Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-09-13

y Mr.. Ray, passenger, says that the
train consisted Of engine, tender, bag.
lgsge-car, and four passenger-cars, with
lI80 passengers, and left Philadelphia
at the usual time, 10 O'Clock and &c
minutes. They had run about 2 miles
and were two miles this side Of Buling.
ton, N. j., when the engineer discover.
ed the morning train from New York
approaching, and there being but sin
gle track, he reversed the engine and
commenced backing the train to the
Burlington switch. in order to allow the
train to pass. They had gone backward
about mile, and were about the same
distance from the switch, going at the
rate Of 90 or 25 miles an hour, when
the accident occurred in this wise: A
physician named Hennigton was driving
a span of horses before a carriage in
which were or s ladies, and attempted
to cross the track ahead of the train;
but the horses Just got upon the track
when they were struck by the first pas
senger-car and instantly killed, one be-
ing thrown on one side of the track and
his mate on the other. Neither of the
persons in the carriage was materially
injured, although under the circum-
stances it seems wonderful
The train being on the move back
ward, the engineer did not see the
horses and carriage until he saw one of
the carriage wheels lying on the track
as the engine passed over it. The con-
Juctor saw the horses and carriage and
apprehended that the train would strike
them, but the bell-rope was out of order,
so that he could not warn the engineer.
He started through the cars, for the
purpose of doing this in person, but
was too late, and the car and horses
struck before he could get there. The
concussion threw the first passenger
car off the track and down an embank-
ment eight or ten feet high, and with
the momentum that the train had at the
time, the next two passenger cars were
drawn down, one after the other, on
top of the first, while the fourth was
thrown clear over all of them with tre-
mendous force. The fourth passenger
car became detached from the baggage
car, and this, together with the engine
and tender, was left on the embankment
above, and very little injury was done
to these cars or those who occupied
them.
The four passenger ears which went
down the embankment were literally
broken into fragments, and the wood
work of one of them was reduced TO
pieces, none of which were over four
inches wide, every pannel having been
crushed apart.
Here followed a scene which those
who beheld it, represent as truly ap-
palling-one that would shake the Stout
est nerves and sicken the stoutest heart.
The cries of the mangled human be-
ings who were buried beneath that
chaotic wreck of material almost palsied
the senses and disabled the arms of the
few who were so fortunate as TO be able
to render assistance. Those, however.
who could extricate themselves and
were not disabled by injuries, assisted
by the residents in the vicinity, set them
selves to work to remove their unfortu-
nate companions from the ruins. It
was some time, though, before their
task was completed, timbers, iron
wheels, and axels being piled upon
them in confused mass; and. alasl-
there were too many who could not an
preclate their labors, who felt not the
heavy weight upon them-they were
dead. Those who were got out alive
were, almost without exception, injured
In greater or less degree-and many
were SO seriously hurt that their lives
were dispaired of, and their injuries
were Of every description and character
imaginable. There were broken legs
and arms, half scalped heads and frac-
tured skulls, and every conceivable kind
of flesh wounds.
Among the killed was a middle-aoed
lady who was travelling in company with
daughter of about Ia or Is wears
The body of the mother was removed
from the spot on bier, followed by the
stricken child, believing the path she
trod with tears of the intensest grief
Another lady, who was supposed to
De from Patterson, had her head severed
from the body, and they were found a
few feet apart, with the hat still upon
the head and the ribbon still unfastened
from about the chin.
A man who attempted to escape by
jumping was caught between the cars
as they went over the embankment and
his body completely cut in two lust
above the hips.
A train was sent down to the scene
OF disaster from Burlington, and the
dead bodies, together with the wounded
that had not been conveyed to residen-
ces in the vicinity, were taken to the
Burlington depot. Here the dead were
covered with blankets to await the cor
oner's investigation, and every aid that
could furnish was rendered
to the injured sufferers.
The ladies of the place came with
linen to bandage broken and bruised
heads and limbs, and to speak those
gentle consultations which women alone
can utter. The clergymen of the place
and among them Bishop Done, were
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