Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-03-23
Tue LEAP OF DEATn n C.ANADA.-Iye pub

TIE LEAP oP DEATH IN CANADA.-4NVe pub.
lished telegraphic account, the other day, Of
the terrible railroad accident in Canada. Nv
which some eighty persons were instantly Kill
led. The following particulars of.the terrible
affair will be read with interest:
sFhe locomotive and tender broke through
the instant they struck the bridge, and with a
hcadlong leap, buried themselves under water
in nm instant The baggage car followed, and,
in its descent, depressed the forward end of the
first passenger car, so that the coupling which
connected 1t with the last car broke, and it was
hurled through the air, executing atcomplete
RutnmerSet in its descent, and stfiking bottom
upward in thewnter, which closed overland COW
cred 1t entirely, with the exception Of n few In
cheS of the bottom Not a soul that went
down IN that fearful plunge ever sawgthe light
ofday ag1in. The second passenger followed.
striking the first with terrible crash, and slid.
ing off at an angle of about forty-fiye degrees
was buried two thirds of length in the water
The only passengers saved We're in the rear end
OF this car. The locomotive and tender we're
completely submerged, with the baggage and
first passenger cars on5top ofthcm. The sec
ond passenger car rested partly onthe first,
which circumstance was the only means by
which single life out ofthe whole number was
saved.
According to the statement of Captain Alex
ander Mcbride, of Port Burwell, who escaped
with serions injuries, the passengers all started
to their feet at the moment of the cars leaving
the track and had just gained the aisle in the
centre, when the car went over. Passengers
seats, stoves and everything else that the chr
contained were thrown with terrible force to
the front end where they lay in insxtricablc
confusion. Capt. Mcbride was caught among
the ruins in a way which secured him from the
water, and detained him some time before he
could release himself He describes the scene
! as perfectly heart-rending; the shouts, groans
and frantic Efforts of the injured persons, en-
deavoTlng to eXtricate themselves, mingled with
tents of blazing coal, and the gurglng of the
waters rs they rushed in aud closed over the
living mass Of struggling life; while wounded
and helpless persons chung tn him with an encr-
gy that threatened destruction. Breaking his
way out ut the rear end of the car With few
Others, they succeeded in gaining the ice, and
from that the main land, automatically sought
assistance III Hamilton. Out q the two crow.
tled passenger cars but thirteen persons were
known to have escaped with life, and but. one
solitary person without serious injury. Tho
two cars, according to the statement of Capt
Mcbride, were as full asst they could hold The
number could not have been less than one hun.
dred and fifteen. Nothing could be learned from
the conductor in regard to the matter, as he
seemed to be in state bordering on insanity.
1t has been said that the bridge was in a mi-
SCRABBLE condition, and that the fact was we'll
known to the officers of the company. The
circumstance of the conductor posting himself
in place OF observation where he secured to
himself the only chance Of escape, would seem
to arguea marked diStruSt of the bridge, if not
positive knowledge of its unworthincss,