sailor. The sailor was killed and The
others escaped.
James Colburn, a man about SIS years of age,
from Richmond, Me-, was together with his broth
or IN company with his employer, NJ. Ring, and
: nc L. sr,tl. ~.