Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1858-08-05
Terrible Rail- Road Accident.

York and Erie kalI hoau. ino higHt
express train, which left Jersey City at
$50, and was heavily loaded with pas
sonpers, a large portion of whom left the
cars at Patterson and other stations, pro-
ceeded on its way until within six or sew
en- miles of Port Jervis.
II would appear that at this point a few
minutes walk from a little town named
Glen Hollow, the two hindmost cars were
thrown off the ira k by the breaking of a
rail after the greater part OF the train
had passed over. The cars were thrown
down an e%mbankment, the last car being
made a complete wreck. 1t is to be pre-
sumed that the breaking Of the coupling
saved the other cars from being dragged
down also. The rest of the train stopped
as soon as possible, aud a horrible calas-
,rophe met the view Of the passengers
who had luckily been in the forward cars,
and who escaped u%ninjured.
The two cars at the foot OF the EN-
bankrnent were terribly smashed, and
from among the splinters came all who
were able to help themselves. The pas
sengers in the forward cars were thrown
in, the greatest disorder by the sudden
break, and on gaining their feet they
opened the windows and doors of the
cars, and heard the shouts end means of
the dying and wounded beneath them.
The greatest confusion prevailed, some
running to and fro, calling on the con-
ductor to stop the train, while others rang
the bell rope attached to the engine most
vigorously.
The following graphic and touching
account of the disaster, is from the Rev.
Z. ID. G. Prime, one of the editors Of the
New York Observer. 1t was written to
his brother. who has kindly permitted us
to publish it:
PoRr JrRvIs, Thursday. A. M.
July Is, 1858.
DEAR BRorHER:-The telegraph will
inform you of the terrible accident our
train met with last evening near this
place. We left New York in the s
o'clock p. NJ train, came on pleasantly
and safely until abou. 8 l-2 o'clock; wher
descending the heavy grade On the Yves
side of the ~Shawangunk Mountains | per-
ceived that we were moving at such q
fearful rate that | started once or twice
with apprehension, knowing that we were
on a heavily descending grade. Within
two or three minutes after my fears be
came thus excited. | felt a conclusion ~
if we were running over a slight obstruc
ton. Some little commotion ensued ii
our car, which was the fourth from thu
rear. A signal was made TO the englnee.
as soon as possible, but we had run
mile or so before the train stopped. w,
soon found that two cars had been detach
> ed from the train. We ran back Wit
!. great apprehension, and our worst fear
Q were more than realized. The last tw
cars were hurled down a e~Inbankmer
forty feet, and were completely demolisf
9 ed. The groans and screams Of the il
jured broke fearfully upon our ears in III
n stiffness Of the evening. They were vi
3 der the wreck. and strewed around III
!, scene of the disaster in awful confusion
= The moon was shining feebly, and by i
l. light, and that of a large fire which WI
IN soon kindled, the wreck Of the cars W,
removed. and all that were living wei
, rescued. Three hours were spent in &c
- ting the suffering from beneath the ruiI
" of the cars and embankment, whsn, WI
to seven dead and forty, more or less sci
r. ously injured, the melancholy tram NOV
\ on to this place. An engine had been pr
=, viously sent 10 Port Jervis, which re.ur
o. ed 10 the scene of disaster with surgeo
d. and other aid. All the injured we
n. taken into the two Notes.-The Delawa
and the Fowler House-and to day III
are generally doing well.
!; Among the injured are Prof. J..
Peet, Vice Principal of the New 70
Institution for the Deaf and Dumb.
We wife and child, his wife's sister and q
n. .ral deaf mutes. Mrs. Peet aud NJ
m. Barry, a deaf mute, were quite serious
:. injured, but they are now doing we'll, a
- are Out of all danger. One OF the IN
lse heart.rending incidents connected W
thus melancholy occurrence was I
re. screaming of the deaf muses' which COZ
:. be heard at a great distance and VIII
greatly aggravated the horror OF
scene. -, .
he To detail its incidents would be as |
os, possible as to rsherse a horrible drea
q, When | reached the car l heard a fam
lar voice. and making my way iowa
it. stepped in the darkness uI9n Dc
ICY man. soon reached Prof. Peet, q
al. found him supporting his wife's he
w. Buh were ignorant Of what had bee
bs Of their b, be, or Of any other member
their party of ten. heard a chi,o . 70
on the other side Of the car and rusnl
ia ar ,und towards it. asked n who
In taken i, up, whose child it a I
He mother exclaimed. /, is my child"
- pressed il to her heart as if afraid l '