The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-09-11
IMhusssaM utrage..-RailrOad
Train Smashed.

account of diabolical o, TRACE on that road
Day before yesterday the passenger expires.
train bound, east Sept Sd, was thrown int,
Platte river. The timbers of the east end o
the bridge over that stream having beer
burned nearly through, the entire train went
down, the engine turning over, and the bag
fgage, freight, mail and two passenger coach
es piled on top. The passenger coaches were
completely smashed and was the only one
of the train that escaped unhurt. Ate,
getting out of the baggage cur, I commenced
taking the passengers that were not killed
from the wreck. Conductor s. G. Cutler
died in few minutes. Frank Clark, engin.
eer, had one leg completely twisted and jam
med into strings. lie also died in q few
minutes. Martin Field, mail agent, Chas.
Moore, fireman, and j. Fox, brakeman, were
killed. Among the wounded was Mr.. Med.
III, son of DrMediA of Ohio could not learn
the names of all the passengers. went to
st. Jo., got au engine physicians, and other
necessities for the wounded, and reached the
wreck at a. m. The greatest excitement
prevails IN st. 10. in regard to this inhuman
outrage.
LATER.
The following additional account of the ter.
rible disaster on the Hannibal & st. 10. Rail
road, is furnished by the St. Louis Repub.
lican The catastrophe occurred at little
Platte River bridge, miles east of st. Jo
The bridge was a substantial work of 16O
feet span and about S5 feet above the river.
The timbers of the bridge were burned un-
derneath the track until they would sustain
but little more than their own weight, and
the fire was then extinguished, leaving the
bridge mere shell. The train bringing from
81 to 100 passengers, incluing won en- and
children, reached the river about eleven
o'clock at night. The bridge looking Sc
cure, the train passed on, but no sooner had
the locomotive measured its length upon the
bridge than some 40 or 30 yards Of the
structure gave way, precipitating the entire
train into the abyss below. All the seats in
the passenger coaches were torn and show
ed in front, carrying men women and chill
dren in promiscuous heap down the decliv-
ity and buryhg them. among the crushed
timbers, or throwing them. out of the sides
of the broken cars. Jagged pieces of floor
ing impa,ed some. Some were mangied
through the timbers Several were caught
between planks pressing together like vice.
Others were stricken by parts of the roof as
" came down with mighty force. Still 9TH
ers were cut with pieces Of glass, while
wounds, and blood and agony prevailed 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 is about foot and a half in
depth.
Three persons, Mr.. j. w. Parker, Super
intendent of the United States Express, Mr..
Mars, Mail Agent, and Mr.. Hager, We're able
to afford assistance to the suffering, the re-
mainder of those who were not killed out
right being so disabled as to be helpless. AZ
ter doing all that it was possible for those
requiring immediate attend ence, Mr.. Itager
at midnight left the wreck to 60 to St. 10.
for medical and other assistance. He walked
five miles Of the way when he found hand
car upon which he proceeded the remain
der of the journey. Two hundred yards
west of the bridge he discovered heavy
oak railroad tie strongly strapped across the
track, and two miles farther on he found
the trestle work over small stream on fire,
which however had not as yet been so badly
burned that trains could not pass over it or
could not be easily extinguished. Arriving
at ST. Joseph, the alarm was soon spread
throughout the city, and although it was one
o'clock at night, - men, including "aA the
physicians in the neighborhood, quickly vol
uuteered their services, and at half past
three o'clock train fully supplied with
medical stores and other necessaries was at
the scene of disaster. The wounded had all
emerged from the wreck and were lying up
on the banks and on sand bar in the river
| II dea bodies were recovered. and it is be-
lieved that this number embraced all who
were killed up to that time. Two were so
badly mangled that it was not expected they
would survive till morning, while many 9TH
ers were dangerously wounded and would
have to be well taken care of to recover
Many who will escape with their lives will
be severely manned and crippled. Mr. Ha-
ger, our informant, did not remain to finish
the embarkation of the wounded for ST. 10.
but was despatched to Brookfeld, which is
east of the bridge, for an engine to 60 to the
wreck. When he left, the names Of the
wounded were being taken down, and also
such of the dead rs had papers or other arti.
clcs about them by which they could be
identified. Is miles east Of Little Platte
Mr. Hager found another bridge over Smiths
burned, having been fired after the train
passed, thus preventing assistance being
sent from the east. Lieut.. Shaw, of the Is,
Kansas Regiment, killed, and Mr.. Lowens
bury and Sidney Clark wounded, are the on
ly additional names ofthose injured we have
at present.
Further Particulars Of the
Platte Bridge Diss ster.
| HvpcoN NJ Nonk Ill., co1ior,:o. 4