The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1854-11-17
AWFUL RAILROAD COLLISION.
Fifty Persons Killed. "A great number
injured. Dreadful details.


From the Detroit Free Press.
| The passenger irain--of which Mr.. g
| F. Nutter was conductor, and Thomas
Smith engineer-IoG tho Suspension
Bridge at the usual time on Thursday
4flernoon. The train consisted Of -four
firs,-class, two second class, and two
baggage cars, and had on board lurge
number Of passengers. Al 81. George
il came up with gravel train which was
off the track, and was delayed in conse-
quance about an hour and a hulf When
The train had go, under way again n
freight train was in advance, which II
was obliged to follow as far as Princeton,
thereby losing considerable more time.
AT / A. NJ, the train left London
After having run some three or four
miles from that place, the cylinder-head
Of the locomotive bursled, which Of
course brought the train 10 stand-slill.
An engine was sent from London, which
drew tho train back 10 that place, where
another engine, was attached, and the
train again siartod for Windsor, going
quite slow, the conductor having given
orders 10 the engineer moi to run at a
rapid rate, as the nigh, was dark and
foggy. When the train left London the
second time, it was about four hours be-
hind time.
A few minutes after 5 o'clock, when
near Bnptis. Creek, the passenger train,
which was proceeding at the rate Of about
20 miles an hour, came in collision with
q gravel tram which was backing toward
The east a, the rate Of 10 or IL miles au
hour. The gravel train was composed
OF fifteen cars, heavily loaded with we:
gravel. The shock produced Ly the
collision was Tremendous. The seconds
class cars we're smashed into atoms, and
nearly every person in them killed cr
dreadrully injured. The first frsi-class
car was also badly smashed, and most oi
the passengers in the front part OF il met
with tho same fate as tho passengers in
the socond>class cars.
Tho scene presented after the collision
was horrible one. In,ermixed with
the fragments of tho broken cars, dead
bodies lay in profusion, many of them
mangled in the most dreadful manner;
while, from out the heap Of ruins, pros
ceeded the groans and shrieks Of the
wounded. 81.
The passengers, who were SO fortunate
as to escape uninjurod, Immediately sci
to work TO draw ou, the wounded and
the dead from the heap Of ruins in which
they ,uy. A. IL o'clock, A, M, the
bodies Of twenty-five men, eleven women,
and ten children, had been brought 10
light, and il was supposed that from ten
to twenty others yet remained TO be dis
covered. Twenty-one men, and twenty
women and children, were found 10 be
badly injured--many of them fa,slly.
Several Of the dead were crushed out OF
all human shape, presenting q hearts
siekening sight.
The two second class cars, which bore
the main brunt Of the collision, were
6llad with emigrants, mostly Germans.
The frst-class car, number Of the in
mates Of which were killed and Others
wounded, also contained some emigrants.
The second, third, and fourth first,class
cars were somewhat injured, and some
Of the passengers received some injuries,
but none, we understand, Of a dangerous
character.
From all the facts we have been able
to ascertain, the fault Of the acciden,
rests upon watchman, who fell asleep
upon his post, and, on waking, informed
the master Of the gravel train tlat the
passenger train had passed. Supposing
this TO be the fact, tine gravel train started,
and in short time came in collision will
the passenger train. Two men on The
gravel train were killed.
The engineer and fireman OF the pass
enger train escaped almos, miraculously
from serious injury.
Atan early hour in the forenoon yester
day several physicians from this city lef
for the scene Of tho disaster. IA.
4 LATER.-There are about SO dead ane
35 wounded. Some whole families arr
killed and no trace can be found OF thei
names or residence. Everything is beint
done TO alleviate the suffering of th'
/ u