Worcester daily spy., 1858-07-19

ohT JBRFIs, thursday a. NJ, July 10.
Dear Brother About IL O'Clock, when.
descending the heavy grade on the west side
of the Shawangunk Mountains, l perceived
that we were moving at such fearful rate
that l started once or twice with apprehension.
knowing that we were on heavily descend
ing grade Within two or three minutes after
my fears became thus excited, L felt CON
cussion, as if we were running over Il slight
obstruction Some little commotoin eusued
in our car, which was the fourth from the
rear. A signal was made to the engineer as
soon as possible, but we had run a mile or
more before the train was stopped. We soon
found that two cars had been detached from
the train We ran back with great apprehen-
sioa, and our worst fears were more than
realized. The last two cars had been hurled
down an embankment forty feet and were
completely demolished. The groans and
screams of the injured broke fearfulIv upon
our ears in the stiffness of the evening, Thev
Sgere under the wreck, and strew ed around the
scene of the disaster in awful confusion. Tee
moon was shining feebly, and by its light and
that OF large fire which was kindled. the
wreck OF the cars was removed, and all that
were living we're rescued. Three hours were
spent in getting the suffering from beneath
the ruins of the cars and up the embankment
or less seriously injured, the melancholy train
moved on to this place. An engine had been
previously sent to Port Jervis which returned
to the scene of the disaster with surgeons and
other aid.
Among the injured are Professor ]. L. Peet.
Vice Principal of the New York Institution
ior the Deaf and Dumb, his wife and child.
his wlte's sister and several deaf mutes One
OF the most heartrend.ng incidents connected
with this melancholy occurrence was the
screaming of deaf mutes, which could be
heard at long distance, and which greatly
aggravated the horror of the scene.
10 detail Its incidents would be as irnpossi-
ble as to rehearse horrible dream. When l
reached the car l heard a familiar voice. and
making my way towards it, stepped, in the
darkness, upon dead man. l soon reached
Professor Peet, and found him supporting his
wite's head. Both were ignorant Of What
had become of their babe, or of any member
of their party of ten. heard child's voice
on the other side of the car, and rushing
around toward it, asked one who had taken
II whose child 1t was. The mother franticallv
exclaimed, "lt is my child and pressed it to
her heart as if afraid l was about to claim il.
L soon found the child of my friend in the
arms of person who was carrying it up the
embankment. The babe was only sliehtlv
injured. 1t was asleep on the seat when the
cars were thrown off the track, and no one
could tell where it was found. One deaf
mute was reported dead, and I went, at the
request OF gentleman, to identify him. but
he revived, and Is doing well.
During all the long hours that we were
toiling to get the sufferers from the ruins. and
up the embankment to the cars, parents were
calling fraDtically for their children. and
children for their parents. One mother had
her dead child brought to her, another re.
ceiyed her living babe with ecstatic ioy. An
other beautiful young mother, uniniured. I
saw, by the light of lamp, holding tenderlv
IN her arms the mangled form of what was
just before beautiful child. One gentleman
who was with me, who had labored without
faltering from the first. gave way at this SIGHT
and was overcome. He rad helped to carry
the dead and. the wounded up the embapk.
ment, but this was too much for the strong
heart of a man to endure.
Directly in front of the seat which bod
occupied, sat refined and delicate Young la.
dy, who, | atterward learned, was on trin
to the Falls AS the helpless but still breath.
ing form of the only injured colored person
was brought up the embankment, she went
to her side, bathed her head and famed her
brow, and spoke words Of encouragement and
sympathy to her, until her ear became insen-
siole' She died in our car soon after we left
the scene OF the disaster