Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-12-28
THE ANGOLA CALAMITY.
vivid Description of the Calamity by
mr. Thomas, One of the Few Sur

Vivid Description of the Calamity by |
mr. hOmas, One of the Few sur |
vivors.
[From the Utica Herald. December 2adl
The ten o'clock train from the West, last
Saturday night, brought to Utica Mr.. Amos
ii. Thomas and wife. two of the victims OF
the late terrible railroad accident on the
Lake Shore railroad. They are so badly
injured that they were obliged to be car
ried on mattresses to their residence, No. 20
Breese street. Mr.. Thomas injuries are
principally across his hip and stomach, and
although bad are not as severe as those re-
ceived by his wife. Mrs. Thomas was most
severely bruised from head to foot. Her
face is discolored, her left ankle severely
sprained, and her whole lett side literally
blackened with cOntusiOns! She suf-
fers considerable pain but is consid-
cred by her physician to be out of
danger. Mr.. Thomas and his wife were in
the last and ill-fated car from which, it is
said, but three QUO of fifty passengers es-
capped alive, and they were two OF these
Mr.. Thomas thinks, however, that five pas
sengers did finally escape alive from this
car, one of whom has since died. He oc-
cupied the fourth seat from the front, and
his wife sat in the third, directly in front
of him. The first thing he heard was the
humping sound of the wheels coming in
contact with the ties, and at once knew the
car had run from the track. Nearly all the
passengers in the coach Immediately
jumped up on their feet, and as the car
swayed to and fro they would rush to
whichever side was uppermost. to prevent
its overturning. This continued for per-
haps half minute. and then the car struck
the bridge, being still in an upright posi-
tion. 1t passed nearly across when the
rear end was thrown so far from the track
fLat thn hnsp s,c,, ansn 70
sustain the great strain upon it, broke,
and the car went, end first, crashing
down the side hill, the lower end just
reaching the edge of the creek. Before
the car fell nearly all the frightened pas
sengers were standing in the aisles, Mrs.
Thomas alone keeping her seat. Her hus-
band was in the aisle, but still holding his
seat with a firm grasp. When the car took
its fearful plunge the fact that Mrs. ThOm-
as was sitting in her seat and her husband
firmly clinging to his own, alone saved
their lives and prevented them from being
buried among the hot stoves and burning
seats, and crushed and roasted mass of hui
man beings in the rear end of the car. How
MIR. Thomas came outside of the car, he is
utterly unable to tell. He states that he
was not unconscious that he found him.
self in a single instant after he was thrown
from his feet lying upon his back; the roo
of the car entirely swept away (; the cal
itself literally broken into a thousand
pieces, and he himself looking straight uE
into the sky. 1t seemed to be all done i'm 8
few seconds of time. He found himself with
heavy pieces OF the wreck lying across his
legs. and pressing one of them upon {
sharp, broken iron which enter
ed his clothing near the thigh. His frs
thought was for his wife, whom he discov
cred was lying near, but before he wa!
able to render her assistance, she had beer
An1- ,,x1 g. l. 81.
COLA. At his feet lay a man bleeding pro-
fusely from wound in his head, but wht
was able to free himself from the debris
and then had strength sufficient to assis
Mr.. Thomas. until at last the latter wa
able to crawl out of the wreck upon hi
hands and knees, and thus make his way
up the bank. He was taken into the pass
enger car that stood upon the track
and afterward removed to privat
house and medical aid procured
Mrs. Thomas was rendered inscnsibl
by the fall. The first she remember
was feeling the blood running dow
her face. Casting her eye toward the lowe
end of what was once the car, she saw tn
flames eight or ten feet high. but the pas
sengers were so covered with the.ruins tha
they could not be seen. The fire was s.
near that she must make an effort to escape
or burn. In trying to rise, her injurie
were so severe, the effort rendered her in
sensible again. She would probably hav,
added one more to the list of the dead from
this shocking disaster, had not citizel
of Angola, seeing her fearful posi-
tion, come to her rescue. After max
ing the effort to get up, she remember
nothing more until she found herself in
private house. A succession of faintins
fits followed, and as she recovered fron
each she declared that she was entirely un
hurt. and it was only some time after tn,
accident that she was convinced she hat
received injury. 1t was probably TIVE
hours after the accident before medical ait
could be procured. Two physicians wer,
aboard the train. whose attentions wer,
fully occupied with those more severely
injured.
A large bundle lay upon the ground tha
had evidently rolled from the second pas
senger car. This had been passed over anC
pushed about by people bearing the wound
ed. At last their attention was attracted
by hearing smothered cry proceed from
it. The clothing was unwrapped, and, be-
hold! there lay an infant about six months
old, digging its chubby fists into its cry
ing eyes, unhurt, and without singl,
scratch upon its body. Its mother was ac'
companied by gentleman who afterwart
died. She was still insensible last Satur
day morning, two days after the accident