Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-03-15

Honnde6.
Mr.. j. w. Simonton, of the New York AS
sociated Press, has furnished the New Or
! leans Picayune with an account eff the ter
rible disaster on the Mississippi Central rail-
road near Oxford. We name some interest
ing extracts
The anguish of surviving friends of the
killed and wounded was pitiable to behold
A husband, wild with grief at the loss of his
wife suddenly snatched from his side by death,
lust when he had nearly arrived at home in
the new world, which he had recently crossed
| the ocean to find drew tears from eyes not
used to weeping. The young girl, Aggy
Elliott-on her way to New Oreans-exhib-
tied wonderful fortitude. She was in the rear
of the middle passenger car conversng with
several acquaintances-the life of the little
circle surrounding her when the crash came.
In an instant the notes of mirth and frol.c
we're turned to cries of anguish and lamenta-
ton But Aggy never lost her presence of
mind for a moment. By her side lay several
of the horribly mangled dead Fortunately no
part of the wreck had struck her deadly
blow Bruised she was, and stunned, but no
bone was broken. Her left hand rested upon
the stiffening limb of one of the companions
with whom she had been in gay converse a
minute before, and there it was held in
vice.like grasp by timber of the lower end
of the rear passenger car. Otherwise she was
free Calling for help she stated her situation
and gave directions for her own relief. For
aud hour she laid there in the midst of the
carnival of death, exhibiting patience and
courage that were heroic. At last the timber
was sawn asuuder, her hand was released and
she was carried away, piteousy inquiring of
those who were helping her whether she was
SO hurt that she could not hope to be future
help to her "poor mother"
A little boy, six years of age, who speaks
English perfectly, and appears to be of Amer
| lean birth, was taken from the wreck with
broken legs, and carried to Water Valley,
where the railroad authorities supplied him
With every attention. His mother was killed;
and. at last accounts. all efforts had failed to
obtain from him any statement as to his name
or destination and bodily pain SEEM
ing to have completely paralyzed his mental
faculties.
Sister PhiIomcna, Sister of Charity, jour
neyiny from Baltimore to New Orleans, was
severely, but not dangerously hurt. 1mme-
diately upon recovering from the first effects
! of the disaster she was conspicuous in her at
teutions to those who had suffered more deep.
ly.
David Henning, of Ann Arbor, Michigan,
was cut about the head, and severe contu-
sion of the shoulder and arm, but was able
to proceed upon his journey.
The railroad Authorities report fifteen killed
in all !; but others insist that nineteen dead
we're counted, besides more than twenty who
we're seriously wounded, and as many more
who suffered minor injuries.
The arrival of the special" excursion train
upon the scene within thirty minutes after
the disaster, was very opportune, as the party
was we'll supplied with stimulants and other
necessities. 1t also brought physician, in
the person of DR.. Wright, Of Louisville, who
was unremitting in his attention to the woun-
ded Mr.. Charles D. Sawyer, of Louisville,
the leader of the excursion paarty, and gen.
tlemau of more5 than usual energy and char
acter, and many others of the visiting railroad
men also Joined the rescuers and labOred un-
ceasingly until the wreck was cleared and the
victims had all been found and cared for
Then the wreck was burned the readiest
method of removing all trace of the sad affair
| 1t should have heen stated before that the
| cars took fire from an overturned stove i'm
mediately after the wreck but the flames
were subdued before they had got fairly un>
der way by some of the passengers.
The Mississippi railroad people doubtless
did as we'll as they could. under the circum-
| stances; but there was evidently lamentable
| lack of preparation for such an emergency
| IIuborers were very scarce, and there was no
| organized system in operation, such as could
| get the best service out of those that were to
be had. 1t is said, and, we believe, truly, that
| the excursion train was saved from following
its predecessor into the jaws Of death only
through the efforts of Mr.. Edgar, of a
| North> western railroad, who, happening to be
| in the wreck and unharmed, sent back flag
of danger to apprise the special train of the
terrible scene which the curve in the road
concealed until one had approached within
few hundred yards of the spot.
After stating that the people of the neigh
borhood. as soon as they heard of the wreck,
we're prompt in administering such aid as was
! in their power, there remains nothing to be
remarked further, except that for this terrible
railroad horror the managers of the Mississippi
railroad are clearly responsible. Their road
is simply in a most wretched condition. The
! immediate cause of this disaster doubtless was
! a rotten tie, Just at the North end of the
trestle. from which the pressure of wheel
| drew the spikes designed to hold the rail to its
place and there are many more of these
rotten ties on the road. This was noticed by
some of us who walked over miles of the track,
! during our twenty hours of detention. The
road is unfit for use. Accidents upon it are
! freouent: if we can believe some OF the com
pany's own employees. President Tate had
! heen cautioned several times, in regard to the
unsafe condition of the road at the very point
where the slaughter of Friday last occurred;
but he appears to have disregarded the warn
ings. The train sent up from Water Valley
to relieve the wreck, was itself run off the
track, bv which event one man lost his life.
This probably accounts for the otherwise un>
accountable delay in arrival of the succoring
party from the company's headquarters