Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-10-01
Terrible Disaster.


gloom darkly overEhsdows this place
. A bligh, OF woe bows down under lis
crushing weight may griel stricken hearts
Desolstion and despair pervade many
households. Rachel mourning for her
children and refusing 10 be conioried has
now its ssd psrsllel. A few words tell
! the painful srory. but il will be msuy
years before the melancholy events OF TO-
day are forgotten.
Al about half past eight o'clock thi,
/ morning. while party Of S4bbsth School
excursionists were crossing foot bridge
over Ton'srive The bridge suddenly
gave ws,. precipitaiing them into The
river. Eighl were drowned. several are
missing, and number sustained more OF
less severe injuries by pieces of the bridge
falling on them. The following are the
facts Of the terrible disaster. as given in
detail, beginning with The excursion par
iy. .rrs ....
TIE occssion was the annual excursion
Of The Sabbilb School attached TO the
Methodist Cenisnary church OF this place,
OF which Rev. Mr.. Graw lis pastor. 1t
has been The habit for years oi making a
special feature OF this yearly holiday
turnout OF the Sabbath school. This
year DoEe pains than usual was taken re.
gardine it. ard for this purpose the Sab
hath schools OF Methodist churches at
AuanlicvIlle, Ealon,on, Droekpor,, and
other places all were invited 10 psr,ici-
PATE in the days fesuviiies A band OF
music was engaged fom Red Bank. and
the expectation was q most pleasant one
10 The participants. While The majority
OF tie excursionists was made up OF the
Sabbath school children and their teach
ers, many OF the parents and others Of
the various conereg atoms also went.
The party lell the railroad dopol there
al quarter past seven o'clock. There
were eleven cars filled with lbe excursion.
isIs. Most Of she children were dressed
In white, and happiness and innocence
CLEANED in their youthful coun,enance.
meats, cakes and other appu,lenances Of
their expected midday lunch in the beau
n(ul grove al Toms river, 25 miles from
where, during the summer and fall months
frequent pIcnics are held. Having taken
on its last installment Of excuIs onisis,
swiftly onward sped the irain. All were
happy aud looking forward to a day of
rare and complete enjoyment. At length
reaching Toms river. the train stopped,
the excursienists left ? the cars. or
course, as is usual in such cases, the chill.
dren were all esgerness. The railroad
track here runs parallel with the river.
The grove where the picnic was 10 be
held was across the river. over which is,
or was The fatal bridge, that is, tho main
paIl is for vehicles, with side addition
for foo, passengers. Its length is sbou,
sky feet, and The part used by foot pas.
sengers was some elk feet vile. Upon
the latter those OF the excursionists leav-
ing the cars first and teachers and other
attendants huuiedly rushed. The bridge
was nearly compact with them. A num-
Der had passed over others came crowd
ing on. Suddenly there was a creak,
then giving way. and down came this
side OF The bridge with terrible crash.
1t was but the work Of a moment.
Quicker than can write il the tragedy
was OF its completion. Down into the
water seven fee, deep below the bridge
and thirty feet deep wen, this mass OF
human beings. The fearful noise Of
creskiug and falling timbers mingled with
wild human shrieks. The scene was in.
describsble. The wide bui sluggisl
stream was filled with floating childfe n
and grown persons and The air with their
msddened cries for help. There was al
possible promPiness IN rendering assis'
tance.
Men who could swim jumped into the
water and Immediately began the work o
rescue. Some ran for boats. Some bur.
tied for boards and pales. anything that
would serve TO buoy up these in the wa
ter. People from the village who heard
the shrieks. ran 10 render their aid. But
for Ibis prompl action large sdjiuonaI
number would have been drowned.