The New York herald., 1870-05-16
TIE MISSOURI RAILROAD SLAUGHTER
Newspaper Accounts Of the Terrible Collision
The Cause OF the Accident Startling
Scenes and Terrible Incidents
A Day Of Gloom.

A Day Of Gloom.
Although our telegraphic despatcnes have con-
tanned very full details OF the terrible railroad dsas
ter that occurred on the Pacific Railroad about thirty
miles from ST. LOUIS on the 18th instant yet the news.
paper reports are 80 full and graphic that we will
spare little extra space in giving part OF them 10
our readers.
From the St. Louis Republican, May 1871
THE SCENE.
When the party OF road officers reached the spot
they found that the citizens OF the vicinity with
humanity and generosity that 40 them credit, were
already on the ground laboring with the utmost most
and ss Bent bent and and broken bro A' iron rods and that
iner @ work %sAck Dr. John % JscSson LaDadie
station, and Dr.. Calkins, OF Franklin, were
IN and ae h oo WIN the ne naou e
positions in which the collision had left them, and
at the same time doing what they could to make
sparely settled region would admit OF. Colonel
Leighton and the other officers OF the road with him
spared no effort to afford relief 10 the injured,
making them their first care. The mattresses and
bedding OF the sleeping cars that stood uninJured
the ground for the wounded to rest upon, and
quilts, coverlets and lint for the dressing Of wounds
were lipeIaiy brought forward by the residents.
The collision OF the TWO trains had been so violent
that the fragments OF the wreck were jammed and
wedged each into rigid, impact mass, with dead
entangled IN one indescribabie agony. The suffer-
bore themselves with wonderful patience
and fortitude, calling the attention Of the workers
10 their situations, ana directing the efforts
for their relief, but uttering few complaints,
and quietly enduring their agony till their bodies
or limbs could be disengaged from the remorseless
beams, splin,ers and Jagged rods that held them
pinioned fast IN the wreck by eleven O'Clock seven
teen dead bodies, all that could be seen, had been
taken OUT and all the living victims extrcated from
the wreck; and while the work continued to go
forward the wounded were placed on mattresses
lpJS N az flrnn on rn N hp
gage OF the relief train, TO be sent TO the city.
When this train reacned Kirkwood on its return
Louis at eleven O'CLOCK, having been detained behind
its usual hour OF departure till definite intelligence
could be obtained from the scene OF the accident On
this train were Drs. Hodgen, Johnson, Barret and
Others, city physicians VINO were on their way TO
Eureka TO offer their services, meeting the relief
train at kirkWood, and learning that the only victims
remaining at The wreck were the dead who past
all relief they returned to the city on the relief train,
aIordlag such comforts as they could 10 the pros
Jrate ana bruised suIerers stretched out Ia the
baggage car.
THE COLLISION
The accident was a collision between the east
bound express train, due at ST. Louis at SIX O'Clock
yesterday morning, and west bound extra freight
trin that left this city during the night previous
lhe express ram mad 1--WE passenger cars and bag
gage car, and tne freight train was long, heavy
one, drawn by a powerful locomotive AT the point
OF collision, mile and half east OF Eureka, there
Is an enDankment fifteen feet hign, wnere the road
curves 50 sharply that TWO approaching trains can
not each other until close together. 1t was at
this perlous spot OF all Others that the approaching
trains, eacn unconscious OF the others presence and
each laundering forward at a rapid rate o. speed,
were doomed 10 meet There was but one insIant's
warning Of the erIiole danger TO which the express
sran was rusaipg TOO short so 70 permit to be
OF his train, Mr.. Jackson, was the first TO descry
the smokestack :, OF the approaching freight
engine entering the curve at the east, just as the
express entered II ut the west. He pointed to IL
and directed the attention OF Mr.. Jackson to the
danger at The same moment Jackson instantly re-
versed his engine and gave TWO sharp quick whistles,
that call ior the application or the brakes. The
brakemen p romptiy responded at the word Of COM
mand, and put up tne brakes close and tight. This
broke the force OF the express trains speed some
what, but not sufficiently.
ARRIVAL OF THE woUNDED-sCENE AT THE sEv-
ENTH STREET DEPOT.
The despatching OF several special trains, the in
dlcatons OF hurry and excitement and the gather.
ing o official and prominent citizens at the Seventh
street depot attracted attention, and even before
the actual facts OF The accident were known III the
dlnerent parts OF the city crowds OF persons Of all
classes thronged the platform and vicinity. Be-
tween twelve and one O'Clock it became generally
known that the tram with the wounded would soon
arrive, ana hs drew numbers OF people TO the spot.
captain hohiund was present with squad OF police
nna men for the puspose OF preserving order and pre-
tresscs We're piled upon the platform to assist in the
transportation OF tue wounded, and one coffin was
10 be seen lying on truck.
THIS was for Warner, the express messenger re.
ported TO be klled, but as will be elsewhere,
turns up not seriously damaged. In accordance
win the Instructions OF the Coroner sixteen collins
were sent to the Fourteenth street depot, it being
stated tnat the dead would be brought into the city
white pine boxes created deep impression on the
spectators ana gave definite idea to the lettering
crowds or the extent OF the calamity. About half
past two O'Clock the tram arrived at the Fourteenth
street depOt-Where a short stoppage occurred-and
1t then proceeded 10 seventh street. Here an i'm
mense throng OF people were assembled. The long
platform Was mass OF humanity, excited and
eager, but silent The train was composed
OF several passenger cars. and a baggage
car at the end contained the wounded, or ut
least those who were seriously injured When the
train stopped ut the depot. and the crowd learned
"a a
passionate surge OF the living mass toward the end
Of the train. IL was several minutes before the IN
nuence OF the police could make itself felt among
the dense swarm OF people, which so surrounded the
car that 1t was useless to attempt to take out the
wounded Finally the police and railroad officials
became desperate, and some OF them. seizing long
truck dragged 1t Droadslde against the people, and so
forced them OF the platform on The north side and
back lar enough towards the station house so that
space was cleared III front OF The 1t was
however, Impossible to keep them back, and the
wounded were finally taken out amid q crowd.
The scene at the station at this time was
one seldom seen, ana one long to be remem-
bered, and was similar to the one associated with the
Gusconade accident The crowd was immense, and
yet tnere was little noise of voices, only desperate
pushing and trampng and determlneu desire to
look upon the survivors OF the terrible wreck. IL
the otner cars OF the train were several persons
slightly hurt and as they stepped upon the platform
tney were eagerly questioned and found hosts of
synpathlzers. lt was nrsJ proposed to place
mattresses on railroad trucks and so trans
fer the wounded up to the carriages and
however, wien + Was was found an "tntonHs tnat the
injured men in the baggage car were already lying
on stfetchers, and cOu.d be carried by this means
with less disturbance. Lots OF kind, strong hands
Were IN readiness, and one by one the slretchers
were lifted out. The wounded, need we describe
them9 Ihey looked bruised and shattered hu-
man beings always do-pale and bloody, almost lfe-
less AS the stretchers each bearing its sorry load
passed down through the lane of people, every eye
followed them sorrowluly,and silently. The majority
OF the sufferers appeared 10 be men of middle aGe
although III not lew cases the face covered or
partially so Most of them seemed only half con-
sclous ana lay with their eyes closed, else looked
round them with an expression as il only half under
standing the situation and the meaning of the crowd
and hustle. There was no indication OF great grief
among the spectators, because there seemed to be no
recognition fany of the sufferers Nearly all OF the
wounded would SEEM from their appearance, to be
country men, evidently belonging to the farming
classes.
Mr.. Leighton Mr.. Bridge and several Of the physi.
clans before mentioned came IN this train and
assisted in the removal OF the wounded, who were
handled in the best possible manner that science
and humanity could suggest. The immense crowd
were Kept from pressing upon the men engaged in
these abors by The force OF police under control Of
Captain Kohlund who rendered material assistance
In the removal Of the wounded. Those most serl-
ously injured were carried on lltters and beds and
placed IN baggage wagons on Seventh street. SUI.