Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1855-11-08
ssa from the o. Louis Repnblican]
MOST DISASTROUS ACCIDENT
GRE4TyUuBERs FOUNDED.


MOST DISASTROUS ACCIDENT.
Ttcentp-nine Persons Killed.
GREAT NUMBERS FOUNDED
The magnificent train of cars which left our
city yesterday morning, on an excursion to JET
/ ferson CITY, to celebrate the opening of the Pa
cific Railroad to that point, is now mass ofru-
| ins, and infinitely worse than this, many of the
noble hearts that participated in the pride OF the
occasion, are now stilled in death.
The train, consisting of fourteen cars, left the
depot on Seventh street, at 8 o'clock, crowded
with invited guests, half hour after the adver-
/ tsed time. BY the time it reached Hermann,
this delay was fully recovered, thus showing the
good condition of the track. After leaving
Hermann the train proceeded with good speed,
and without the least difficulty until 1t reached
! the Gasconade, when one of the most disastrous
accidents occurred which has yet thrown this
city into mourning.
The bridge across that stream gave way, ana
ten of the cars were precipitated distance OF
twenty five or thirty feet. The locomotive from
all appearances had reached the edge OF the trst
pier, when the structure gave way, ara IN tall
ing reversed its position entirely the front turn
ing to the East. and the wheels upward. On
the locomotive at the timc were the President,
Mr.. H. E. Bridge, Mr. O'Sullivan, the Chief En-
! gineer of the Road, and an additional number OF
employees.
Mr.. Bridge, it is supposed, is the only person
saved of the individuals named An hour after
the disaster, voices from beneath the wreck OF
the locomotive were heard asking for assistance,
and when we left the scene of disaster active et-
forts We're making to relieve the sufferers 1t Is
possible-nay, it is to be hoped probable, that
some of these unfortunates may have been res
cued.
The road enters the bridge with curve, and
this circumstance, perhaps, prevented the disas
ter from being more fatal, as the cars thereby
were diverted, and thus prevented from falling
directly into general melee. Enough of inju-
ry, however, was accomplished The baggage
car, next the engine, went down, to use the ex-
preston of one who was It, Extremely easy
without causing any serious casualty. The first
and second passenger cars followed andi these
several were killed, and great number more or
less manged.
In the third car, one or two were killed, only.
This car, although in dangerous position, and
almost entirely demolished, was less fatal to life
and limb. In the fourth and fifth ears a great
many were fatally injured AMI several instantly
killed. The balance of the train followed swiftly
on their fatal errand, and the loss of life. with
Commissions more or less severe was indeed dread
| full.
Some of the cars plunged on those beneath
them with their ponderous wheels, and crushed
or MANNED the unfortunate persons below
Others hung up on the cliff in perpendicular
position, and two or three turned bottom up
ward down the grade. Only onc-the extreme
rear car-maintained its position on the rail.
|
Doctor Mcdowell and Mcpherson were for
natey among the guests, and gave their best
skill to the alienation of the wretched sufferers
1t was impossible, however, for them to apply
bandages and reset limbs under the circumstail-
ces The accident occurred where no houses
are TO be seen-in q wild forest-and during
the time heavy storm of rain, accompanied
with lightning and thunder, of the most vivid
description, fell without interruption.
| Couriers were dispatched forthwith to Hermann
for another train, an in an hour, or less, the
wounded were in comfortable cars on their way
to the city. 1t was an awful spectacle-one
that might appal the stoutest heart-the death
and dying lying without shelter, save that af-
fordcd by the hand of friendship and phlanthro-
Ply, exposed to ptiless storm, and the wound
I ed groaning from amid the ruins, and suppica-
! ted the succor of the more fortunate.
The return cars reached the depots on Four
teenth and Seventeenth streets about IL O'Clock
/ Theywere filled with the wounded and although
their accommod ations were limited, we heard not
p silglc expression of dissatisfaction. Many in
'tii4smtlanchoy train were fatally injured, and
many suffered with intense agony; but they bore
up like men, and exhibited the highest degree of
fcrtitude
We suppose that not one man out of ten es,
capped uninjurcd, and although this may be term
ed a severe casualty of no ordinary character,
yet it is wonderful how SO many escaped with
life
Judge Wells, of the District Court of the Uni
ted States along with his lady. The Judge
received a slight cOntusion, or bruse, and Mrs.
w escaped entirely. One other lady was also IN
the company, and she, too, escaped.
Thus has happened frghtful accdent-onc
more disastrous than it has been our sad duty to
announce this many day. The city is in mourn
ing for many of its most worthy citizens, and
domestic grief will require long years to heal the
wounds it has inflicted.
! WUADER THAT MORE WERE NOT KILLED.
Il any one before the disaster had visited the
bridge ut Gasconade; and after due observation
1 OF the locality, made an estimate OF the proba-
bic boss of life attendant ON the demolition of 10
cars densely filed with passengers, in the man
ner the catastrophe occurred, we venture to as
scrt that one hundred would have been the lowest
number fixed upon.
The wonder is expressed on every hand that
the loss of life and personal injury was not great
CT than it has turned out TO be. 1t was fearful
scene. Car after following each other il.
/ lightning like succession, it seems miraculous
/ that many escaped without the loss of life, al
/ though badly bruised or seriously injured Great
has been the calamity to the city and to families,
we ought to feel thankful that, ont of five thou
sand passengers, so many should have failed to
receive lasting injury.
When we take into consideration the fall of
thirty feet in front to the bed of the river, and
the high embankment on either side of the track
covered with stone-the pondcrous cars them
selves capable of grinding each other into frag-
ments-wonder is increased that so few were
killed outright or fatally wounded. There is
hardly position in which ear could be prccip-
itated from the track at the point named that
gives reasonable hope of escape and vet with
seven out of ten, of which the train was compos-
ed, plunged headlong down the abutment, and
then others rolled over the grade containing five
TO six hundred passengers, we have only the
report of about thirty Killed ard fifty badly in
jurcd.
the bridge.
! No examination has yet been made, and it IS
! yet too TO rccur to the of this disaster,
| but We feel well assured that ii is one of those
! inexphcah'e eases which may well defy human
scrutiny. Il has been suggested, that the devil
ish malice ofsome evil disposed persons may have
been at work to weaken the SuperStructurc and
thus to expose to the hazard OF death the hun
dreds of valuable lives in the cars on that day
This much is certain. that Mr.. O'Sullivan him
self believed that the bridge was perfectly secure
4 IL