Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-12-28

happened that not one of the inmates of
either of the two coaches had time to make
his escape, and without u moments warning
some forty or Fifty persons were hurried into
the presence Of their Maker. The scene
which was presented to the eyes of the in
mates Of the other cars, when the train was
stopped, was a fearful one. The car which
first went over the precipice took fire in
stantly, and before any persons could get to
it, the flames made such rapid headway that
in u few moments it was all ablaze. Those
persons on the spot proceeded to render all
the assistance they could, but only some
four or five persons were saved from the
burning car. The remainder, some forty or
Fifty men, women and children, were con-
sumed with the car. While that portion OF
the passengers who had escaped injury gave
their attenGion to the burning car, the bal
ance attended to the other, which had also
taken fire. Fortunately the flames in the
latter instance were extinguisbed before
they had made much headway, and as speedi-
ly as possible the injured, dead and dying
were taken from the car, and with the few
rescued from the burning coach were con-
veyed to residences near at hand. How
many pcrishcd in the burning car it is i'm
possible as yet to say, and very probably will
not be known for some time. The place
where the first car struck, after being preci-
pitated off the bridge, was difficult of access.
After rescuing the half dozen or so Of per-
sons before the flames had made much head
way, no attempt was made Wednesday night
to disturb the remains of those who perished
in the burning car. That was attended to
Thursday morning.
THE DEAD AND woCNDED.
Following arc the names Of the dead and
wounded, 50 far as known:
Killed. Joseph Fuller, and wife, Spar
tansburg, Pa; Mr.. Graves, W. II. Ross,
North East, Pa; T. B. Forbush, Buffalo,
Patent agent Mrs. W. Freeman, Norwich
Delaware; Mrs. Mary Shedden and child
Corfu, New York; j. B. Haywood, North
East, Pa.; Frank Walker and his son Julius
Walker, Buffalo; two men, names unknown;
Mr.. John n. Strong, Buffalo; Mr.. Hubbard
St. GATHERINGS.
Wounded. An unknown woman badly
injured; Mrs. Christiana Long, of Minnesota
injured about the head and body w. g
Patterson, of Oil Creek, injured, cannot re-
cover Mrs. Fisher, of Minnesota, badly in
jured and insensible; Chas. p. Wood, OF
Buffalo, seriously injured r. NJ. Bussell, OF
| Trenton, Tennessee, badly hurt in the back
and also inwardly; Mrs. Mary sheldon, o
Corfu, badly injured; II. L. Fisher, of Min
nesota in dangerous condition; w. III. Moor'
and wife, of Iowa, seriously injured in bach
and head; Mary f. Sayles and Maria Sayles
! both of Corfu, both seriously injured, bu
not dangerously Henry jackson, of Illinois
| badly Miss l.. NJ. Babcock, of Syracuse n
! Y, bruised, but not dangerously; middle
| aged man, unknown, dying Robt. Steward
/ 4 a. e Il, ~ Il,
| injured; W. Fl. Hoore, ofIowa badly bruise'
on head and body Robt. Reibenburg, o
Albion, seriously injured Mrs T. Hamlin
ard, of Buffalo, slightly.
THE SCENE.
The last car of the train had no more tina
stopped its somersaults before 1T WAS o.
FIRE. The nature Of the embankment, tc
gether with the ice upon the steep dccivity
would not admit of immediate assistanc,
even though hundreds of people had been q
hand, for no one could go down the ban
hurredly without fear OF death. The mel
who were first at the scene managed to reac
the car by going down, one holding upo
another, thus forming a line from the trac
to the Cur. But they were TOO LATE. TIL
men, women, and children in the car ba
been so severely injured by the fall an
fright that they were alarmed and helples
and before the feeble assistance which ws
hastily organized reached them, the car WI
SO far enveloped in flames that their rescu
was impossible. The scene at this time cal
not DC described. The voices of men drec
, ed to heaven for help, the shrieks and pra.
: crs OF women asking for assistance, and tt
} waiIing of children, was the most sou
piercing and agonizing sounds which eve
, reached mortal ear. The flames were gail
ing rapidly, and arms were protrude
! through the shattered windows, heads wei
5 extended, and the cry for help was intens
lied by the increase of heat of pain of agon
4 and the certain prospect of destruction. I'll
n. reader must picture this scene, we cannt
5 describe it, Our ears will never lose Il
. sound of the plantive walls, the beseechin
for help, tho heart-rendng shrieks, the lel
scene and tho last, last look. The few me
who could, who were not struck dunn
y worked manfully. They succeeded in tai
D ing out three persons, who were remove
+. elsewhere to die, but they could not subd,
n the flames which were roasting their fello
; beings alive. They could not answer Il
a prayers of the agonized victims of Deaf
2 They could do nothing but look at the
r roast, listen to them shrek, sicken at Il
: sight, and pray God to deliver them fro
4 another such scene. As the odor of burnir
5 flesh, human flesh, arose upon the air,
9 seemed as though the spot had turned in
r a very hell, and when shrieks came from Il
Q hamcs and smoke, hands were held ale
y through the grim atmosphere, the wor
' and flesh seemed a moekery and worn
Z reality. Let US close this horrible scene
8 saying that from the last information '
r could obtain, but five out of forty of Il
l passengers in this car escaped. The rest
< fully forty n6rs burned akire!
q Meanwhile the other car was more fc
0 tunste. 1t did not take fire. The first mi
O out of it was the conductor of the train, wi
!. was severely injured. Others came out, al
s when assistance arrived many were fouI
injured unto death. 1t was soon cleared
its mortal contents-much sooner than /
/ flames could copsnme the other car and
A. bn ip;, apc