The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-02-17

defray the expenses of the select committee
of the Senate appointed to investigate the
alleged outrages in the Southern States. At
ter considerable skirmishing the bill was
amended so that it read $4,000, instead of
$4,000, and finally passed. Adjourned.
Another Terrible Railroad Accident.
A terrible railroad accident occurred
on the Hudson River railroad on the
night of the 9th inst. The following
particulars with regard to it have been
obtained from eye witnesses
The freight train which caused the
accident consisted of about twenty. five
cars, most of which carried tanks filled
with oil. Before leaving Albany, every
car was carefully inspected by workmen,
and no defect was discovered. When
the train reached the wooden bridge
over Wapenger creek, at New Hamburg,
about eight miles below Poughkeepsie,
a sudden shock passed through the en-
tire train, almost throwing it from the
track. Upon examination it was found
that the axle of the tenth car had
broken. The car had then broken
loose from its couplings, careened on
one side, struck against the framework
Of the bridge, and lay a total wreck
upon the track.
Almost at the same moment and be-
fore signal or a note of warning could
be raised the express train which had
left Poughkeepsie at o'clock came
rushing along at the rate of thirty miles
an hour. The engine struck the
wrecked car with terrible force, setting
fire to the oil, scattering the infiamma-
BILE material and burning fragments in
all directions. The force of the collision
instantly threw the engine over the
bridge into the creek. The ice was very
thick at the time, but was unable to
bear the weight Of the locomotive,
which broke through and sank. The
tender of the engine also fell into the
creek
Immediately behind the engine were
two baggage cars, which were followed
by a sleeping car full of passengers.
The flames from the oil tank set fire to
these cars, which, after striking the
wreck, fell over the creek burning
mass. 1t is said that some of the pas
sengers in the burning cars succeeded
in leaping from the car in time to save
themselves from death, but the rest
were carried with the car over the
bridge, and either drowned or burned
to death. The body of Vasburgh, the
conductor of the sleeping car, was after
wards found with the lower extremities
burned away. As soon as the particu-
lars of the disaster reached this city the
superintendent, j. NJ. Toucey, started
for the scene, and has since been en-
gagged with a large body of men in
searching for the bodies of the unfortu-
nate passengers. The wreck was cleared
away from the sleeping car as it lay
upon the ice, and a vigorous search
made for the bodies Of those passengers
who might be crushed in the wreck of
those burned to death. In one corner
of the car the charred and blackened
bodies were found, but so disfgured
that identification was impossible. From
the appearance Of the bodies it was evil
dent that the passengers, at the time of
the accident, had rushed in despair to
the rear door of the car. and had there
miserably persisted. Three bodies, APP
parently those of mother and her
two children, of which the arms yet re-
mained were discovered closely en-
bracing each other, and it is believed
that, finding egress impossible, they re-
solved, at least, to die together.
Behind this car, which was the Buffalo
car, were two other sleeping-cars, which
were also totally destroyed by fire. The
passengers, however, many of whom
were but partly dressed, succeeded in
saving their lives. Many cars of the
freight train, together with the baggage
they contained, were also burned f..
Lawrence Mooney, brakeman. among
the killed, was discharged from the road
a month ago, and was reinstated in his
position about two weeks ago at the
urgent request of his mother. The
noise occasioned by the explosion of the
oil tank was heard for great distance,
and the flames of the wrecked cars and
burning bridge could be seen many
miles. The bridge over Wapenger's
Creek was wooden structure of about
two hundred feet in length and was to.
tally destroyed.
This morning a baggage car was
turned into temporary morgue, and sa
fast as the mutilated bodies were re.
moved from the wreck they were care
fully transferred to the car, and guard
placed over them.
Many Of the oldest conductors and
engineers on the Hudson River road
unite in saying that the scere presented
at the place of disaster this morning
wa. the most terrible they ever wit
messed.
Charles Cossum, the conductor of the
train, states that there were sixty.five
sleeping car tickets, and that fiftytwo
of them have found owners, indicating
that but fifteen persons are missing.
The passengers say, however, that the
Chicago car contained twenty-five or
thirty persons, and that not one got out
laborer from Hudson had both his
legs crushed at the ruins, by timbers
falling on him. The death list bv the
accident now foots up fifteen passengers
and five railroad employees.
The Public Debt.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The following
is the public debt statement:
Debt bearing coin 929, 200
| Accrued ION