Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1855-11-17
The Horrible Accident on the Pacific
Railroad.

=
"No one dreamed that death was near,
and yet it lerked for us only few miles
q further on. AT O'Clock we left Hermann,
preceded by a locomotive and tender,
which had been sent forward, TO see that
the way was clear, and no danger impend-
ing. Soon we came in sighi of the bridge
across the Gasconade river, about nine
miles from Hermann, and about thirty.
five from Jefferson city. The bridge is
approached by an embankment, thirty
feet high. which terminates IN massive
stone abuiment, Forty yards from the
abutment, land just at The edge Of the river.
stands another staunch stone pillar, three
more OF which reach to the other side of
the stream, and support the bridge. The
river is about two hundred and fifty yards
wide, and the bridge thirty feet high. al
least. The Pioneer locomotive had eros
seG the structure safely, and was waiting
on the other side to see the result of our
attempt. There was no fear of danger.
and no apprehension Of peril.
ave slowly moved along the enbank-
ment, and came on 10 the bridge. The
locomotive had passed the first span, and
had its fore wheels above the first pillar
beyond the abutment-lhere being, then,
resting on the first span, the locomotive,
baggage car, and two heavily loaded pas
senger cars. The weight was too much
for the long, slender timbers which sup
ported the rails, and the enormous load a.
nd MI rH
1t rings in our ears nOw-and saw a
movement amongst those i'll the car in
which we were seated; there came crash
Observation-Disclosures each car came 10 the
abutment.and took the fatal plunge. The
affair was but the work of an instant.
We were running slowly at the time. and
the successive crashes came on at inter-
walls of nearly second. We were seated
in the seventh csr--there being three be-
hind us--and when we heard the horrld
sound that came up, as each car slowly
and deliberately took the leap, we hoped
that our car might stop before 1t reached
the precipice. But no; it seemed that
the spirit of ruin was beneath determined
ly dragging each car 10 the spot, wrentch.
ing it from lis fastenings, and hurting 1t
TO atoms beneath. Six cars fell in one
mass, each on the other, and were SILVER
ed into fragments. The seventh fell with
its forward end to the ground; but the other
end rested on the top Of the abuimeni.
Those in it were only bruised. The
eighth and ninth cars lumbled down the
enbankment before they reached the abul-
ment.
such wreck we never saw land hope
never again 10 see. 1t was one undisiln-
guishable mass of wooden beams, seats,
iron wheels and rods, from beneath which
came up grOans of agony. Those who
could, crawled out Of The ruin immediate
ly. and either sought 10 relieve their own
wounds or the wounds Of their friends.
Some wepi tears ofjoy 10 find their friends
alive; and Others shuddered to fLd their
friends dead. The uninjured organized
themselves under the lead of MIR. Pride,
the conductor, and endeavored, by chop
ping, 10 extricate those who were yet
alive from the wreck. Here a beam was
cut into to disengage broken arm; there
an iron axle was pried up to relieve mu-
tiated leg. There was no shrleking and
screaming, though all begged, for the love
OF heaven, TO be extlicated from some
mass of iron or beam of wood, which PIN
ned them to the earth. All begged for
water, drank il when it was brought, and
prayed for more. There was hardly an
entirely uninjured man to be seen. Most
of those VINO had escaped had streams oil
blood flowing over their faces from spln-
ter wounds. Others limped and hobbled
about, looking for their friends. A board
shanty was the only shelter TO be had.and
tina, was soon filled with the wounded,
whose silent, speechless agony was
enough TO make the stoutest heart shud-
der. Immediately after the accident, the
heavens grew dark and black, as though
the night had come. The winds shreked
from the lrahess trees; the heavens were
rent in twain, and from The crevice gleam-
ed the white lightning, and the hoarse
thunder beloved its cruel mock;ngs at
the woe beneath. Ii seemed as if the ele-
ments were holding high carnival over the
scene of slaughter.
Some of the bodies of the dead were
marked with unusual and terrible muiila-
tons. One of the survivors informs us
that he saw two corpses with the entrails
torn out by splnters. 1t is not yet prac.
ticable 10 give complete list of the wound.
ed among so many passengers, and where
few escape without cut or confusion"
The Republican also notes an incident
TO the train from the scene of the disaster
for that city, containing the dead and
wounded. 1t says:
Son the way up, upon arriving at the
bridge across the creek known as ST.