Minnesota weekly times., 1857-04-11
The Leap Of Death at Hamiltsn.

The Canadian telegraph wires are well nigh si-
lent upon the horrible slaughter At the Des JAR
dimes Canal, last month, but accounts are receiv-
cd by eye.witnesses and visitors, 60 that all at
tsmpts to suppress the dreadful truth will prove
unavsiling.
As to the cause of the accident the Hamilton
Banner says:
"We have been Informed that there is no doubt
whatever of the locomotive having run Oft the
track ere it reached the bridge. This conclusion
is arrived at from the fact that the roadway from
the switch to the bridge, which is distance Of
about seventy feet, shows very plainly that the
left wheel of the locomotive ran from tho point
indicated to the bridge on the ties of the road.
gradually making the centre Of the road, while
the right wheel of the locomotive kept on its rail.
ihis could only have resulted from the axle hav-
ing broken, AMI when the locomotive reached the
bridge, the wheel passing through the centre Of
the flooring c.used the engine to fall to the left,
and tear away the main stringer snd side OF tres.
s-l, and no ,ue whole train Was prscipitsted into
the canal.
mo negligence whatever appears to be attrib.
uted to the switchmar, and the only way in
which this frghtful accident can be accounted
for is that the intense cold OF th, past fow aay
has had some effect up n the axles, and 50 caus-
Cd one Of them TO snap Of"
The correspondents Of the Colonst describes
one of the scenes which he witnessed as follows
RECOGNIZING THE DEAD.
Among the most narrowing scenes attending
this fearful catastrophe, ARE the witnessing the un
happy relatives recognizing the mangled remains
of husbands, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters.
Yesterday morning the wife Of Mr.. Morley arrived
from st. Catharines, to pick OCT Of the many
dead his body. The scene was heart. rending al
she passed from one body to another, all mark.
ing death with greater horrors by being more or
less lnangled. At last one, even more distorted
and mangled than the rest, was come to and q
wild SCI cam but too well told her tale Of woe.-
And in a large store house, strewed with dead
bodies; and with others going the rounds to make
similar heart-rendng discoveries, was she left to
kneel down and bewail her bereavement. Whiis,
on one side of the large building row of bodies
were placed rs yet unrecognized, and questions
were asked of every new conner, if he or she knew
anything of them,a sob or moan would be heard il
another part, indicating that some one had come
from distance and found all sad expectation
| realized.
Nor was the circumstance less narrowing, oi
passing the stranger by, who, far from his home
| and far from those who were dreaming OF his re-
turn, there lay, mangled, unrecognized, unwep1
victim of railroad disaster. Here Was evident.
lv poor lrish labOrer his pipe was still in hi.
hand and smile played over his kindly counte'
nance. One passed, yet another, and still an.
other, and no one know him. God only knew tht
grief that some one would feel who did know him
Here again fingered larger group. They arr
looking at the figure of woman, once beautiful
and though her hair lies tangled and wet, and bel
face is distorted from the effects of drowning, sh,
still chains that idle crowd with melachon.y in
terest. She has marriage ring on her 6nger,-
two lockets are on hsr breast and brooch il
suspended by yellow ribbon around her neck
For whom did she wear them? Who were dea
to her? To whom was she dear? No one knew
her. God help her She alone then required &c
be but recognised BY him. And 80 passed th'
scene. Here moan and tear marked the recog.
milton of the mansled remains of friend or
relation.
There strangers, with heavy hearts, gazed upo,
those who were unwept; and thought Of tpsm
selves, if ever such lot should be theirs. Their
may BE- scenes of sorrow and of horror, but wh,
can conceive aught SO utterly heart rending, a
when people 60 away in peace and happiness, t
return this evening or tomorrow, and are frs
heard Of as manglsi and drowned by such disas
ters.