The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-03-21
Fsarfni Railroad Disaster.

On Thursday Of last week, occurred near
Hamilton. Canada West, one Of the most
horrible railroad disasters that ever occurred
in this or any other country. Eighty hu-
man beings were plunged into common
grave, in the twinkling Of an eye, without
the warning Of a second Of time,-'r'hi s''
/ and warmth to ineXtricatle ooze ana IN re-
| darkness and present death. Their ia'e Is
| foo horrible to contemplate. The des Jar
| d;ns canal leads from Burlington Bay to
! Dundas. and across it, reaches suspension
bridge, and below il IS the Great W cstcrn
drawbridge, over which the Detroit and Nj
agara Falls trains i.avc daily passed. The
trains or the Hamilton and Toronto road
take the Great Western line, in approaching
Hamilton, near the scene OF the disaSt.r.
The editor of the Niles (Miciiigan) Ecputls-
can, who was near the accident, gives the
following account Of lis happening:
The o'clock y. Il. way passenger train
from Toronto. going west, consisting OF To-
com. tive, tender, baggage car, ana t"o pas
sengcr cars, ran of the track just before
n aching the rawbridSc ovc- the Dts Jar
din.sc canal, one mile from Hamilton, &. W,
and plungiEs with headiCng force upon the
bridge, the whole structure gave way, and
the entire train was precipitated sixty feet
into the water. which was fifteen feet deep.
! The loo motive and tender broke through
the instant they struck the bridge, and,
with headiong leap, buried themselves un-
der water in an instant. The baggage car
followed, and, in its descent, depressed the
forward end of the first passenger car, so
that the coupling which connected it with
the last car broke, and it was hurled through
| the air, executing q complete somerset
/ striking bottom upward in tho water, which
/ closed over and covered it entirely, with the
exception Of n few inches OF the bottom.
! Not soul that went down in that fearful
plunge ever saw the light OF day again
The second Passenger car followed, striking
the first with terrible crash, and sliding off
a. an angle of about - degrees, Vas buried
two-,hirds Of its length inshe water. The
only passengers saved were in the rear end
of this car. The locomotive and tender were
completely submerged, with the baggage
and first passenger cars on the top Of them.
The second passenger rested partially on the
fIrst. which circumstance was the only means
by which single life out Of the whole was
saved. We shall except, however, the con
ductor, Mr. Edward Barrett, who, with u
prudent forcihOugl;, which looks very much
Ike an anticipation Of the event, had sta
toned himself upon the steps Of enc OF the
passenger cars, and jumped the NONE Mt he
saw the locomotive disappear through the
bridge.
Dat Of the two fuli passenger cars, only
thirteen escaped with their lives, and only
one net seriously hurt. It IS supposed that
the number OF Passengers was over eighty
Fifty-eight dead bodies had been recovered
at the last accounts. According TO the state
uIcDt Of Capt. Alexander Mcbride, OF pt
Burwcl, {. W, who escaped, with serious
injuries, tue passengers AL started to their
feet at the moment Of the cars leaving the
trach, and had just gained the aisle IN the
centre when the car went over. Passengers,
seats, stoves, and everything else that the
car contained were thrown With terrible
force to the front end, where they lay III in
eXtrlcabie confusion. Capt. Mcbride was
caught among the ruins in = way which SC
cured him from the reach Uf the water. and
detained him som time before lie cOu,: re-
lease himself. lie Gc.crIbcs the scene -
perfectly hcartreud!nG; The shouts, grOaTS.
and frantic ciiuIts OF the injured persons,
en- caVoTiug 70 c:.tr;caic ihcu.-c!vc mingled
viz. the Kissing Of the I'D hot stoves AID
the.r contents Of blazing coal, AID tie gu =
Cling Of the waters A. they rushed in and
closed over the living mass Of struggling
life while wounded and helpless persons
c!ung to him with an energy that threatened
to eus'.l.h him among the general dest.Cc-
ton. Breaking his way out at the rear end
OF tie ear with few others, they Succced,d
n gaining the ice. and from that the main
land, and Immediately sough, assistance III
Hamilton. Where rests the blame OF this
fearful catastrophe: his case should b
rigid'y inquired into by the Canadian su-
. thorit.es.