The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-12-26
Terrible Railroad Disaster,
From the Buffalo Express. Dec. 10

dcCluent IN me history OF railroads. n
catastrophe by which 60 persons were in a
moment launched into eternity. is, in it
self. terrible enough to appal the stoutest
heart, but when, to the fact OF this whole
sale slaughter, is added the consideration
that in most cases death found his victim
in the midst OF the most agonig NJ tor
lures, his coming seems almost TO take the
form Of blessing.
Those who, standing By the roadside al
Angola yesterday afternoon, looked down
upon mass OF human beings itrueglin z
in the roaring flames and listening to their
hcart-rending screams, will probably never
cease 70 think ofthe scene as the most fear
ful the imagination could picture
The train to which the accident occurred
was the one known as the New York ex-
press, which was due in this city at 1870
yesterday afternoon. Some delay on the
Clea,eland and Erie railroad caused sim
liar detention on The Buffalo and Erie, and
the train vas over two hours late when ii
eft Erie at 1913 yesterday afternoon.
It consisted Of four baggage ears, ore
elniggant. and three first class coaches, well
tilied with passengers.
Heretofore The train has stopped at : u
gola hat under the new arrangement ii
GOES By at fUii speed, and on his occasion
Il VAS rruniug AZ high rate = hen Angola
Was reached ut G:l0. Two CT three min
,.;es later it Vas q perfect wreck. and tie
passenaers who a moment before were chat
ting pleasantly were lying dead aud dying
by the roadside, or, piled amid the ruins,
were suffering agoUios which enGsd Only
with Their lives
The catastrophe occurred at the eros
sink of what is known as Big Sister
creek, about ? quarter OF :: niie east OF
Angola station. The creek IS shallow
stream, at the ordinary level, bordered or
the eastern side by low, fiat, 50 or 70
RODS wide, while its bank rises viii, cop-
siderable abrupireSs to the level Of the
eurToualing country. The track Of the
railroad Is carried over most of The Gat
upon an cmbaukmcpt OF earth, from the
termination Of which truss bridge about
100 feet n length spans the creek. The
height Of tie bridge above the ordina-
II level or the creek Is some 80 feet.
1t il constructed without parapeis, and
roofej At the level Of the track fmme-
diatcly underneath the bridge miildam
obstyucts tie creek and forms small
pond
! As nearly as can he ascartainea TIE
next to tie last car Of the train vas
thrown from the track on Striking a frog
at lie switch Just This side Of angola STA
tion, and was dragged over tie ties nearly
+ to tie bridge before the car behind It be-
cane nnseaiod from the rails The time
s during which this punsiag along the ties
? continued was sufficient to enable some,
but not many CT the passengers sitting at
; the forward end Of this car 10 make their
! escape from It into the car ahead.
Just as the train reached the bridge,
the rear car was jerked from the track,
and ran nearly across the bridge. An IN
Il slant more 1t would have reached the bank,
i but just ON the edge it toppled over on
the left side and went with fearful crash
end foremost, down the ice covered slope
: 20 feet at least to the fat below.
1t IS easy to imagine the frishtful wreck
= to which the car was reduced by its ter
: rible descent. All or nearly ali its a sen
; gers we're precipi,cd into q mangled
IS struggling mass at the lower end Of the Cal
:, buried under heap Of ruins, aud even The
:, slightly injured, If any there were, unable
i to exirieatc or help themselves. Tie h0r
It ror Of the situation was sufficient without
that which instantly became added by the
;, ignition Of the sptltered wreck from Tho
= overturned stoves. a moment, as enc oil
she three sole survivors described It, and
) the whole was wrapped in flames. The
or, wood Of the car burned Ike heap Of
kindling,-and it was little more.
Who can attempt to depict the uuimae e.
!. liable horror OF the scene that cnsued.--
=, Nearly ff,y human beings roasted either
!. in desth, OF in the pangs OF dying frou
!. horrible wounds. or in the fall vigor o
lie, buried in an incxtrcable position anC
committed to the flames without hope Of
rescue The shrieks the grOsns, the I'M
: preca,ions-let those who heard them for
6 get this side Of eteInityif they can.
r How many the flames devouEed IN tn,
I CIR cannot be told with certainty. 1t wa
c well flied with passengers, probably say.
= one Of tie survivors. not less than City
and only three are known to have escaped
1t vas some minute. before any enc coul
:, reach the scene to attempt assistanc
r The second car, in the meantime, the ca
! first thrown from the track, had plunged
- over the opposite side OF the ombankmeni
7 falling less hight. bat suffering aluos
! as complete wreck, and its few uniDjuI
!, cd passengers had enough - do to occup
;, their attention. The train, which had ru
= some distance before beng stopped. va
backed t. the scene speedily as possibl,
aud tho on board set to work wit
IS promptitude and energy. But the stee
is and ice-covercd slope to the car most hon
be riby situated was not easily descended
- and when helping hands reached it, the
were without weapons for fighting In
u flames or for breaking into the wreck.
~ As soon, of course, as they could /
cts summoned, the people of Angola an
M nearer inhabitants ran to the spot, aud
was not loncr before MANY buckets WEI