Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-07-22

hlest Ieellhg- ~ huu1nlti. Among ihr many in
stances of nnhr hcroi-in OF which we heard were
the following.
Near the scene of the accident stands Nr. Bit
ting's Hotel. At this house there are several boar
ders. ladies' aud gentlemen, VIII have secured
summer lodgings, there To avoid our heated city,
- he hoarder> at this hotel were early nj the
scene OF the disaster. aud rendered every ser
wee IN their power; but what was calculated most
10 tn" stoute-t heart. the following incident;
little, feeble infant was found in the ruins of
one OF the cars. pteousiy crying for its mother.
No mother appeared 10 answer the summons
she doubtless crushed 10 death. Quick as
thought Mrs G., of the boarders at Billings
seized the little sufferer aud placed it TO her own
breast. and there under the burning rays of the
sun this woman rohbing, perhaps, her own infant of
his nourishmen,w sustaining this orphan while
all around was noise and confusion, ard eroans,
and suffering and death
Among the surgeons who were present, and
who labored with so much industry that they
seemed to he Ubiquitous, were Drs. Green, Hem
~. Corson, Martien, Foulke, Bolton and Shell.
lnerdine.
The weather yesterday was terribly hot and
the sun glared down with dreadful intensity up.
on the poor victims, and upon those who toed
to relieve their sutfprings.
An eyewitness DIES cribes that one car took fire
and which was in flames in aninstant As soon
os possible Inf cur was broken open, out no Nv
ing soul was left in it. The inmates were all dead
und enveloped in the fierce flames.
The place where the accident occurred is call
cd Camp Hill Station. 1t is Is miles from the
eity.-The road curves twiceso that at, say 500
yards, the approaching locomotives could not he
seen by their respective engineers.
The ground of the road is made an embank
ment running along for about 100 or $50 yards.
This embankment is about twenty-six feet in
height.
The track is single, and when the locomat iyes
rushed together, they reared up on end. da,hIna
each other {" pieces and becoming amalgamated
IL it were in apparently inextrcable mass #
iron and brass. The bottoms of the two engines
struck together. and tie entire mass fell over up
on their side upon the western slope of the EN-
banknent.
Three of the cars of the excursion train caught
fire like a fash, and in very few moments moth
ing left of them hut the wheels, the other iron
work, and few charred tmbers AMI smouldpring
pieces Of the human frame.
There are two hotels, two dwelling houses
black smith shop and small shed, within about
300 yards OF the scene and to these places the
wounded were first carried. Not tree Is to be
seen for IA considerable distance any side, and
the fierce beat down upon the dead, the
wounded, their rescuers, and their half crazed
friends who were hocking to the scene, all run
nlllS Oh 1907 IN wagons, anu every slecie5 oI We
hicie that could be procured in the city.
The bodies of those who burned beyond
recognition were gathered together. In black
smith shop. near where the accident oceurr ed,
we counted t,centy-o burned bodies.
Under temporary shed lay the bodies OF eight
other human beings, charred as to be utterly
unrecognizable.
Near where the engines came in collision, por-
tions of human bodies lay among the smoking
tmbers, and the bent iron.
We will not shock readers by description
of the condition Of these bodies. All were burned
in the most horri lie manner. and of the whole
number there were many that were SO Inuiated
that there is not the slightest hope Of their being
identified. Very few had any vestigc of their clio.
thing left on their bodies. ANA the head, and limbs
of many were burned entirely off. This morning
there fifteen bodies at the Master street
Depot that cannot possibly be recognized.
Some of the bodies of the victims were without
doubt entirely consumed. Ex.Lieut. Davis IN
searching among the ashes under some portion of
the machinery, found few calcined human bones
in two places. They were, without doubt, all
that was left of two human beings The remains
of both could be readily held in the palm of the
hand.
Two or three trains ran to and fro between the
city and the scene of the disaster during the
afternoon. The friends of the sufferers crowded
upon the up trains despite the exerlons OF the
police to prevent a rush, and some OF the more
daring ones actually rode upon the cow catcher
in front of the locomotive.
The trains brought down the dead aud the
wounded. The latter were placed on the seats
as comfortably as circumstances would permit
and every attention possible shown by the
physicians. the employees of the road, the police
in charge of the train, and by the friends of the
victims.
The scene in the cars beggars description for
horror. Every conceivable kind and degree Of
wound was TO be seen, and nothing save signs of
agony from the wounded or their afflicted friends
and relatives met ones eyes at every turn.
The trains were runto town quite slowly and
carefully, and as thay passed along crawds OF
persons from the road sides and the windows OF
dwellings on the line of the road gazed mourn
fully upon the cars and their mournful freight.
When the trains reached the outer depot, they
were Immediately beset by an anxious, earnest
fearful crowd of men, women and children. who
pressed eagerly forward to the doors Of the cars
aud were kept back with great difficulty.
A. soon as the intelligence of the calamity
r'ached the city, the principal of St. Joseph'-
Hospital and three Sisters of Charity attached TO
fhe institution. immediately repaired to the seene
he Sisters were to be seen moving alb 'ut
iNr angels of mercy among the wounded.
The excitement in the vicinity of the depot
Was very great during the entire night OF lhurs-
day but the strong police force detailed proven
ted the entrance of the throng into the building,
all Il whom seemed to be anxious to view the
burned remains of the victims of the disaster. -
Some of the bodies recognized during the
night and early yesterday morning, but ut ~
n'cock eight remnants of the human form stlll
Remained, all of which were insuch a condition
that it was impossible to recognize them Wal
nut collins were procured for those by the com
rany, and during the afternoon they were remov-
ed from the depot for interment
\ ppntlpmap AZ bn vas IN the down train from