Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1859-07-09

from the ENHANCEMENT, and gaining his
self possession, swan for the drift which
had Just passed over him, determining 10
float with it until morning. or to wait un-
til il should carry him ashore. FUrIu-
nately he encountered tree, upon which
he climbed, and was soon seated in the
branches beyond the danger OF the flood.
He was seated in the tree some fifteen or
twenty minutes, and during that time the
silence was unbro&en save by the terrific
shrieks of some muiilaed victim as he
passed By, hurried on by the rush of The
waters, whose dying tones startled the air
of the deep midnight. Atihe expiration
OF from fifteen TO twenty minutes. ibc
conductor who had gone to a farm house
near by, had procurej light. and was
busily preparing for the work of delermI-
ming how many had been saved from the
wreck. Mr. Hawks then descended,
found he could wade 10 the shore, when
he Joined the conductor TO find and TO
help those who might have survived the
shock and the submerglng.
Now comes the most painful part Of
the terrible event. The waters having
subsidized in few moments after The en-
bankment had been carried away, enabled
an eaIIy inspection Of the cars TO be made
In them dead bodies were found in every
condition of mutilaion, A gentleman
about fifty years of age, was found lying
near The door OF the second car with the
arms of his wife around his neck, both
dead. Near Them boy with his head
entirely severed from his body. The
dash Of The walers after drowning many,
had swept them to the sides OF The raVlne,
in which they were found as soon as day
light appeared.
Some had fallen and become entangIed
in the running gear Of tho cars. and were
found in every attitude into which an ex-
erlion 10 relieve themselves could force
them. Some had their heads forced thro'
small apertures-oihers held their hands
up as if suppIicating assistance. In the
meantime The wounded were conveyed 10
farm house near by. Those who were
unhurt or slightly wounded lent every as
si4tsnce 10 those who we're wounded
more seriously. Physicians were sum-
moned from Chicago, and from South
Bend, point some distance below the
scene of disaster. Daylight they were
at the spot, and rendered every service
they could-dead, dying and wounded
had such attentions as the time aud cir
cumstsnces allowed.
Mr.. Hawks says that there were two
hundred passengers aboard the cars. OF
these about hundred were among the
unhurt and The wounded, whilst the other
hundred were killed or missing. The
depot al South Bend, at five o'clock on
The evening of the 2SIh, contained fifty
three corpses, and Mr.. Hawks imagines
that many were swept down the ravne In
TO The river, from which their bodies are
vet to be recovered. He estimates the
killed at near a hundred.
This constitutes hurried account Of
this terrible railway accident-as accurate
as we could get from Mr.. Hawks IN the
short time allowed US. We cannot but
think il is one of the most fatal disasters
of the kind, that has ever occurred in this
country. Mr.. Hawks attributes no blame
10 the officers of the train, every one OF
whom was killed with the exception Of
the conductor who al the time Of the &C.
cident, was in the sleeping car, and prov
idenrially escsped.-Spirit Of JefersOn.