Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-11-17
THE RECENT ACCIDENT ON THE PACIFIC
RAIf.pnAn.

ing closed. Many oil the streets through
which the funeral procession passed were
drsped in mourning, and nothing was left I'M
done, says the "Inteligencer," TO solemnize
the occasion as its mournful nature demanded.
The following graphic description OF the
catastrophe is given by he editor oil the
"News," one Of the excursionists!
at is before us now--that terrible scene
The moment before the long train with lts
load of life approached the fatal spot, many
were intently observing from tie windows ,he
well marked line, which separated the thicS
turbd waves of the Missouri from the peru,
cid waters Of the Gaaconade: others looked
out on the long bridge we were approacn,'e'
and remarked on its strength. or us 'ra',.S
an old gentleman, whom we thought uuuu'y
cautions or nervous, wished he was out. ''ior,
said he, al believe that bridge VIII oreah
down." We glanced out the window near US
in "A careless wav, TO see the structure, anu
fnrned round again without the shadow oi
fear that we were doomed not to cross 1t
Al that moment came the destruction. we
could see nothing, but we heard everything.
A sbarp. piercinE sound as of shattered tim
bers. came from the front. We knew its
meaning The bridge had broken down.
Then followed four separate weil-dehned
crashes, aid our car took the inevitable
plunge.
n
and started to run backward. 1t seemed as
though :he ruin was approaching us instead
OF our nearing it. Every man in tho crow
ded car in which we were seated jumped up,
us the shiver in front told Of the coming dan-
ger During those terrible few moments in
winch We approached the precipice the in-
tensest silence prevailed. Not word was
spoken. We had given bat two steps back
ward N an involuntary effort to avoid dan.
ger. when our time came to follow those who
had gone before. Down, down, Gown, end.
lesslv We seemed to go. We were not long
falling, yet it seemed ages. The memory Of
railroad accidents we had read Of, and the re-
HcctionS that we were in the midst Of one Of
frightynl characters the question soon to be
solved whether we would escape or be killed.
the reflection that we might be killed the
next moment, and the inward belief that we
wouli not be killed at all chilling thought
at the idea Of being crushed by beam, or
transhxed by rod, or torn asunder by ad-
verse forces--all these thoughts flashed
across our mind while falling. Then there
was tremendous conclusion, and we found
that We were on the ground, under mass
of leaning timber which, however, did not
touch us. Though in the midst of n crowd
when the car commenced falling, We saw no
one near us on the ground. We crawled
out from under the wreck. and thanked God
that we were safe. We sat down OH stone
to recover from the shock. There was not a
sound to be heard Not'a Shrek, or groan,
or cry came from the wreck. All was
silent as death.
After q moment we looked and listened
again. Men were creeping crawling and
hobblng from the shattered cars, some
holding leg, some pressing an arm, and
some casping the head. Several sat down
near us and breathed heavily, but spoke not
A man staggered by, and said, quietly, "my
collar bone is broken" Captain Couzens
went past with a man swinging to his neck
His feet did not touch the gronnd, for his
legs were broken. A wooden shanty was
standing short distance off, and we got uT
and walked to it. Mayor King, with the
blood streaming over his face, from cash OF
his forehead, was trying to tear down the
door. He finally succeeded, and we then
assisted by others, who had come up, tore of
the sides, so as easily to admit of the woun.
ded being brought in. The floor was soon
covered with the PROSTATE forms of mer
marked by every description OF injury. One
had leg lying unnaturally bent, or an arm
doubled backward; here was one bending
his head forward TO let the Llood drip from
gaping cash IN his face, and there, another
with his bowels protruding from II hideou;
wound in his body. y one complained eX
cept when those who brought in the woun
ded in their haste stepped on fractured
arm, or disturbed a broken leg. Those suf
feriDg victims showed no weak timidity moi
selfshness. Even through their agony shont
the traits Of generous manhood. No ont
desired to engross the attention Of his friends
bat all submitted without murmur to the
wretched comforts that alone could be pro
vidpd. A small boy was GelriouS with
wound on the head Awhile he would liz
moaning in the shanty. then jump up, rur
into the rain with shrieks that would have
made the hardest heart shudler. a consid
cradle time elapsed after the accident before
men spoke about it. They were stunned
shocked, bewdered and unstrung by The
concussion, and overpowered by the over
whelming consciousness Of the destruction
they looked upon. As they recovered theil
senses, they began to talk. One knew that
the man who sat next to him was killed, fol
wheel had fallen on him u; another saw tn,
man before him pierced by huge splinter
and another still saw the roof of car rs i
crashed the life out of this citizen, or that one
At one part of the wreck, several wounde,
persons could be seen, directing the labors o
those engaged in eXtricating them. One b.
one, as the timbers which pressed them dow
We're cut away, they were dragged out AM
horne away. Under the roof Of one ca
conli be seen the protruding limbs Of seve
lreess bodies. crushed TO instant death a
they fell. The dead were neglected, and tn
living sufferers alone thought OF. a bod
which moved was brought out and placed o
log. Then it ceased to move, and ma
placed his ear over the heart, but it VIA
puiseess The face, chest and neck Of til
dead man were discolored SO that it coul
scarcely be recognised. Passers by locke
on tAe face aud asked who it was, but cou.
not iearn 1t was Mr.. Chouteau Men II,
wildly about, seeking friends Of whose fat
they we're uncertain, till motionless corps
visible through crevce in the wreck, tol
the worst; or till the ones looked for wei
met, when momentary CLEAN of joy at tn
meeting would light up the universal gloon
Mr. O'Sullivan stood on the platform Of til
Ingine to note the effect of the passage
the bridge. His quick eye saw the yeld1
of the timbers, and consciousness of Il
impending horror seized his mind M
Sod, boys, we are all killed." had hardly {
caped his mouth, when he went down nev,
10 rise or speak again. Several countrymt
on the opposite shore of the river. two hu
ired yards distant, witnessed the awful spe
tacle. They gazed with curious delight
they saw that magnificent train sweep aloI
the high cmbankmont towards tue iIt
eDnt tbav yypra still StnrinUr with blaasi