Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-07-05
The BellevilIe Horror.

Mn RoDDY, who witnessed the recent
accident near Belleville, makes the fol-
lowing statement to the Toronto Globe:
'I reside at Peterborough, and am
manager for Mr.. Watson, who has the
contract for building the Dominion tele-
graph line from that place to Barrie. On
the night of Friday last, / took the train
at Port Hope for Brockville, having
with me eleven men who had been work
ing for me, and to whom l had granted
four days leave of absence, to allow of
their visiting their families, all of whom
lived in the lower province. They were
all steady, hardworking men, Twas in the
smoking. car, and after remaining short
time, / went into the secoDd-class and
asked my foreman to come with me into
the first.class part of the train; but he de-
clined to do so. / then returned there
alone and lay down upon the seat, when
l suddenly felt jar, as If some OF the
cars in the fore part of the train
were tipping over. tried to open the
window of the car l was in, but it ap-
peared to be iammed, and got out of the
door and ran to see what was the natter
but for short time could not do so
for the dense cloud of steam. After
a moment or two, managed to get to the
front of the train, and from there
into the uppermost side OF the
second.class car. l tried to open
the windows; but, finding l could
not do so, ran round to the platform side
of the smoking car, and got a crowbar out
of number which belonged to our men.
saw that the two cars were "telescoped."
l then commenced to break the windows
of the second-class car, and several of
Al,a nh L
smashed in the door, and as the steam
had pretty we'll dispersed, / went in and
found some of the men sitting in their
seats, apparently stunned and uncon-
scious. Conductor Nelson, the Pullman
car conductor, and two volunteers from
Port Hope-one of them was named
Skitch-then came in, and we went to the
middle OF the car and saw that the side
was completely smashed, and there were
many of the passengers buried in the
ruins. We Immediately commenced lift
ing them out, and as l was thus engaged,
1 found two little children lying in the
bottom of the car, quite dead. The
clothes of all those touched were so hot
that could hardly bear to handle them.
One woman, who l believe to be Mrs. Cal
lender, died just as she was lifted out.
The safety.valve of the engine protruded
right into the car, and l do not think
there was particle of water two minutes
after the engine went over on its side.
When all the passengers had been got out
1 went to look at the engine,
and saw HILBERT, the driver, lying
trrcn of one of the cars, quite
dead. Five .. " the others died before
they could be removed The sight was
an awful one. AS soon 40 tne men got
into the cool night.air, they began 10 SUI
fer dreadfully, and their cries we're irlght-
full to hear. They tore their clothes OH,
and many of them jumped the fence and
fled across the fields, crying out the whole
time most pitifully. One man got away
at least quarter of mile before could
catch him, and another was half mile
off when he was found. Belleville was
communicated with, and train was soon
on the spot; but before it tarrived the scald-
ed people began to complain of cold, so with
some of the loose planks we made fires,
The people were then placed on the train
and taken to Belleville. Most of my men
had considerable sums of money with
them. The damage done was strictly
confined to the two cars mentioned-the
second. class and the smoking. The post
office attached, with its occupants, es-
capped by something little short of
miracle. The first-class and Pullman
cars, Though the former got OIL the
track and their passengers sustained no
injury. 1t is most singular thing
that, among all the number OF
killed and wounded, with about two ex'
ceptions, viz. the driver and another
man, those injured did not sustain the
slightest contusions but the scalds were
something beyond all description. A
visit to Belleville freight shed on Saturday
evening was sufficient to unstring the
strongest nerves, and create feeling OF
pity in the hardest heart. There, stretch
ed out upon the trestle beds or mattresses
laid upon the floor amongst the goods,
were some fifty fearful looking objects,
some writhing about in the acutest agony.
Others, exhausted by the pain they were
suffering from the scalds and the steam
they had inhaled, lay perfectly passive
while some kind female or man dressed
their hurts with cooling lotions, or kept a
current of air about them with fans. The
poor creatures, with their swollen and
bandaged features and limbs, presented
an appearance which can never be et1aced
from the memories of those who saw
them. The patients whom death early
released from the agony passed away,
without exception, in the quietest manner.
No struggle, no painful gasping for
breath, but they seemed to sink into a
doze, which gradually changed into the
sleep of death"