The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1859-11-05
Belleville Railway Calamity.
SIX Cars broken to Pieces--Twelve
Persons Killed :. Twenty-eight In
jured-Intereatinn n pa rftcuIara Ha-f 2

Six Cars Broken to Pieces--Twelve
Persons Killed - Twenty-eight In
Jured-Interesting Particulars. ,y
The telegraph has already announced the
catastrophe at Belleville, ILL.,; but the Chica-
go Pre-" and Tribune Of the Sd has a full and
graphic account Of the accident, from which
We mako the annexed extracts: -.a
/ The excursion, our readers already ere we'll
aware, was the return Of o visit paid short
time since by our citizens 10 the young cities
that look out on Lake Winnsbago, the 90.
casion then being the completion Of the last
link wanting to connect Oshkosh and Fond
du Lac with our city, .aaU 3.
Promptly at half.past seven O'Clock, the
train from Oshkosh came into Fond du Lao,
there to find and take in tow six cars, four
well filed at that place, the rear car to re-
main locked to receive the delegations from
towns further on down the line. We bowled
merrily outupon the roadway and made the
stations of Chester, Juneauand Watertown, on
time, taking on at the latter two well.filed
oars. At the latter point the accessions had
swelled the number to twelve we'll filed cars,
the rear one still empty and looked for towns
below. M ',l'sa4 n1fGtI,7 !,
There must have been at this time, from the
crowded state Of the train, over six hundred
and nifty passengers, tho gentlemen very gen.
orally being accompanied by ladies. A hap
pier party we mover saw, the little groups Of
intimstss were gathered each in Its own coterie.
Seats turned to face seats very generally d.
vidied these occupying them into groups of
four, lowering about which, or fitting from
group TO group were gentlemen and ladies, all
in the highest spirits. Mirth and gayety
made the cars resound, and well nigh drowned
the rattling Of the wheels, as the train sped
onward. The writer passed through the en-
tire length OF the train, soon after 1t was well
under way from Watertown, to find these above
features Of the hour universal. Everywhere
was laughter and mirth and song, now BY
quartettes and then some familiar air, borne on
full chorus. There were numerous little parties
at whist and euohre. Lunch time, too, was
at hand, and from the well-stored baskets,
came out numerous ekshs Of forethought ct
home, destined to give the coming hours their
full need of the satisfaction from such sources
derivable. We're the pail Of midnight to In.
simultaneously shroud summer noon, the
change could not be moro O contrast, than
when heavy crashes and then-silence, turned
joy to sorrow, and aptioipations to @ fruition
ofanguish rarely paralleled. ,2Tsk az
THE CATASTROPHE. . -
When about seven miles below Watsrtown,
and midway between that city and Jetferson---
half q mile north Of the small flag station Of
Bellsvills-the train then running about aisse-
miles an horr, the Eng sineer, George MoIntirs,
beside whom in the engine cab stood Robert
Campbell, Of Fond du Lac, Chief Engineer Of
the road, saw large white steer and smaller
red one standing near to and east of the track.
As the train was at q distance, the whits steer
crossed tbs track, the other making off into the
woods. Unfortunately, whom the train was
distant only some four rods, the white bullock
attempted to rejoin his comrade by d hasty
move which brought him into position 10 be
struck. by the engine. There was time for NO
more than to reverse the engine, no sisnal
was sounded, for even while the engineer's
hand was extended for that purpose, the ruin
was complete. 9S&f,F' sIaH @Gg
The COW. catcher struck the steer, but not at
speed sufficient to throw the animal from the
track. 1t was pushed forward for o rod or two.
then at O culyert some portion of the CARCASS
dropped between..the open ties. The engine
was raised over 1t, thrown from tho track and
turned over on its side. The tender followed.
The hrst-class passenger car following was
driven the entire length of the car occupied for
express, post.ofice and baggage, which II
cleared completely to the floor frame. Appar-
entity, this car only stopped at the rear OF the
tender, where IL was turned 10 the ripht and |
down into ditch by the roadside filed with
muddy water. This ditch, at that point. was |
some eight feet wide, the water varying from
eight to twenty inches In depth. Into this
there swept the baggage, mails, and the In.
mates Of the express car, the debris and frap- |
ments of which were driven back into the front |
passenger car, every seat Of which was torn up.
The second passenger car was driven for.
1ard to nearly two-thirds the Ie myth, of the
express car, upon theSwept platform Of which
I rested, its front end firmly interlocked with
he foremost passenger car. The third car
'ollowed, though in the line Of the track, and
lpright, the platforms demolished and the
'nds interlocking. The fourth car was a |
'tanch built; seoond-class car, that resistsd
he shock and stood unbrokep, sustained bv
md pressure simply. The trucks of all these
,ars, with those Of the two following. ware
,oaped confusedly between the rails. The
oarth car protected It's passengers by its
tanchnesy the fifth car being thus held. the
ixth car was driven against it, and under the
immense pressure Of the soven cars following,
vas completely wrecked, the fifth car entering
ne sixth to over two-thirds Of the length Of
he latter. The sixth and seventh were closely
platforms gone, and ends broken
n. The two following cars broke their coup-
and shattered their platforms. The
ear cars were safe save from q moderate
hook. All this was accomplished In m In
Itsnt, - .f G-Es ~ n 7TFF
If We are at all clear In this description the
eader will realize what met our gaze a. wa
Irst glanced OF the wreck. Six cars crushed
nd interlooked sliding In upon one another
ike the sections Of telescope; six cars shat.
cred, two Of them, tho frst and sixth. demol-
shed for nearly their entire length. Then re-
member that all were filed with human be-
and wives, brothers and ala.
ers, fathers and mothers--when tho crash
truck them gay and merry, now Joining in
he smothered wall Of anguish from that fear
al prison, or crawling out, bruised and bleed
ng, by windows and through the roofs. Pro-
AIRED BY this description, the reader, In look
ng over tho following saddening details, will
Q ready to mingle anguish with surprise. The
stter that in this terrible wreck 50 few wore
Injured. i., ...5 4 b -
In few minutes all who were able vsro 40.
lyely at work for the relief Of the sufferers. L
ONO mounted tho cars with axes, some cut
way the sides, others, and among these
'any ladies, made coucheS by the roadside
a. of oar-oushions and shawls, while others
I'LL bore or conducted thither the injured a.
lst rs they could be extricated. They came
'ounded and bleeding, apparel torn, numbers