Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1855-09-03

| IS stalled 10 De deaf, anu the management oil The
cars. According to DR.. Haneksn's statement, he
did not hear the cars at the time, and driving
acIosS the road at the rate Of ten miles an hour.
On the other hand, the cars wsre backing st a
rate of thirty miles an hour. Whether the con-
dnctor or doctor is most to blame will appear by
the evidence.
We present below the statement of D. E. Gavit,
ESQ., Editor Of the U. S. Magazine. who was on
the train from New York, and who remained on
the gtound during the day assisting in the melan-
choly duty Of extTicating the bodies of the dead
and wounded from the ruins. II was written fol
the Bulletin after Mr.. G. arrived in the city from
the scene of the disaster.
| Statement of MIR. Gavit.
U. S. HorEL, PHILADELPHIG.(
| August 30th, 1855.
Gentlemen of tie Evsning Bulletin:-Huvins
left New York yesterday morning in the O'Clock
| A. 81. train, aud being one of the first to WitneSl
the effects Of the appalling and heart rending dis
aSer that occurred near Burlington your request
II will attempt 10 give brief description Of the
dreadful scene aud eRdeavor to aid in the nVeSti-
cations that are already taking place to rest the
awfuI responsibility of the cause of the accident
on whom it Justly' belongs.
Our train, that is the one that was coming South,
which was before the accident little behind time,
was detained about is minutes at Princeton, by y
shot axle box;' the conductor on our ARRIVAL al
| Bordentown, used the utmost diligence, and the
/
and we were under way again in the shortest space
of time. Just before arriving at Burlington was
startled with two loud aud sharp blows of the
whistle, which. as knew TO be the signal to break
up, considerably startled me, as at the time We
| were under full headway.
| The moment the train stopped was out, and
about 100 yards ahead OF US observed The dreudful
wreck. Thinking Of course assistance might be
wanted, from appearances even ut that distance
the conclusions were that many must be seriously
injured, hastened forw lrd. But oh, my God,
was in no wise prepared to witness the excrucia-
ting spectacle that was presented, Men. women
and children, large and small pieces of iron and
other metals, wood, and the other materials " hch
composed the cars; small articles OF baggage, &c.
&C., were crushed into one coRglomeIate mass
Alangled forms Of men aud women presented
themselves on every side; and even il one could
command his feelings sufficiently TO get to work,
he would hardly know where 10 begin, from the
urgent calls on every side. On my arrival at the
scene, the parties who. unhurt and least i'll
iured, were crawling up the bank. One of the
first objects that attracted my attention was the
body of Mir. Howard, cut completely IN two. each
leg aud the trunk being some distance from each
other. Those who we've uniniuEed, with nun.
Der of passengers, who, like myself, had come up
from the other train, set 10 work with a will, and
in less than half nn hour tie bodies Of most OF
the wounded, dying and dead, were placed on the
hank on either side OF the road. Three or foul
died while lying here, and some without speaking
or recovering consciousness after being removed
from the wreck.
Round among the mass could be heard the sobs
and wailingS OF those who had Just recognised a
dear friend or relative among the manged bodies
q wife over husband, u daughter over mother
or nice Some ladies were almost frantic with
excitement and distress, and were rapidly running
in every direction in search of lost friends. As
soon as possible freight train was backed up from
Burlington, and with such consequences of seats
doors, &c, IS we could procure from the wreck
we set % work to remove the bodies of the dead
and those severely injured, Cthe latter frst) to
Burlington. As lett to aid the wounded on this
train, my observations were mostly in Burlington
after this time. The hotels and many private
houses were at once thrown open for the reception
of the wounded-the citizens and ladies especial
ly turned out i'll immense numbers 10 render a<sis-
lance; at one time there were over twenty ladies
| in the hall of one Of the hotels making bandaees
for the physicians, no already in attendance
The French onsuI, Baron ST. Andre, was still
living snd suffering the most intense agony. Some
friend relative was, with Others, endeaN oEing by
every means, to alleviate his distress, but he ex-
Pred in about an hour after his removal.
In the same room lay MIR. Lukens. OF our city,
whose proans were teInble-at one time II took
Eve or six men to hold him on the settee, although
he was perfectly unconscious at the time. had
observed him when first taken from the ruins; his
face was as black as my hat, and gave him up
Ior dead, but the motion Of the cars appeared To
revive his respiration. Although the physician
decided he was beyond human all, still he was
alive at last SccOuntS. Another al the severely
injured was my friend the Hon. VIM. B. Maclay,
of New York. l recognized him when Brought
up TO Burlington in wagon; bad him at once
conveyed TO room, and after giving him stimu-
liant aud getting him on the bed, he appeared to
revive considerably. will never, forget the for.
titude displayed by Mr.. MaclaY; although severe.
ly wounded in the back of his head. considerably
cTuShtd in his side and chest, and his legs cut and
bruised. liter being temporarily relieved, he
requested those around him TO aid others Who
were more injured, and in fact displayed the most
noble and muny traits throughout.
As your reports have been full in regard to the
names, etc., it would be Super1uouS Tor me "a
| reitera them here. One of the most horrd spec.
EacleS was in small room, next above the iele-
graph office, where nine Of the bodies were placed
side by side, after being removed from the cars
Oh! thut may never Sgain witness parallel 10
the awful scenes OF yesterday. Among those &C.
tive in their exertions to alleviate the distress was
Bishop Doane; If we understood him rightly a
party OF ladies had left friends house 10 take
Il e unfortunate tain; two had been brought back
injured, aud the other, Mrs. Prescott, was missed;
he was using every effort to gain some lidingS oil
her. and find by the reports this morning that his
worst fears were confined, and that she IS among
the slaughtered victims. One Of the most Provi
DENTAL escapes that came within my knowledge
was that Of gentleman, his wife and two infant
children. from this city. The car they were IN
was one Of the worst mashed up; but strange to
relate, although the seals dropped 10 pieces es they
arose from them, and several Others, almost i'm
mediately beside them, were killed or MORALLY
wounded, this whole family escaped with hardly a
seTntch.
In summing up the cause of this truly lamentn.
BILE affair, can only come to the conclusion that
from all the facts as presented on the spot. the
great c0uSe of blame must rest mn the ShnIduyV nj
ths conductor of the up tam. His leaving Bur.
lIngton within ten minutes OF the time, and the
train having the right of way, was piece OF rash
ness repEehensible in the extreme. Again. the rate
that the train was being backed was decidedly
wrong. or course the engineer must have been
terribly excited when he saw the danger from col