The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-11-27
Terrible Story Of the Lnfe Railroad
Accident sear Erie-Wonderful He
roism Of a Woman.

From the Cleveland Herald November 49, Z.
Mrs. West, of Milwaukee, was thrown
on her face, with her babe under her;
Miss West fell on her back, but re-
ceived no other injury than the crush
ing of her left hand. Miss Emma's first
question was, "Aunty, can you breathep
She replied, "a little" 4 man managed
to reach her and cut the fastenings of
her dress, which gave some relief. Miss
West was released in about ten
minutes, but efforts TO get Mrs.
West out from the wreck were
unsuccessfully made for three-quarters
of an hour, she, in the meantime, re-
naming very calm, quiet, and entirely
conscious, gentleman supporting her
head. She knew her child was dead.
The pressure was so crushing that her
eyeballs were forced from their sockets
and hung down upon the cheeks, and
the face swollen, by the CONGESTION or
rupture of blood vessels, to more than
twice its proper size. The body of her
babe beneath her, being soft and yield
ing, was, perhaps, the only thing that
saved her life.
Every effort to relieve her by chopping
off the ear of the car with an axe. was
f-eiiv. ouU was incapable OF so much
exertion as to speak and to tell them TO
stop, although every blow of the axe
caused her the most excrutiating agony.
Hearing some one say, "Removc that
dead man and il will release her. she
summoned her strength for the effort,
and, moving her left arm, which was
free, toward her right shoulder, said Il
am fastened here" a saw was procured
and she was sawed out. Then the earth
was dug away and she was dragged from
under the car and placed on the grass.
The first question she asked was, "Who
is killedW
After being told, she then said she
could not see, but not knowing why,
and dictated telegram to her husband
at Milwaukee-"YOur babe is dead,
your wife severely injured, Uncle
Wheeler killed and Emma slightly
hurt" She then said to those about
her, Don't leave ME here to die; there
is life here yet" They proposed to take
her to Erie. NO" she said, lis there
no house neari" To those who said they
would place her in wagon, she objected,
asking 'cannOt men carry me III their
arms I" and was SO carried some sixty
rods, to the house of Mr.. Chambers; the
surgeons arrived about an hour after
the disaster occurred, and attended to
her, replacing the eyes i'll their sockets.
This she does not know, although she
often speaks of her having been blind
for some time after the accident. Nor
did she ever see her babe again, since 1t
was playfully kissing its mamma atEthe
moment when the whistle sounded. Its
little crushed body was forwarded on
Thursday to Milwaukee for burial.
After her removal to the house, n re-
action took place, and she coolly gave
the most judicious directions TO the
ladies in attendance, for heating her
chilled cXtremeties, and relieving her
pains. The still remains at the house
of Mr.. Chambers, the unrcmitting atten-
tiuns of whose family are most grateful
" acknowledged. She is improving
rapidly and can soon be removed to her
home. Her heroism, GOODNESS and self
possession, under such frightful injuries
and such bitter mental suffering aston
shed all. The surgeons declare that
they ever saw its parallel.