Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-01-25
The PaInssvIlIe RaIlrond DI.aster,


describing the stopping of the Express train
~ the snow, it says:
To render all safe, the Conductor Of the |
Express train, Mr.. Murray, sent fagmen in |
both directions so soon as his train WAS stop |
ped, to warn all approaching trains: That |
The Accommodation train, approaching from |
the East, was not notified by the fagman |
sent in tha. direction, is clear, from the fact
that it thundered along at full speed over the
track the Express had cleared for it, and
without any warning dashed into the rear Of
the unfortunate Express at the point above
indicated. tits understood that the fagman
claims to have performed his duty faithfully,
but that owing to the driving snow, the En-
ginesr Of the Accommodation train failed to
see his red flag. However this may be, is a
matter Of future investigation.
The Express train consisted of the baggage
and Express cars, Eve passenger coaches fill
ed, and a sleeping car containing perhaps
25 or 80 persons. The extra Engine of this
train was standing behind the sleeping car
and close up to it. The forward part of the
train was fast in the snow, with the locOmo-
tive detached. The passengers were doing
away the time, fretting at the delay, scold
ing at the Railroad men who were so heroic
ally breasting the storm, endeavOring to
open the track, or making themselves misera-
bic at the prospect Of further delays. In
this way about two hours had been spent in
the snow-drift, it being then about 9 o'clock
in the morning, when the accident occurred.
ut is hardly possible to give any correct
view of the scene that followed. It was
heart-rending in the extreme. The Engine
Of the Accommodation, striking against the
engine on the rear of the sleeping car, had
driven it completely through that car, dash
ing and splitting it into the smallest frag-
msnts, there only remaining the roof as
recognizable part of the car. The momen-
tum of the approaching train was only
checked when it had driven through this car
and well iutO the one ahead of it, which was
filled, to a large extent, with women and lit
tie children. This car was driven into the
one in front oft, the two becoming insepara-
ole. Both were badly broken in pieces The
third car frsm the sleeping car also had
its rear end broken in and its interior torn in
pieces by the conclusion. The heTeaetion from
this terrible blow broke the coupling be-
tween the two forward cars and the rest Of
the train, and they were fortunately thrown
some distance ahead. The coupling between
them and the baggage cars were also broken,
and the mails, baggage and express were
driven still farther forward beyond the pos
sible reach of danger.
In the sleeping car and the two cars next
in front Of it occurred the principal casualties
from this frightful collision. The chapter is
extended and its narrowing character height
ened by the ignition of the debris of the bro
ken cars from the fro of the stoves, by which
untOward event the wreck Of tho three pas
senger coaches were quickly in flames. In
deed, so suddenly did the FIRE break out that
it was impossible to remove all the wounded
from the ruins, and it is feared that several
perished who might otherwise have been
saved. The remains Of at least two bodies,
charred and blackeBed snd, wholly unreeog-
nizable, have bsen already exhumed from
the ashes. 1t is hoped that this is the
total of bodies consumed, but whether it is
or not is at this time wholly matter Of con-
lecture.
When the wreck took fire, the two foremost
cars were yet filed with passengers. In
their haste to get out, the forward door Of
the leading car, which formed the only exit,
became choked by the crowd. For a mo-
ment it seemed as ifs multitude must perish.
The flames, with unequalled rapidity, were
working toward these miserable unfOrtunstes,
and already told Of their presence by their
unwelcome heat. At this critical moment
sashes were burst from the windows, and
extra openings made with axes, through
which the crowd were oxtrieated. But their
release from the burning ruins was only q
leap into another and almost equally great
danger. Since early daylight the thermome-
ter had been rapidly falling, and at this time
the cold was most intense and penetrating
aggravated greatly by the pitiless wind and
the driving snow. In the bitches beside
the track the snow lay several feet deep.
The passengers, startled thus suddenly from
tbafr af in hA w nh
unprepsrsd for this leap into the freezing cold.
The ladies and children particularly were
sufferers from this cause. Their outer gar
ments had been removed for comfort in the
overheated cars, and, in the haste of their
exit, cloaks, shawls and furs were all left be-
hind, to be consumed by the flames. The
able men who were uniDjured by the collis-
sion were exerting themselves in extricating
the unfortunate sufferers from the ruins,
where the flames had not reached. Under
these circumstances, the condition Of the
women and children was pitiable in the ex-
trsme. Rushing with Shrieks and cries
from the cars, they sank immovable in the
deep snow, and, In many instances, despair
ingiy gave themselves up for lost.
But when the rapid progress Of the are
rendered efforts to save the wounded, Who
were buried in the ruins, unavailable, or
impossible, attention was quickly turned to
this other class of sufferers. Then the
strong mon shouldersd the weaker females
and the helpless children, and bore them
off to pIaes of security and comfort. The
two remaining passenger cars we're soon
filed with the rescued, ard the houses Of Mr..
B. B. Parks, Mr.. R. Marshall, and others in
the neighborhood, furnished asylums for q
few more. Many were the sufferers from
frozen fingers and feet, but these were bat
slight injuries and are not mentioned in the
general list OF casualties which We append
In the mean time, Conductor Murray had
sent cOuriers forward to this place for as
sistance. Our people, to thoir everlast-
ing credit bs it said, turned out en-
zlGsse to the assistance of the IN
fortunate passengers. Every available
team and sleigh in the city was promptly
brought, and loaded with blankets sad other
needed articles, started for the wreck. Up
wards of fifty sleighs were thus sent down
after the survivors, while hundreds of our
citizens pIOdded their way thither on foot,
needless of the storm and cold, to render
such assistance as might be in their power.
Thus by night the passeng gers, with the ex-
oeption of very few whose injuries forbade
their removal, were brought to PaiDesville.
Here the hospitality of the citizens was
shown. Every house Was thrown open, and
no efforts were spared to make the passengers
as comfortable as possible.
It goes on to give due credit to the rail-
road officials and citizens of PainesviIIe for
their work for she wounded, and closes with
5 list of the killed and wounded, which has
already been given.