New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-03
THE REyErE HORROR.
Thrilling Narratives-Statement of Sur
viYars.

Mr.. Charles T. Story, one of the passen-
gers on the accommodation train that was
run into at Revere, Massachusetts, by the
express train, gives the Boston Journal a
thrilling narrative of what he suffered and
saw:
went to the Eastern railroad station on
Saturday evening in time to take the quar-
ter-past seven train for Beverly. There was
a large number of passengers waiting for
the same train, and great deal OF impa-
thence was manifested because it was so
late 1t was a quarter to eight o'clock
when the train came in which was to 60
out again. 4 grand rush was made for
seats, and they we're filled so quick that we
could not get seats together. We were III
the first passenger car, the third from the
rear, near the door. / sat in the seat with
gentleman whom supposed to be season
ticket holder, from the fact that the con-
ductor merely nodded to him when he took
ND the tickets. / held my little girl in my
arms, and my wife sat in the seat directly
behind me with another lady whom l did
not know. The aisles of the cars were all
crowded.
When we reached Somerville there was a
stop. and the whistle sounded 1t was some
thing unusual, and created great deal OF
excitement in the car. The windows were
all showed up, and the passengers looked
out. The conductor who was taking up
tickets called out, please keep your seats;
there is no danger!" The woman who was
sitting with my wife appeared great deal
troubled, and said, There is something
wrong about the train. | know there Is
something going to happen" just after we
left Somerville the gentleman in the seat
with me put his head out of the window,
and said, "The express train is behind us;
can see it," The passengers all seemed
TO feel nervous, as if they had some premo-
milton of what was coming.
We made the regular stop at Revere, and
had Just got under way, moving very slowly,
when the crash came. Although the window
was open; did not hear the whistle. The
shock threw down some who were standing
in the aisle, and also threw my child out OF
nv arms. always supposed that in col
lision of the kind the blow came like a thun-
derclap, and was over, but here it was
long grinding crash, lasting, it seemed to
me, fully five seconds. Instantaneous with
the first sensation, the lights were extin-
guished, and inside the ears it was total
darkness Some one called out 'The danger
is over-don't be afraidr The passengers
were trampling over one another IN their
fright and excitement, and | called out the
same words For a second it seemed as if
they would have some effect, but the next
instant a man near the rear door shouted,
fiercer than ever.
We all got out at last. Ny wife had
tainted and | laid her on the grass, telling
my little girl to stand by her while helped
the others rescue the injured All this time
the air was filed with the shrieks and
groans of the wounded and the excited
cries of the unhurt passengers and those
who happened to be in the vicinity. Men
were running about in the greatest excite
ment, and for few minutes there was no
system of action. The engine had struck
the rear car full in the centre. entering
about two-thirds of the way, carrying pas
sengers before it in crushed and confused
mass to the forward end of the car. The
blow broke the cap of the engine, and the
boiling steam poured in full volume among
them. scalding those who were not already
crushed to death. Several gentlemen, resi-
dents of Revere, and PASSENGERS, with more
presence of mind than the rest began to
tear off the sides of the car to release the
sufferers After several Intellectual attempts
a strong rope was procured and the sides
pulled away.
AS fast as we could get at the bodies we
carried them into the depot and laid them
upon the floor. The wounded in both cars
were taken to the nearest houses and cared
for, excepting the most seriously injured,
who were placed in the Pullman car, to be
taken to Boston. Tho only man | saw in
jured on the express train was the baggage
master. He was at the brake at the rear of
the baggage car whan the collision occurred,
so he said, and was caught between the
platforms of two cars, front and rear. He
was sitting upon the platform of the baggage
car, the other one tapping over and resting
upon his thighs. One of his hands was ter
ribly bruised. He was in that position over
an hour, and yet bore his pain with the
greatest fortitude, talking with the men
l. A
finally procured, and he was taken out and
put on board the Pullman car.
One of the first men | saw when | got out
OF the car was young man, well dressed,
holding up his hands. with his face appa-
rently scalded and bruised. The blood was
dripping from his fingers. asked him if he
was hurt. He said, AZ don't know; feel all
had been nearly stripped from his back, and
he was somewhat, but not seriously burned
He was very anxious to know if his face
was disfgured. | told him NO when all
at once he threw up his hands, and with a
yell ran up the track as fast as he could, and
| saw him no more.
A mement after, / saw a woman lying
upon the grass, her right arm fearfully
crushed between the elbow and shoulder,
and her face badly scalded. She must have
been suffering intense pain. l asked her
what l could do for her. She replied
''There are others hurt q great deal worse
than / am. Go and attend to them. l can
bear it She was taken TO house near
by and laid upon the floor, with bundle of
bloody clothes for pillow. She would not
let the doctor attend to her injuries until
she knew that the others had been seen to-
There were several others badly hurt in the
same house. After the train had been
thoroughly cleared, | got my wife and /
little girl place to stay, and got on
Lynn horse car. | went to Lynn and
spread the news, and train was sent up.
A Mr.. Walker, of Salem, says that he
was sitting in the rear car at the time of
the collision, on the same seat with Mrs.
Cheney, who was killed They knew the
express train was in the rear, but did not
hear the whistle, and the crash was the
first intimation they had of their danger. 4
He was pressed between the side of the
car and the engine, and escaped without
injury.