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


mattress that lay near Us, L covered
him with a blanket, and turned my
attention to relieving lady who Oc
cupied the berth next to me. She
was moaning as if from great pain,
and her babe was crying quite Justify.
This proved to be Mrs. Brennan, whose
husband does business at No. 184
Race -ytreea. She did not complain
muchS but yet was unable to rise, and
had a severe confusion on her left
temple. The babe was only slightly
bruised. Mrs. Brennan s watch, which
was subsequently found, and which
she had placed in her waisthand, was
broken to pieces and completely ruin
ed. Of course this was matter OF
small consequence, and Is only alluded
to to show how narrow the escape
was, for the babe lying by her side
was only slightly scratched or bruised.
Our attention was now suddenly
directed to the last car. where a ire
was kindling, and 10 an instant the
cry ran from lip to lip, that the wreck
had taken fire, and the efforts of all
who were able to do nything and get
around, were directed to the burning
car.
Having no pals or buckets to carry
water, which was plenty within ten
feet of the wreck, the FIRE spread
rapidly, and in a very few seconds the
entire wreck of the car was enveloped
In flames. The light from the burning
car, revealed our position, and still
standing within probably ten feet
from where | first landed. The scene
was one so terrible and appalling that
| will not attempt TO describe it.
Within the space Of perhaps twenty
feet square, were the mangled remains
of ten or wholesome dead, others in
the last agonies of death, others
writhing with pain, some still and
conscious, but yet suffering from
internal injuries and unable to
move. One man before me had his
left eye gouged out, and it lay by his
cheek, while that side of his face was
terribly maagled. He suffered agony
for a few hours. Some one placed
him on a mattress, and covered him
with a coat and blanket Before l
left he was dead. On ny left was a
man whose face was 50 terribly cut
that he was beyond recognition, and
he soon died The one who occupied
the berth above me had also died.
Further along toward the middle of
the car were five or six unable to
move, whose heads and shoulders ap-
peared above the mass Of debris. and
who presented a CHASTITY appearance.
By the light of the burning car, all
those who were unable to help them
selves, we're got out and placed on
mattresses from the sleeping cars, and
covered with blankets, coats, &c.
The wounded men were first carried
upon the frames of the berths, and
were placed in the mail, express, and
smoking cars. where their wants were
attended to as well as possible until
the arrival of the special train from
Port Jervis with surgeons and nurses.
The accident happened at what is
known as Cars Rock, about sixteen
miles west Of Port Jervis. The track
ran around at the fost Of high rock,
and forms the arc of circle. About
the middle OF this circle is a culvert,
beneath which pours a small stream
into the Delaware river, two hundred
yards distant. From the track
to the top Of the culvert is probably
fifteen to twenty feet and from the
top of the culvert to the bed of the
river Is fifty or sixty feet more. The
first part Of the train, or rather the
locomotive, baggage, mail, express
and smoking cars ana one day coach
passed over the culvert and went on,
when the second coach and first, or
Cincinnati sleeping car, fell down the
bank. just after crossing the Gull
vert, the Dunkirk sleeping car was
thrown over the culvert to the river,
and the Buffalo sleeping car on the
west bank of the stream. The bank
down which the first coach and sleep
ing car fell, is very rough, being COM
posed Of huge powders, without a
tree or limb. These cars went dis
lance of fully two hundred feet from
the track to where they brought up.
The first coach lay with its forward
part probably ten feet nearer the track
than the rear end, showing that the
rear had evidently swung off first.
The sides were standing, but the roof
and ends were gone. The trucks had
been left on the descent among the
powders.
The Cincinnati sleeping car was
completely demolished. Not piece
of it remained that [ could not lift,
except a strip of the flooring, fifteen
to twenty feet long, by, perhaps, three
feet wide.
The stove had been thrown four or
FIVE feet in advance of me, while the
hind trucks of the car were only as
many feet in my rear.
The third car fell from the track
on the top Of the cuIyert which broke
off the monitor part, or the raised
,on,.ks.on Of IL ,.nnE I'll ..o.onninSl