Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-09-17
Railroad Disaster.

|
HUDsoN, Mo-, Sept. 6tb.-The following ac-
count OF the terrible disaster on tile Hannibal and
St, Joseph railroad IS furnished to the St. Louis
Republican: sf eaa
The catastrophe occlsred on Little Platte
bridge, nine miles east of ST. Joseph Tbebrifge
was n substantial work of 100 feet span and a.
/ bout 20 feet above the river. The timbers oi
he bridge ilat been burned underneath the track
until they wonld sustain but little more than
their own weight, and the fire was then ext tin
gushad, leaving the bridge mere she'll The
tram, with from eighty to one hundred passen
gers On ooard, lncludiOg women and children,
4 reached the river at Ii o'clock at night and the
bridge looking secure, the train passed on. But
no sooner had the locomotive measured ,rs length
] upon the bridge, team some forty or fifty yards
] OF the structure gave way precpitating the en-
tire train into the abyss below. All the seats ii.
the passenger cars were torn and showed in front,
4 carrying inen, women and children. in a proms-
1 cuous heap down the declivity. aud hhrr, ing
! them among the crushed timbers. or throwing 2
them out ofthe cars, through the broken sides
Jagged pieces of flooring impaled some. Some
were mangled by the machinery tearing through
The tlmbers. Several were caught between the
planks pressing together like vice. Others
were struck by parts OF the roof rs it came az
Il mug NV u =" ie' iiiiSutJ IoTCo Dull OCt.erS were
4 cut With peceslof glass, while wounds and ago.
4 ny prevailed all over the frightful scene, and
ishrieks OF pain were Mingled with cries Of ter
ror. 10 the way the two last cars Of the train
Went down, pitching the passengers into the
wreck, OK throwing them into the water, which,
ut this point, Is about foot and half deep
1 Only three passengers-Mr j. ". Parker, Su-
i perintendent of the q. States Express, Nc Mars
Mail Agent, and Mr. Hager-were able to afford
q assistance TO. the suffering, the remainder OF
those who were not killed outright being SO dis
J, abled as to be helplsss After doing all it was
f. possible for those requiring immediate atten
dance, M IIager, at midnig..t, left the wreck te
go to st. Joseph for medical and other assistance
Il Mr. Hager walked FIVE miles Of the way when he
found q hand car, upon which he proceeded athe
remainder of the journey. Two hundred yards
west OF the bridge he discovered a heavy OAK
! railroad tie strapped across the track, and two
!, miles further on he found the trestle work over
d small stream on fire, which had not, no Mever
as yer, been SO badly burnt that trains could no
pass over l., or could not be easily extinguished
fl Arriving at st. Joseph the alarm was soof
: spread throughout the city and although it was
I o'ceck at night, 75 men including all the ply
slciaps 10 the Leighbarhood, quickly volunteered
= sheir services. AT. 3 o'clock train fally sup
> piled with medical stores and other necessarie
was at the scene Of the disaster The woundet
haf all emerged from the wreck and w,re, lyins
on the bank and upoa sand bar in the river
~ dead bodies were recovered and it is believes
!. that this number embraced all who were killes
= up TO that time. Two Of the wounded were So
D badly mangled that it Was not expected the.
would survive till morning, while many other
were dangerously wounded and would have tt
be well taken Care of to recover. Many wh'
: will escape with their lives will be manned ant
: crippled.
e Mr.. Hager, our informant, did not remain t,
: : tnlsh the elnbarkation of the wounded for ST
> Joseph, but was dispatched to Bfookfsld, ess
= = OF the bridge, for another train utua 60 to TIL
: : wreck When he lett, the names of the wound
f ed were boing taken down, and also such OF th
! dead as had papers other articles about then
e by which they could oe identified. Fifteen mile
S least OF, Platte river, Mr.. Hager foand anoshe
: bridge over Smiths branch, almost entirely barn
g ed, having been fired after the train passed West
e thus preventing assistance being seat from TIL
East. Lieut.. Shaw, of tue First Kansas regi
), msnt, was killed, aud Mr.. Lawnesberry aud 5. d
n ney Clark wounded, are the Only addiuiona
!. names OF those injured we have at present.
u 74 81 ------ 5ttt 81.
d Fremont's Atrocious Proclamation.
ln commenting upon the despo,ic procHlna
g tion Of Gen. Fremont in Missouri, the L3nsvill
9 Courier very properly styles it an abolninabls
!. atrocious, and infamous usurpation, by militia
e ry subordinate OF the President, Of powers wifc
are to day neither exercised nor claimed by Oh
= most despotic ruler in Europe usurpatio
s which nothing could justify or exeuse--as " Or
q patton which outlaws the contemplate tyrau
who thus would reduce to slavery worse an
more affect than that which prevails OH S lath
: ern plantations the, white freemen of q sover
- eign otate-a usurpation which, authorized
s sanctioned, and approved as it is BY the P,esi
l dent, must open the eyes of the peopfelot tn
entire country and the " hole world to the de
E signs Of the Administration at Washington t
0 crush out the last vestige of free goverDneli
I here, aud establish in its stead an abs ,lutisi
. more despotic and as irresponsible as that {
n Turkey.
: Thank God the tyranny of that royal Gov
ernor will be short lived. The people Of th
State were already rushing by hundreds an
thousands to the defence of their homes and lib
critics, and this act was scarcely necessary t
b drive the last Missonrians to arms.
: Under ackson, and Price, and McCuoch. Jan
= Hardee, and Pillow, mighty host is gathsriu
: and Advancing: and soon, ike thunderbol
: they will fall on the Hessian ho.des of the tyrar
e and sweep them from the earth they pelute
0 To day this petty creature Of q bastard Mere
lin his guarded tent, may dream of royalty, an
o. imagine himself q king and the master of a mi
\ lionsof his equals, but to-morrow will c,rne sn
then, fugitive from the justice that must over
E take him, or a trembling beggar for mercy fror
n those he would have Inerclessly betrayed, h
! ! will call in vain on the mountains to fall on an
. hide him from just and righteous retributio
!. from which he cannot escape. aas
The people of Missouri will triumpb AS sur
as God liseth they will drive the invaders fror
their SOIL and visit judgment upon the heads {
their oPpressors. Freedom cannot be conq1ereC
: Ii will not be long until free government win b
g restored in our sister States. Soon the gla
shouts of delivered people will go up from tii
: Mississippi to the confines OF Kansas. and ever
2 friend of humanity will rel nice that the reign !,
! tyranny has ceased in That mighty Common
q wealth.
The REACTION IN THE Wharf.-The Jackso
: Wing saws the following is an extract from
: letter to citizen OF that place from gentlelna
j III Chicago:
hl 81 should like to see you very much, but
s suppose it will be some time before We will SO
+ each other. as yon have made ZIP yot mind t.