Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-11-08
THE ST. LOUIS CATASTROPHE.

The editor Of the st. Louis lnlelli9sncer,
who was one Of the passengers on the train
that met with such terrible disaster on tho
Ist instant, gives thrilling account Of the
occurrence from which we make the follow.
ing extract
"At one o'clock we left Hermann, pre-
ceded by locomotive and tender, which
had been sent forward to see that the way
was clear, and no danger impending. Soon
we came in sight Of the bridge across Gas
conade River, about nine miles from Her.
mann, and about thirty-fve from Jefferson
City. The bridge is approached by an en-
bankment thirty feet high, which termi-
mates in massive stone abutment. Forty
yards from the abutment, and just at the
edge OF the river, stands another staunch
stone pillar, three more Of which reach to
the other side of the stream, and support
the bridge. The river is about two hun
bred and fifty yards wide, and the bridge
thirty feet high, at least. The Pioneer To-
connective had crossed the structure safely,
and was waiting on the other side to see
the result of our attempt. There was no
feal OF danger, and no apprehension Of per.
il. We moved slowly along on The en-
bankment, and came on to the bridge
The locomotive had passed the first span,
and had its forewheels above the first pill
lar, beyond the abutment--there being then
resting on the first span, the locomotive,
baggage car and two heavily loaded pas
senger cars. The weight was too much for
the long, slender timbers which supported
the rails and the enormous load above
Suddenly we heard horrid crash; rings
in our ears now-and saw a movement
amongst those in the car in which we were
seat, and then came crash crash as each
car came to the abutment, and took the ia
tai plunge. The affair was but the work
of an instant. We were running slowly at
the time, and the successive crashes came
or at intervals OF nearly second. We
ourseH wee seated in the seventh car,
there being three behind US, ard when we
heard the horrid sound that came up, as
each car slowly and deliberately took the
leap, we hoped that our car might stop be-
fore it reached the precipice. But no: it
seemed that the spirit Of ruin was beneath,
determinedly dragging each car to the spot,
wrenching it from its tastenings and hurl-
ing it to atoms beneath. Six cars fell in
one mass, each on the other, and were
shivered into fragments. The seventh
fell with its forward end to the ground, but
the other rested on tha top of the abu.-
nent.
Such wreck we never saw before, and
hope never again 70 see. 1t was one inds-
tinguishable mass Of wooden beams, seats,
iron wheels and rods, from beneath which
came up groans of agony. Those who
could, crawled out oithe ruin Immediately,
and either sought TO relieve their own
wounds or the wounds Of their friends
Some wept tears Of JOY to 6nd their friends
alive; and others shuddered to find their
friends dead. The uninjured organized
themselves under the head Of Mr.. Price, the
conductor, and endeavored by chopping to
extricate those who were yet alive, from
the wreck. Here beam was cut into 10
dlsengage broken arm; there an iron ak
lie was pried up to relieve broken leg
There was no shrieking and screaming,
though all begged, for the love of Heaven,
10 be extricated from some mass of iron, or
beam of wood, which pinned them to the
earth. Allbegged for water, drank when
il was brought and prayed for more. There
was hardly an entirely uninjured man to be
seen. Most Of those who had escaped, had
streams of bloodfowel over their face, from
splinter wounds Others limped and hob
bled away, looking for their friends. A
board shaHty was the only shelter 10 be had,
aud that was soon filled up with the wound
ed, whose silent, speechess agony was
enough TO make the stoutest hearts shud-
der. Immediately after the accident, the
heavens grew dark and black as though the
night had come. The wind shrieked through
the !eafiess trees; the heavens were rent in
twain, and from the crevce CLEANED the
white lightning, and the hoarse thunder bel
lowed its cruel mockings at the woe be.
meath. II seemed as if the elements were
holding high carnival over the scene Of
slaughter.
A Paris correspondent OF the National In-