Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-08-09
lFsom n. A ~ , Statesman ]

Vs - 80 - e~OsSs
iFsom III. l~y Salesman
Mr.. f. T. Lewis Of Genessee vas . pass-
enger Oh the Inflated train. He Was riding
ia the front car, tovards the rear end We
take his statement - related to Us In . con-
versstion Ut Stan viz Hall.
AZ the cars went on to the bridge, Mr.
Lewis remembers distinctly feeling sort Of
jar or jerk, which gave him the momentsTy
impression that something vas wrO0g-bst
before the thought could form itself distinct-
ly 10 his mind. the crush came. Mr.. l..
suddenly falt the car pluDgiDg downward.
% it were, and falling to pieces. The Sec
ond plunged under the first, and tore out
the sides and bottom. Mr. l.. vas thrown
violently for ward, head first. striking. - be
supposed against the top Of he second csr,
turf ed and fell to the bottom. on the top Of
= number Of persons.
For an instant there was not the slightest
noise-not . shrek Of terror or . erosn Of
pain SO instantaneous vas the destruction
that every person energies appeared paral
lied The frat words thst Mr.. L. remem-
bered hearing. for he VAS himself il not
stunned, entirely bewildered. we're deliv-
cred IN very calm voice, and were, Say
you at the top. get off just % quick o. you
can, won't youf 7" - il this was the signai
for the recovery Of consciousness, IL vas
immediately followed by agonizing shrieks
and groans and loud cries for help
Mr.. Lewis extricated himself from the
wreck as speedily ~ possible, and the first
person he recognized was Mr.. Cooley, the
conductor. He had been thrown violently
forward Ike entire length of the car, and
had crswled back to where his wife, her
mother and child had sat. Mrs. Cooley and
Mrs. Cuyler lay apparently in the position
| they had occupied In the car. Their feet
were up and their heads and the upper
parts of their bodies were buried In the
wreck. Mr.. Cooley sank almost helpless
by the side Of his wife. whom he apparent
ly recognized by her dress, ct which be Vas
pulling; now beseeching assistance for her.
and now calling piteously upon her name,
| and beseeching her to rise and save herself
Mr.. L feeling faint and sick at the stom-
ach, made his way to the water, in which
he bathed his temples and wrists. A he
did So two gentlemen badly cut on the head
rushed to him asking if they were danger
ously hurt.
He advised them to wash their wounds in
water, which they did. He then turned
to the wreck and made for Mr.. Cooley, who
was still pulling at the dress Of his wife,
although almost helpless from his own iDju.
ries Mr.. l.. raised him and begged him to
let him take him ashore, but Cooley only
replied by begging him 10 help his wife,
After some difficulty. and not without being
compelled to speak harshly to him, he sue
ceeded in getting him out of the wreck and
got him on the bank.
Mr.. l. and others then went and got out
the body Of Mrs. Cooley. and bore it ashore.
They discovered that both herself and moth
er we're quite dead. The child, also much
injured, was also taken out of the wreck
When Cooley saw the dead body Of his
wife, he threw himself upon it. shrieking
terribly, "Oh, my wife-my poor wife,
and it was found impossible to tear him
from the corpse. His sgonized grief was
heartrending to behold.
But it was necessary to attend to the
wounded and suffering and all who could
render assistance repaired to the wreck
All this was the work Of but few minutes.
When Mr.. L. got back he found lady with
three children, all Of whom were bruised,
but apparently otherwise uninjured. whom
he helped from the ruins The wife and
son OF Col. B. P. johnson acted nobly in
rendering aid to the wounded, setting an
example Of energy and judgment but sell
dom found in such exciting scenes. A man
of large size was SO tightly wedgsd in that
it was found necessary to use pieces of the
wreck to remove the beams that confined
him; yet no bones were broken, and his
injuries were only from bruises and exhaust
ion.
After all who could be helped were got
out, MIR. L. ran for help, but being unable
to ascertain, even from the conductor,
which was the road to take, he went in .
wrong direction opposite to Schagticoke
He soon came to farm house, and making
his way through field Of wheat, appeared
covered with blood and dirt, and without
hat, to the inmates. The females were
alarmed and fled, but he soon made them
understand that he was harmless and that
their services were required They repair
ed to the scene Of the disaster, and as soon
as Mr.. L. found he was on the wrong road
he returned to the wreck. Assistance soon
arrived from Schagticoke, and nothing that
could be done for the sufferers was neg
lected.
The bridge where the accident occurred
had. for some time past, been deemed inse-
cure. and the company, two weeks ago, had
commenced to rebuild it, and it would have
been rebuilt in few days. The engineers
were directed to move cautiously over it,
and if the brakeEen had promptly respond
ed to the engineers whistle, it is possible
that the terrible catastrophe would not
have occurred.
The train consisted of az engine. tender.
two baggage cars. and two passenger cars
As the train neared the south side OF the
bridge, the engineer felt the bridge sinking
under him. He instantly threw the throt-
tle-valve open. and mighty strain the mach.
inc puffed, abalked an instant, and then
bounded clear off the falling mass. The two
baggage cars dashed into the chasm, and
" ere crushed to atoms, the tender falling
upon the wreck The two passenger cars
leaped upon the others, the rear end of the
last car resting upon the abutment The
shock Of the conclusion was terrific the
passengers In both cars were hurled violent.
~ from their seats and cast together In
dead and mangled heaps at the ends which
went into the water. As soon o. possible,
those who were unhurt or only slightly in
iured got out from the wreck. and BY every
means in their power devoted themselves to
the reecue Of their less fortunate compsn-
ions. Word was Immediately dispatched to
Schaghticoke for help. and in . few minutes
the citizens of that place, hastily provided
themselves with means for administering TO
the wants Of the wounded, hastened Of
| to the spot. A hand car was sent to Albany
for help 6res were built Of pieces Of the
wreck and such other fragments - could
be procured . great number of lanterns
had been brought t. the spot, and then be.
gan the melancholy task Of looking for the
dead.
~ The Pennsylvania Enquirer
has an original plan for securing =
harmonious administration" Of the Fed.
sral Government. Itproposes to hold