New-York daily tribune., 1861-09-11
THE DISASTER AT PLATTE BRIDGE.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.

From The ST. Lo.a Rcpsbliean, Sept :.
From Mr. A. M. Hager, baggage master on the
Hannibal nnd St. Joseph Railroad we learn very in
teresting additional particulars Of the terrible cstas
tIophe at Little Platte Bridge that road Tuesday
nigh. ss The train consisted of the locomotive and
tender, one freight ear loaded With the California
mail, baggage car. contalplhg large quantity Of
express matter baggnSe and waymails, and two pas
senger coRees There were from IS to 100 persons on
boego-many Of them being ladies and children.
The train reached the bridge where the awful dis
aster occurred At ffteen minutes after il o'clock p
M, running at the customary rate OF speed. There
was nothing unusual about the appearance of the
bridge and therefore not the least danger was appre-
hended. II was very substsn'ial WORK, OF the
Howe rateut, having span OF l6O feet-the largest
on the road except that which crosses Grand River.
AT Platte River the grade is about IS feet above the
botton-a fdghtful chasm into which TO pIeopiiate
q mass Of humanity.
Before narrating incidents Of the accident Il may
be here stated that the torch of the ncends had been
applied underneath the bridge, burning the timberg
below the track After the FIRE had progressed GER
tain degree sufficient TO weaken the bridge, 90 that
Il could sustain little more than its own weight, the
aarnes had been extinguished thus making the work
mere shell and trap Of death. Upon this feeble span
the train lighted only by q calcium blaze upon the
front Of the ENGINE and such brightness az the stars
emitted plunged into the jaws Of destruction.
Scarcely had the locomotive measured its length
upon the bridge when the structure gave way, with
tremendous crash opening for 40 or 80 yards abyss
of darkness and desolstion. The engine turned com.
pletey over landing In the bottom OF the river and
ba 6uryinR itsef In the quickssDd the water in the
stream being about foot and a half In depth. The
freight car followed, laundering upon the upturned
wheels of the engine. Then came the baggage car,
which dropped with crushing weight upon the freight
car nstteniug the latter completely out and tearing
il to splnters. In way the baggage car retained
ts position, standing nearly or quite level, bound
west The top of the baggage cor was thus left about
twenty feet below the summit Of the sbutments
80 In flaf fy~o ruHtfd
oliasm descending at AN inclination OF about 40 de-
grees amid the shsterng of the cars and the pteous
Shrieks Of the terrified passengers.
All the seats were torn and showed in front, car
rynQ men, women and children in promiscuous heap
down the declivity, and buryiug them among the
crushed timbers, or throwing them out OF the cars
through the broken sides Jagged pieces OF flooring
irnpaled some come were mangled by machinery
tearing through the timbcrs several were caught be-
tween panks pressing together like vice; others were
struck by parts Of the roof as it came down with
mighty force still others were cut with pieces OF glass,
while wounds and blood and agony prevailed all over
the frightful scene Sbrieks Of pain were mingled
with cries of terror and prayers with oaths OF despair
10 this way the two lsst OF the train went down,
pitching the passengers into the wreck or throwing
Az aconjziuq catastrophe ike this cannot be de.
acribed But few on board escaped without severe
injury Only three persoDs-Mr. D. w. Parker, Su.
pcrntendent of Che United States Express; Mr. Maus,
Mail Aren't and Mr. Uager-were able TO Afford assls-
10 the suffering the remainder Of those who were
not killed outr 2ht being disabled as TO be helpless
Beside these three there was not one who had not some
serious injury. ,,.,.
After doing all that 1t was possible to accomplish for
tbose recurring immediate attendance MIR. Hager, at
midnight left tae wreck 10 60 10 St. Joseph, distance
Of nine miles tOr medical and other assistance mr.
H. walked Eve miles Of the way, when he found q
hand car upon which be proceeded the remainder OF
the Journey. Ewo hundred yards west OF the bridge,
he dsooveed heavy oak railroad tie strongly strapped
across he tr1S and two miles further on nc found she
trestework over small stream on hre, when, now
ever. had not yet been 10 badly burnea thal lruhs
could not pas over IT, or could mol % ea'iy eA'n-
guisted.
Arrived at g. Joseph, Mr.. Hager proceeded at once
to the express end post Offices, and soon tie alarm Was
spread througS SJut The city. Although was o'clock
at night rs Ifyn including all the physicians in the
neghborbood hsd quickly volunteered their services
10 no 20 the ri ef Of the euferers. locomotive was
prompty Gre Sup and Of 81 o'clock the train compris
ing three fat ars and passenger coach, was at the
scene Of the dent with blankets, sheets, and every
other srtic9e ft miSht De OF use: Inc Wouhoeu nao
ali eurroed sm the wreck and were lying on the
banksi and ut Si O sand bar in the river.
WI 10 tbe fyecians moved around among the In.
mad attend E by squads OF the citizens of St. Joseph,
ssach 90 pere f6 thus engaged went to work to re-
move che det from tne cars eua sue
nmnb~r emb S:,ed all killed up 10 that time. Two
,,a,. % haa wounded that Il was not expected they
,.cnIs .,,ryi, Y I'm morning. while many others
dsraeauslv t,ounded and would have TO be well
AVE., re- <, recover Many who will escape with
fbeir ives " X be severely manned and crippled.
Mr. Hsgei ,ur informant, did not remain 70 Wines ,
The egearka Pm of the wounded LOT oe. 'oeepu, Du'
was ,,issatci e 20 Brook6eld which is east Of the
Ilidt. fos r. tber tsain 10 70 to the wreck. When
he Ien tbs &oea of tho wounded were being taken
down. aad u OF euoh Of the dead ~ bad papers Or