The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-04-22

and head, but mot sufficient to pre-
vent him fro N going to work and do
ing all in his power to relieve the sui
ferings of those less fortunate than he.
The train, after going on half mile
or more, was stopped, and returned to
the scene of the disaster.
As soon as the fire made sufficient
Roadway to light up the scene, / saw
Mr.. Porter emerge from the ruins.
He was only slightly bruised, but,
having neither boots nor socks, he
could not get round well, and, in at
tempting to do so, cut his feet very
badly on the broken glass.
Some gentleman, whose name l do
not remember, but who went through
the scene uninjured, found his cloth
ing and satchel near where he stood
when he reached the ground, and he
kindly loaned me a pair of slippers,
and he afterward gave Mr.. Porter
pair of socks. Mr.. Porter also sue
ceeded in finding a pair of boots,
which were not mates, but he was
able to get them on
In looking around for blankets and
coats, to cover up and make as com
Portable as possible the wounded, [
found both of my coats One had
been carried twenty or thirty feet in
one direction, ard the other had gone
off at another angle. My satchel was
carried fifty feet toward the river, and
my shawl about ten feet from where
stood
In the side pocket of my inside coat
| had put a pocket book which con-
tanned important papers. This pocket
book was torn to pieces, and the con-
rents scattered around for quite
distance
l am now satisfied that had I lain
at full length In my berth and not
pulled my feet up as | did, or had / 4
attempted to get up and stretch my
arms and to save myself, that | would
have suffered more than did, for the
force that carried my satchel coats,
shawl, &c, to the distance where [
found them, would more than prob
ably have injured me severely.
\
While we stood together wondering
as to Mr.. Loomis's fate. who was In !
the burning car, and which we we're
unable to reach 10 our bare feet, the
form of a man could be seen 10 the
glare of the fire. His feet were in the
air; he was literally standing on his
head, which, with his shoulders, was
so wedged in that he could neither
move or speak His legs were kick
ing violently In the air, and the flames
had reached within a few feet of him.
An instant more and he would have
been entirely consumed. Mr. Osborne,
who was the only one of US three who
had boots on, rushed across the
stream, and with the aid of two or
three others who had come down the |
opposite bank, they In moment pro-
cured a blanket, soaked it In the |
stream, and held it up between the |
victim and the flames. The wood was
removed In less time than it takes ne !
TO tell this. and the poor man, with +
one arm almost burned off, and his /
reason gone, from the terrible suffer
ing he had endured, and the con-
sciousness of the position be had been |
placed In, and yet unable to help him
self, he rushed off in the direction of /
the river with the speed of a deer.
4 woman was taken out from the I
same spot, but she was dead, and her |
remains were carried up on to bank
and laid out. About the same time a
child, five or six years of age, hand |
somely dressed, and bearing no out !
ward marks of violence. was taken T
from the stream dead. So was also I
the body of Mr.. Blossom, hotel /
keeper at Susquehauna Depot. He
was stunned and drowned.
Mr.. E. B. Phillips and Mr.. Grey i
were thrown into the raised portion I
of the roof of the sleeping car, which I
rested on the top of the culvert, and /
both escaped with slight bruises. The
car IN which they were, it will be re- /
membered, rolled over on the top of +
the culvert. and recovering the top I
there, fell over into the creek, a dis T
tance of nearly seventy-fve feet.
The first coach that went off took
fire twice, and it was only by great /
exertions that the flames were sub
dued. Had this car burned, at least
half of those who we're killed or were
seriously injured, would have been !
consumed. Underneath the car could I
be seen the clothing of two ladies.
Their bodies could not be removed
until the car could be raised, and that
took time One poor woman, Mrs.
Snow, who, with her husband and
seven small children. he in delicate
health, had gained my sympathy dur
ing the day, We found lying on her
face. on the hill, with large piece of
the car and the mind tricks upon her
person, she literally crushed into the
rocks. A railroad jack had to be used
to raise the weight upon her, before
she could be removed.
The poor man who came so near
being burned to death, and when res
cuod "a n frantic from the car ras E !