The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-11-14
From the st. Louis Rebublican.1
Particulars Of the late Rail Road
Accident

rFrom the st. Louis Rebublcan.
Particulars of the late Rail Road
Accident.
The magnificent tarin of cars which
left our city yesterday morning, on a ex-
cursion to Jefferson City, to celebrate the
opening of the Pacific Railroad to that
place, is now mass ofruius, aud infinite
ly worse than this, many of the noble hearts
that participated in the pride of the occa-
sion, are now stilled in death.
The train, consisting Of fourteen cars
left the depot on Seventh street. at 9
o'clock crowded with invited guests
half hour after the time advertised By
the time it reached Hermann this delay
was fully recovered, thus showing the
good condition of the track. After leav
ing Hermann, the train proceed with good
speed, and without the least difficulty un-
til it reached the Gasconade, when one of
the most disastrous accidents occurred
which has yet thrown this city into mour-
ming.
The bridge across that stream gave
way, and ten Of the cars were precipita-
ted a distance of twenty-five or thirty
feet The locomotive, from all appear
ance, had reached the edge of the first
pier, when the structure gave way, and
in falling, reversed its position entirely,
the front turning to the east. and the
wheels upwards. On the locomotive at
the time, where the President, Mr.. II. E.
Dn;dao NJ, O,Sn}l;r,n Tho Ih;,f Cnn;
neer of the road, and an additional num-
Der of employers.
Mr. Bridge, it is supposed, is the only
one saved of the individuals named An
hour after the disaster, voices from be
meath the wreck of the locomotive were
heard asking for assistance, and when we
left the scene of disaster, active efforts
were making to relieve the sufferers. 1t
is possible-nay, it is to be hoped proba-
BILE, that some of these unfortunates may
have been rescued.
The road enters the bridge with curve,
and this kept the disaster from being more
fatal as the cars were thereby diverted, and
thus prevented from falling directly in a
general melee. Enough ofinjury, howev-
err was accomplished. The baggage car,
next the engine, went down, to use the
expression of one who was in it, extreme
ly easy,' without causing any serious
casualty. The first and second passen-
ger cars followed, and in these several
were killed, and great number more or
less mangled
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 cars, a great many were
fatally injured, and several instantly killed.
The balance of the train followed swiftly
on their fatal errand, and the loss of life,
with contusions more or less severe, was
dreadful
Some of the cars plunged on those be-
meath them with their ponderous wheels,
and crushed or MANNED the unfortunate
persons below Others hung upon the
cliff in perpendicular position, and two
or three turned bottom upwards down
the grade. Only one-the extreme rear
car-maintained its position on the rail.
1t has been suggested, that the devilish
malice of some evil disposed persons may
have been at work to weaken the super
structure, and thus to expose to the haz-
ard of death the hundreds of valuable
| lives in the cars. This much is certain,
that Mr.. O'Sullivan himself believed that
the bridge was perfectly secure, or he never
would have ventured that rich freight of
| life upon it. He had good reason to be-
lieve SO, for, on the night previous, he
had passed over the road from Usage river
to st. Louis, with the locomotive, and he
!exultingly said all was right. Mr.. O'Sul-
Ivan had difficulties to encounter in the
the completion of the work, of which no
man not initiated has any conceptions; and
it seemed to be a source of great gratif-
cation to him that he had overcome them
all, and that his triumph was at hand.
That he had no. fears of the capacity of
the bridge to sustain the pressure upon it,
is shown by the confidence with which he
put himself in the post of danger, on the