Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1854-11-08
THE ACCIDENT IN CANADA.

Which came IN contact WIFI the STaVci cars ~ 'ho
awful collision on Friday morning, was conduct
ed with the greatest care and caution. a com
plicaton of accidents, and the delay to which 1t
had been subjected at Suspension Bridge, had
caused il to be several hours behind time, and so
great was the caution OF its conductor and engl-
neer. who knew the hazards of running off time,
that much complaint was made by the passen-
pers at what was deemed unnecessary timidity
and dilatoriness.
We have already mentioned that Mr.. Thomas
+. Meagher, the well known Irish patriot, was
on the train and rendered efficient service after
the disaster. His seat had originally been in
the rear car, but finding the heat oppressive he
passed into the forward first-cass car, which
was principally used by second-class passengers,
their own cars being incapable of holding them
all. He was in this car when the crash came
though he providentaly escaped without much
injury. From a long and interesting account
furnished by him to the Tribune, we learn that
he had been asleep about twenty minutes when
he was startled by deep, rumbling noise, like
the sound of heavy, spent wave as 1t subsidies.
On coming to a clearer consciousness, he dis
tinctly heard the crashing and ripping OF timbers
all around him, mingled with the most fearful
shrieks and groans and the noise of escaping
i
while he was crushed in the seat, the roof falling
down Immediately before him, striking him in
the face with large, torn fragment. He made
an instant effort to get clear from the ruins but
found his right foot caught beneath the seat and
the broken floor. Upon making second trial
he succeeded in drawing out his leg, leaving the
boot in the ruins, as if in boot-jack. He sue
ceeded in reaching the door where he stumbled
over the body of John Martin, the brakeman at
that end of the car. He had been at the brake
at the moment Of the collision, and was thrown
back into the doorway of the car. On procur-
ing lamp, little after, he found that Martin
had both arms and both thighs broken-the for
mer above the elbows His head too appeared
to have been dreadfuly bruised, though no
wound could be perceived. This noble fellow
deserves especial mention. Upon going to him
when the morning broke, and offering to remove
him to comfortable situation, he answered,
"Never mind me--help those who are living, for
| am done for" Somewhat later, upon bring
ing him drink of water, he asked Meagher to
turn him on his side little more, SO that he
might die quietly.
Fires were Immediately kinded by the pas
sengers, which afforded light by which at glance
the awful wreck and havoc that had heen made
could be seen.
The passenger engine and tender were lying
at the foot Of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 20 feet
high-bottom side upwards smashed into frag-
ments, with the some stack and iron portions
embedded in the marsh, which at this point
baptist Creek stretches away on both sides of
the road. The fire had been thrown completely
out and the hot cinders were smoking in the
grass. The first baggage car was perfectly I'M
hurt, but the second one was dashed into the
first second-class, and with the latter formed an
immense mass Of splinters, woodwork, IRON
work, bones, brains, mangled flesh, tornclothes,
broken rifles, loaves of bread and other eatables,
jumbed together as if mine OF gun powder had
blown them into this enormous heap of rubbish.
The last second-class car had been driven right
upon the roof of the forward first-cass car more
than half way in length. The weight Of it had
crushed in the fore part of the car beneath it,
leaving the rest of it unnjured, tho considerably
shattered.
On both sides of the embankment, below these
cars were the wounded and dying some of them
flung out violently from the wreck, others hav.
ing crawled down with broken legs, while yet
others had been carried to the fires by the pas
sengers 1t is shocking even to think of the
scene, as it would be utterly sickening to de-
scribe the various wounds and hideous muta-
tons inflicted upon the poor sufferers.
Boards were placed over the tops of the seats
of the uninjured cars, and upon them the multi
ated sufferers, whose wants were administered
to by the passengers who escaped, until the ar
rival of the physicians who had been sent for
The remains of the dead were laid under canvas
torn from the cars.
1t appears from the evidence adduced before
the Coroner's Jury that forty-seven persons were
killed on the spot, and one has since died, max
ing loss of forty-eight. Fifty.one others were
taken to Chatham severely wounded, and no re-
turn is made of number who escaped with
slight injury. Of the killed twenty-four were
men, fifteen women and nine children. Of those
who were wounded, and taken to Chatham, there
twenty-four men eleven women,and sixteen
children.
There is nothing to relieve the first impress
ions, that the Conductor of the gravel train is
largely responsible for this awful disaster. The
engineer demonstrated against taking the main
track upon the uncertainty as to the passage of
the express train, but the Conductors orders
were positive, and the result is known. The
public will be satisfied with nothing short Of the
most rigid and searching investigation into ev-
cry incident connected with the collision.
Detroit Inquirer.
DECISIONS UNDER THE LATE GRADUATION Act
The following decisions under the graduation
act of August A, 1854, have been made by the
Commissioner of the General Land Office at
Washington:
LIST. Neither minors nor married ,oomen can