The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-11-08
The 81. Louis Accident.

patches by telegraph Of the occurrence. Last
Monday we published additional details from
st. Louis papers of Friday. But we were by,
some unacountable delay in the reception Of
our st. Louis exchanges, prevented from Civ
ing any additional news Tuesday or Wednes-i
day. The Fashion yesterday morning brought
US Mondays St. Louis papers. Just as the
Fashion was leaving Monday morning, steam
boat arrived from the Missouri, bringing home
about thirty badly wounded persons, and three
more dead bodies. We presume that in all,
about thirty-fye persons lost their lives by
this terrible accident, and others will probably
yet die from their wounds. Among the dead
are several of the most prominent citizens of
st. Louis. Mayor King issued the following
proclamation last Saturday: zs
To THE CITIZENS OF ST.. LoUIs.-In view of
the awful and inscrutable dispensation of Pro-
violence, by which SO many valuable lives were
lost on Thursday last, have deemed it proper
to recommend, and as the Mayor of the City,
do hereby recommend and set apart Monday
next, the 9TH inst, and ask that it be observed
universally as day of cessation from all labor
and as tribute of respect TO those who are
most deeply stricken by this terrible blow, and
a day of heartfelt thankfulness and gratitude
to God, by and on account Of all who are saved
from death.
/ recommend that al business houses be
closed, and that all Secular pursuits go unob-
served on that day; also request that the
churches of all denominations be opened for
for religious worship on that day.
WASH'N KING, Mayor.
MAYORS OFFICE, st. Louis, Nov. 3, 1856
We notice by the St. Louis papers that
great blame was at once thrown upon the
Chief Engineer for the fragility of the structure
the breaking of which resulted so disastrously-
1t is very easy a'o,o to see that the structure
was faulty--but Mr.. OSullivan was one of
the best engineers in the West; he had super
intended the building of this bridge, and showed
his entire confidence in it, by guiding the loco
motive which first broke through, by which
accident he was instantly killed. The Pioneer
locomotive had just previously crossed the
bridge in safety, to test its strength. Mr.
O'Sullivan then started his train across slowly,
not fast as the first accounts stated No one
appears to have had a thought much less ex-
pressed doubt, as to the safety of the struc-
ture, previous to the accident asa
From the st. Louis intelligence of Monday
we make the following extracts
A gentleman who visited the scene of the
disaster on Friday, states that the wreck of
cars was astonishing, and can only account for
its extent from the force with which the train
was moving. There were eleven cars in the
train-ten having left the city, and another
added at Hermann. The rear, car was left
with it rear truck on the track, but the rails
under it partially displaced. The front truck
was resting over the rails, but the rails were
drawn off the embarkment to the left, and the
car was only retained in an upright position
by the coupling, which held it up to the end
of the second car from the rear, which was
turned on its side, and resting. at an angle OF
As degrees (top DOWN on the bank. The
third car from the rear is also on its side, at 40
degrees, top down. In these cars it is believed
no mortal injuries were received.
The fourth car had reached the abutment
with its front truck, and turned completely
bottom up. 1t was principally occupied by
the Guards, but we believe no one in it was
killed. The backs of the seats remained sus-
pended in the car, the body of which did not
seem to be much injured.
The fifty car hung by its rear end on the
left corner Of the abutment, its front pitched
forward and to the right and inciining at an
angle Of about 40 degrees. Many were
wounded severely in this car, but none, we
thiEk, killed.
The sixth car had dropped off the abutment
to the left. with its front truck coming down
on the next car in advance. The forward part
of this car was much broken up, and had the
car last spoken of fallen from the abutment,
many lives would have been lost in it.
The seventh car from the rear) was inclined
to the left and the front half of it mashed in by
the 9Th car which had followed it in the train,
and fell on it from the abutment. Fourteen
killed in this car at least-but none, we be-
lieve, seriously wounded. Mr.. Adolphus
Meier had a remarkable escape; he was sitting
with Mr. Case and, Dubois. Mr.. Dayton. DR..
Billiard and Mr.. Abeles we have heard named
as among those killed in this car.
The eighth car was thrown between the
abutment and the pier at right angles to the
track and broken up so entirely that the
different parts could not be recognized. There
were several of the inmates killed; but the es-
capes, under the circumstances were wonder
full. 81
The ninth and tenth cars were pitched off to
the right, and were much broken, but no
others fell on them, SO that the mortality was
not so great as in those last mentioned.
The eleventh baggage carr settled off to the
right, but alighted on its bottom, and was not
as much broken as might have been expected.
It's front end was close to the pier
Remember that this numbering is from the
rear The distance from the rear end of the
last car, where it poised over the broken track,
to the abutment, is about 175 feet. The
track for the whole distance was entirely
swept off bv the tangental force ACQUIRED by