Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-03-13
Appalling Disaster.
Ratroddtrain Ol,mged into DuPogs rivsi
From the Missouri Republican r-.--

Radrodd train plunged into DuP0ge rivsr!
From the Missouri Republican. ...T
The recent heavy rains, washing away cnls
bankments, occasioning slides, undermining
ties, and sweeping away bridges, have been
tue cause of delays, and much hard swear
ing, of failures to make connections, and de-
tentions of the mails, and general derange-
mcnt Of the rail and lines in Illinois and
Missouri. If this were all we should be glad.
On the Chicago and Rock Island road, as il
crosses the Du Page river five miles from
Joliet, the heavy rains of Friday had swol-
len the river till it overflowed its banks, COW
cred the bottom and submerged tho track on
both sides of the bridge. A freight train,
consisting Of the locomotive, tender and
seven cars loaded with horses approached
this river on Saturday. The engineer igno-
rant of any obstruction, and confident in the
firmness and safety of the road, though cov-
cred with water, held on his way, plowing
through a stream two feet deep, guided by
the iron track, until he reached the bridge
when the appalling fact was revealed that
the swollen river had not only submerged
the bridge but swept it away! Locomotive,
seven cars with their freight of horses, one
after another, disappeared beneath the sur.
face OF the etream, deep enough, by reason
of the freshet, to hide from view every yes-
tage of the train. Down it went with all
in charge of it, and three of them were lost.
One human life destroyed overbalances tho
destruction of thousand horses. But who
can think without a shudder, of those seven
cars closely confining, beyond all hope of es-
cape, their noble freight of horsesi And
who, without thrill, can picture to his i'm
agination the frantic death struggles of
those helpless animals, as with the falling
train they took the fatal plunge, and amid
gurgling and in-rushing waters, their cars
of easy transportation proving their coffins
and their tomb!
From the Joliet Democrat. aa
He DIED AT HIS PosT.-A sad but beau
tiful and touching scene was witnessed at the
accident at the Du Page bridge. On the
morning after the accident the slow tolling
of bell was heard. On looking to see
whence it came, it was discovered TO pro-
ceed from the engine rs it lay submerged in
the water. The waves, as they surged and
foamed over the sunken engine, swayed the
bell, which alone with the smoke pipe ap-
peared above water, and caused it to give q
slow, tolling sound. When the engine was
raised from the water, the engineer was
found in standing posture, with bis stiff
cold, icy hand firmly grasping the throttle
valve, as though amid the thick darkness he
had discovered the perilous condition of the
train, and had sprung TO avert the ruin
, But it was too late-the engine and train
, with its precious freight of life and property
went down, and during the dreary night thu
ongine-bell and the mad, rushing water
rang out solemn requiem for the dead =
1t is probable that had not the freight traiI
gone down as it did, the passenger traiI
from Chicago. duo two hours later, anc
! loaded with sleeping passengers, would il
self have taken the fatal plunge