Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-22
FrOm the Buffalo Erprsss.
TERRIB LIE ACCIDENT
ON THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
Ten or Fifteen Persons Killed, and a Lars
Number Wounded!
A NIGHT OF HORROR!


A terrible accident happened on the Great
Western Railway, on Saturday morning, about
. O'Clock, which is only exceeded in It's whole
sale slaughter by the calamity at the DesJar-
dimes bridge We derive our information from
George W. Tiff, of this city, and Col. Broad
head, formerly Postmaster of Detroit, who
we're on board the train.
1t appears that the heavy rain storm OF FIN
day had washed away about $50 feet OF the
track which passes -.4g the side OF noun
tain about seven miles west of Hamilton. Ihe
road here is some fifty feet above the gorge,
and right In the midst of the binding snow
storm about two O'Clock on Saturday morning,
the Express train from Detroit, composed of
baggage, emigrant, two first class passenger
coaches, and sleeping car, containing, all
told, between 80 and 90 persons, came along
and plunged down the abyss. All except the
sleeping car went to the bottom of the gorge,
and were broken and smashed into thousands
of pieces.
The couplings of the sleeping car broke, and
by some means its progress was arrested, when
part way down the embankment, and it was
left, with the forward end crushed into frag-
ments, standing at an angle of As degrees, with
its hind wheels resting upon the track. A Mr..
Braid, formerly master-mechanic OF the road,
was sitting up in the car, engaged In conyersa-
ton with the conductor of the car, and was
thrown forward and instantly killed. This was
the only person injured, to any extent, in the
sleeping car, where both OF our lniormants
were.
The scene which followed it is utterly impos
sible to describe Every light was extinguish-
ed and nothing could be seen. Above the roar
of the tempest, however. could be heard the
shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying
After much difficulty light was procured, and
those who were able to work proceeded to ex-
tricate the sufferers from the wreck. The task
was difficult and almost impossible one under
the circumstances, as the wounded had to be
lifted up on the track by ropes. The locomotive
and tender were completely broken up and near
" buried out sight. The engineer and fremen
were instantly killed.
Our informants were unable to learn the
names of any of the victims, except the man
Braid, who was killed in the sleeping car
Nine dead bodies were taken out of the ruins,
however, before noon, and large number badly
| injured. In fact, most of them who went down
the embankment were more or less injured.
! At the time the accident occurred, many were
asleep aud had laid aside their extra clothing,
so that they were exposed in some instances
half naked to the peltings of the storm. Many
| ladies were without bonnets, shawls, or shoes.
When most Of the wounded had been lifted IN
to the sleeping car, it was found that 1t began
to give and threatened to fall over into the
abyss Just at this moment, to the horror OF
all present, a locomotive was heard coming
down upon them from the west A large num-
Der of persons, regardless of their own safety,
rushed up the track shouting frantically. The
engineer finally heard them, and succeeded in
stopping the engine within few feet of them.
The driver of this locomotive, after learning
what had happened, went back with his engine
and was not heard from again.
The unsafe condition of the sleeping car rem
dered it necessary to remove the wounded, and
they were taken out and laid on mattresses,
cushions and whatever could be made availa-
BILE, upon the ground, while the survivors took
turns in helding blankets over them to protect
them from the storm. For four hours and a
halt this state of things continued, the wounded
lying in their agonies, before any assistance
! arrived.
The conductor dispatched brakeman soon
after the accident to Dundas-only one and a
half miles distant-to telegraph 10 Hamilton
for assistance On his arrival there he found
the telegraph lines down, and he at once set out
on foot for Hamilton to carry the intelligence
nInfseu.
About z a. m special train NOM IIarnllO1-.
arrived with saOeor They founl the survivors
in deplorable condition. Mangled, bruised
and bleeding, chilled and cold, yet still with
heroic courage, attempting to relieve each 9TH
er's sufferings There was one physician on
tne Tram, u1u all IN MS power to relieve
the sufferers until succor arrived, when the
greater part of the killed and wounded were
taken to Copetown-s small station-near
where the accident took place. A number
were also taken to Hamilton.
The officers and employees of the road are
much censured. They refused to allow any of
the uniDjured passengers to aid the wounded or
even to see them. They refused to deliver up
the clothing and such articles absolutely neces
sary to protect the women and children from
the cold, until the custom house officers had
passed upon them, and finally charged for tele-
graphic dispatches which they did not send, the
line being down. They were also insolent and
abusive, and appeared to care very little for the
result. Our informants say that complaints
were universal at the heartlessness which was
every where displayed by the railroad officials