The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-11-08

nv sscsAS AAs&St3SAa ACCIOCnAS
In consequence Of the mail failure north o.
washington yesterday, we arc only in possession o.
st Louis papers to the id inst, with accounts o.
sne dreadful accident on the Pacific Railroad. Tbs
Republican of that date says:
Tho train, consisting of fourtaor ..rs lof, .h,
aepot on Seventh street, at o'clock croweded with
invited guests, half hour after the time advertis
ed by the time it reached Hermann this DELAY
was fully recovered, thus showing the good condi
uen OF sne track. After leaving Hermann the train
proceeded with good speed and without the Ieas,
difncuty, until 1t reached the Gasconade when one
OF the most disa strous accidents occurred which
mas yet thrown this city into mourning.
Inc ordge across that stream gave way, and
ton OF the cars were precpitated distance OF
twenty-five or thirty feet The locomotive from aI
appearances had reached the edge of the first pie,
when the structure gave way, and I'm falling, re
yersed its position entirely, front turning the
cast and the wheels upward On the locomotive
at the time were the President, Mr.. H. E. Bridge
Mr. O'Sullivan, the chief engineer of the road an
additional number of employees.
Mr. brdgo, it is supposed, ia the only ono saved
aster, voices from beneath the wreck of the loco
motive were heard asking for assistance; and
when we left the scene of disaster active efforts
were making to relieve tho sufferers 1t is posi-
nle-nay, It Is to be hoped probable, chat some d
these unfortunates may have been rescued
The road enters tho bridge with n curye and
tna circumstance, perhaps, prevented the disaster
from being more fatal as the cars thereby were d
veHed ana thus prevented from falling directly in
general melee Enough of injury however, was
accomplished The baggage car, next the engine
went down. 10 use the expression of one who was
IN It, extremely easy, without causing any serious
casualty. The first and second passenger cars fol
number more or less mangIed
In the third car ono or two were killed only
This car although in dangerous position and al
most entirely demolished was less fatal to life and
JttnIa Tn tha fnr,r 4 cfAl-
were fatally injured and several instantly killed
The balance OF the train followed swiftly on their
fatal errand, aud the loss of life, with contusons
more or less severe was dreadful
Some of the ears plunged on those beneath thorn
with their ponderous wheels, and crushed or MAIN,
ed the unfortunate persons below Others hing
upon the cliff in perpendicular position. and two
or three turned bottom upward down the grade
Only one-the extreme rear car-maiptained ;,s
position on the rail
disaster. 1t says:
Tho accident took place about half past O'clock
in the afternoon. We were mistaken in saving
above that a number of the passengers got ont of
the cars to walk on tho bridge There was no ston
ping OF the train, but only slackeninR of the
speed, to make the passage more secure and give
the persons on board an opportunity of viewing the
structure
When the engine had just reached the EDGE of tho
second pier the weight of eight ten of the heayi.
- AoooA Saib w ds too great, ana tn0 unDerS
way with a terrible crash. The fall was about 30
feet, and the space between tho piers, where the
cars were crushed, was surface of dry land cover
ed with mud, rocks, and sand, instead of water "a
we have stated above. All the train was precipi
tated, with the exception of one of the hindmost
cars, and locomotive attached in the rear. The
crash, and the shrek of the passengers as tho
bridge give way, are represented as most terrible
The forward engine having just reached the Sec
ond pier went down with the train, and a. il fell
turned completely over, and backed upon the near
est cars, crushing the timbers and passengers in
the most appalling manner. The middle cars were
badly crushed by their own weight and those In
the rear, precipitatod with great violence over the
abutment down upon tho ruins beneath Ono car
which had been set apart for the company of the
st. Louis Grays, by some kind fortune was thrown
over on its side and preserved from being crush
ed, and its passengers from the terrible fatality At
tending the other cars. The carriage also contain
ing the National Guards was not so badly injured
and consequently its load of human beings saved
from such dreadful injury.
At the time of tho accident a severe thunder
storm prevailing; and it ia related to us that
the merciless pouring Of the rain and the roar and
flash of the angry tempest mingling with the cries
OF the wounded and dying, made up picture har-
rowing beyond anything the mind can imagine
Those who were able to extrcate Themselves
from tho ruins, and were unhurt, immediately ioin.
ed in superhuman exertions to rescue their COM
panions and friends from their terrible situations
At the time the train left the scene, the work had
not been finished, and many were still busy in ex-
ploring the rubbish of the disjointed and broken
carriages, and minstering relief to the suffering.
while others employed themselves in dsposing of
the bodies of the dead.