The daily Wabash express. (Terre-Haute, Ind.) 1857-1867, 1861-09-07

physicians and Other necessities for the woun
ded and reached the wreck al three n. m.
Tho greatest excitement prevails in St
Joseph ia regard TO this inhuman outrage.
LArER.
HrpsoS. No. Sep 6.-The follow ing ad-
ditiUna account of the terrible disaster OH
The Hannibal a st. Joseph Railroad is fur.
nished to the st. Louis Republican:
The catastrophe occurred az Little Platte
/ Bridge nine miles east OF ST. Joseph. The
/ bridge substantial work of one hun
drcd and slty feet span and about thirty. five
ieet above the river. The timbers OF the
bridge had been burned underneath the track
until they would sustain but littIc more than
their own isht. and the Gre was then cx-
+ tiagui-hcd, leaving the bridge mere shell.
+, The train with from eighty five to one hun
dred passengers. including women and chill
dren, reached the rivers at III clock AT night
and the bridge appearing secure the train
passed on. but no sooner had the locomotive
passed its length upon the bridge than some
forts or fifty Yards of the structure gave
wsv, precpitating the entire train into the
abyss below. All the seats in the passenger
coaches were torn of and shoy ed in front.
carrying men, women anu children ia =. pro-
miscous heap down the decliyity. aud bury
ing them among the crushed timbers or
throwing them out of the cars through the
broken sioes, Jagged pieces OF flooring i'm
paled some, some were mangled b. the ma
chenery tearing through the timbers several
were caught between pla.lks pressing togeth
ar like vice, Others were struch by parts OF
the roof 80 il came down with mighty force,
still others were cut with pieces of glass.
While wounds and blood and agony prevail
ed all over the frightful scene. and shrieks Of
pain were mingled with cries of terror. In
this way the two last cars of the train went
down, pitching the passengers into the wreck
or throwing them into the water. which at
this point IL about foot and half deep
Only three persons, Mr.. J. w Parker,
Superintendent OF the United States Express:
Mr.. Mars. Mail Agent. and Sir. Hagers were
able to afford assistance 10 the snffering.-
The remainder of those who were not killed
outright. being so diss bled as to be helpless.
After doing all that il WIS possible for those
requiring immediate assistance, Mr.. Hager,
at midnight left the wreck to 20 to ST. Jo-
seph for medical and other assistance.
Mr.. Hager walked five miles of the ~av,
when he fonnd a hand Car. upon which
he proceeded the remainder OF tho journey
Two hundred yards west of the bridge he
discovered a heavy oak railroad tie rap
ped across the track. and two miles further
or he found the trustlework, over a small
stream on fire, which, however, had not, as
yet. been so badly burned that trains could
not pass over il. or could not he easily ex-
tingushed. Arriving at ST. Joseph the
algrm was soon spread throughout the city,
and although il was one o'clock at night
seyenty-fve men, including all the physi-
IN ha noirhi,orbtnA .nfOtyfx
teered their services and nj half-past three
O'Clock a train. fully supplied With medical
stores and other necessaries, was AZ TIE
Scene of the disaster.
The wounded had all emerged from the
wreck, and were lying On the bnnks and up
on a sand bar in the river. Seventeed dead
bodies were recovered and il is believed that
this number embraced all who were killed
up to that time. Two of tho wounded were
so badly msngled that il was not expected
they woulp survive till morning. while ma
nv others were dangerously wounded and
would have to be we'll taken care Of to re-
cover. Many who will escape with their
lives will be manned and crippled
Mr. Hager, our informant did not remain
to finish the cmbarkaticn OF the wounded for
St. Joseph, but was dispatched to Brook
field east Of the Bridge. for another train to
go 10 the wreck
When he ieLt. the names of the wounded
were being tIken down, and also snch OF the
dead a. mad papers or other articles about
them, by which they could be identified.
Fifteen miles east of the Platte River Mr..
Hager found another bridge over Smiths
Branch almost entirely burned. having been
fired after the train passed west, thus pre-
venting assistance from being sent from the
cast
Lieut. Shaw or the Is. Kansas Regiment
kilee. and Mr. Lounsberry and S dney
Clark. wounded, are the only additional
names of those injured, we have at present