Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-09-14
ane0llS.
ROAD DISASTER

ditional account OF the
, the Hannibal and ST.
g furnished TO the ST. Louis
,be occurred at Little Platte
9 miles east OF st. Joseph.
was q substantial work OF 100
aud about 35 feet above the river
abers OF the bridge had been burned
iealb The track until they would sus
ut little more than their own weight,
the FIRE was then exiingnshed, leaving
bridge a mere shell. The train, bringing
ION IS to 100 passengers, including women
and children. reached the river at IL o'clock
OF night and. the bridge looking secure,
passed in but no sooner bad the locomotive
measured its length upou the bridge than
some 40 or so yards Of the structure gave
way. preciptatiug the entire train into the
bbyss below.
An the seats in the passenger coaches
were torn and showed in front, carrying men,
women and children in q promiscuous heep
down the declivi'y aud burying them beneath
the crushed timber, or throwing them out of
the cars through the broken sides. Some
were maDgled by the machinery tearing
through the timbers several were caught
between plauks pressing together like vice.
Others we're struck by parts of the roof as it,
came down With mighty force, and still others
we're cut with pieces Of glass. In the midst
of this confusion the two last cars OF the train
went down pitching the passengers into the
wreck or throwing them into the water,
which OF this point is about foot and bali
10 depth. Only three persons-J. w.
Parker, Superintendent Of the United States
Express, Mr.. Mars, Mail Agent, and MIR.
Hager--were able to afford assistance to the
suffering-tbe remainder Of those who we're
not killed outright being go disabled as to be
helpless.
After doing all that was possible for those
requiring immediate attention, Mr.. Hager at
midnight left the wrech to 60 to st. Joseph
for medical and other assistance. He walked
FIVE miles of the way, when be found hand.
car. upon which he proceeded the remainder
of the journey. Two hundred yards west Of
the bridge be discovered heavy oak rail.
road tie strongly strapped across the track,
and O few miles further 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 or
could not be easily extng nguished.
Arriving at ST. Joseph, the alarm was soon
spread throughout the city, and, although it
was O'Clock OF night, seventy five men,
including all the physicians 10 the neighbor
hood, volunteered their services, and, at 81
o'clock train fully equipped, supplied with
medical stores and other necessaries, was at
the scene of the disaster
The wounded had emerged from the wreck
and were lying on the banks and upon sand
bar 10 the river. Seventeen dead bodies were
recovered, and it is believed that this number
embraced all who were killed up to this time.
Two are so badly mangled that it is not ex.
pected they would survive till morning, while
many others we're dangerously wounded, and
would have to be well taken care Of to
recover. Many who will escape with their
lives, will be MANNED and crippled.
Mr.. Hager, our informant, did not remain
to finish the embarkstion of the wounded. fo:
st. Joseph, bat was despatched to Brookfeld
which is east of the bridge, for another train
to 60 to the wreck. When he left, the names
Of the wounded we're being taken down, and
also such Of the dead as had papers or other
articles about them by which they could be
identified.
Fifteen miles east Of the platt river, Mr.
Ilager found another bridge over Smith;
Branch, almost entirely burned, having beer
fired after the train passed West, thus
preventing assistance being sent from th'
East
Lieutenant Shaw, of the Eighth Kansa
Regiment, killed. and Mr.. Lounsberry ait
Sidney Clark, wounded are the only addition
al names We have at present.