The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-07-24
From Ia. Pa Isis piia Buila'in.
.pp.r.v1yG DISASTER.
I,r, Persons C1xsiea and Bkrne1 20 L'0'"'
0ae HuaHrsd .Hd1gleI.

,,an III a. lett the CITY A. D q SioeA .'' A'o
NJ viii a luge party ofschool children. with
,bsir ,.a-hers. dc.
r. aafIiculars. s, far as we have been
.ble % clean them from reliable sources, are
IS follows:
= IAN cars left the Master street depot with
-. schools OF 81, Mchael's Roman Catholic
cbureI,. in Kensiusion. The excursion par
,,.,u.ist.i OF between five and six hundred
,.r.oas. The great majority of whom were
sli1rsn. They intended proceeding to Fort
Washing on, fourteen and half miles from
as ely, where they were to enjoy pie
NC.
Osiny to the number Of cars. and the light
Al the rain there was some delay. and the
soadactor, Mr.. A fred F. Ho2 p.l. fin ling him
sef behind time. pushed forward with great
npidity when towards the end "f his trip.
The regular passenger train Tor the CRY left
Gwynedd at o clock and reached Camp
Hill at O'Clock and l8 minutes. FinIin Z
III, excu on train had not vt arrived, Mr..
wm Naastayo an, the conductor, determined
not TO wait for il. an as his train as movin .
song. the ex pecled train came laundering on
noun1 a curve at the rate OF 35 miles an
hour. A collision OF course ensued with the
most appalling consequences.
The down fraia escaped without serious
damage, but the scene presented by the excur-
sion train was fearful The three forward
cars Of the train were crushed completely to
pieces. and the wreck. minglint with that Of
the locomotive, :o2k fire ald the flames com
munica'ed TO the Other cars OF the train. The
two next cars after the three that were wreck
81 oa'ri yht, took FIRE, and were entirely con,
sumsd
The Inmates OF the three forward cars we're
eomplely mixed up with the wreck. and
lMge humber of them were killeI outrigh
there was probably fifty persons in each of
the three cars, and the lowest estimate We
beard fixes the number Of the killed at fifty,
While il was feared the dread aggregate would
resch one hundred.
When our inFormsn, left the spot, every eff.
Tort WAS being made 10 rescue the wounded,
and The bodies Of the dead from the wreck
Everything was in the widest confusion, aud
wa impossible. under the crcums stan
ces TO arrive with any certainty at the num-
Der Of the victims. 10 Pretend to obtain any
PARTICULARS as to their names.
Henry Harris, The engineer Of the excursion
train, was cut TO pieces, and killed instantly;
ud John B,gans, the fireman. is among the
missing, and il is believed that he is under the
wreck.
Assoon as the dreadful intelligence reach
cd the city. car was despatched with all pos
slbs speed from the Master street depot, with
physicians and other assistance.
One OF our reporters. on hearing the news.
immediately repaired to the office Of the com
psny. At Front and Willow streets, but the
lOo'clock train hal just left the station.
He then proceeded along the line Of the
road to the outer depot of the company where
he found the Vice President and engineer Of
the road al the depot. which was surrounded
BY thousands Of excited men and women
swas informed that an attempt had been
made 70 send hand cars along the road to the
scene OF the accident. but they had been i'm
msdis.ely surrounded BY the mob. and the
police and the employees Of the company had
he utmost difficulty in keeping them from
balm, run OF with
The xcitement at the Willow street station
vas also intense Excited crowds were ca
gsry inquriny for the latest Intelligence from
the scene. while those who had children on
the lfate train were in the most dreadful
condition Of suspense.
The news Of the accident having been wide
y SfSu'h < l. ~ III pcEepHS W no
imagined their friends might be among the
injured. also proceeded to the outer station.
INCIDENTS OF TUE DISASTER.
The suicide of the conductor of the down
train. is one of the tragcal incidents of this
terrible affair. Mr.. Vanstavoren. after the &C
cident. procured vehicle and came to the
city with the dreadful news. He received no
bodily injury by the collision. but when he
reached the city he was IN a very high state
Of excitement. AMI limited at an intention to
destroy his own life. This was subsequently,
pa.into execution. In the course Of the al
tefnoon he procured an ounce of arsenic
and swallowed it. he soon afterwards expired
notwithstanding the exertions of several ply
seians 10 save him.
Mr.. V. WAS but twenty nine yeVrs Of age
he WAS unmarri ed. and resided with his bro.
tner IN cottonwood street. above Tenth The
deceased was much respected by very large
circle OF friends. and he enjoyed the contidenoe
ei MS employers in the fullest degree A
report IS in circulation that he was employed
on the Camden and Amboy Railroad ut the
une OF the Burlington disaster. but this. We
are assured. is entirely false. He had no con.
hecuon whatever with the accident
Tie weather was terribly hot, and the sun
garsd down with dreadful intensity upon the
poor ctim', and upon those who ,oiled to re-
ilsye their sutferings.
An eye witness describes one car that took
hre. AMI W hich was in flames in Al instant
As soon As possible the car was broken open.
Out no living soul wa left in it, The inmates
were all dead. and enveloped in the fierce
James
As most of the victims were Irish. of course
,ae demonstrations OF grief which met ones
helpless ears. We're OF tue most violent charac-
Nf. rhey surpassed anything within the
nase ofihe reportoTial experience.
The bodies Of those who were burned be-
You'd recognition were gathered together In
. o'isksmlth sh p near where the accident
'arred. We counted twenty -ons burned
bodies.
Under temporary shed lay the bodies of