The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-07-04
Railway Disaster on the Grand Trunk
-Sxty-Five Passengers Killed or


A brief dispatch Saturday announced
a shocking disaster on the Grand Trunk
Railway, l l miles from Belleville, Can
ada, between Toronto and Montreal.
The following particulars we're received
from BelevilIe on the 22d:
The night express train went down
past this place at 1920 this morning,
full of passengers, among them many
ministers of the English church, on their
way homeward from the Synod at Toron-
to. About IL miles below Belleville
station the engine jumped the track.
carrying death and fearful torture to
scores Of passengers in the forward cars
The baggage car remained on the track,
and tele4coped the smoking car and
second class passenger-car, leaving them
on top of the engine, exposed to the
escaping steam from the boiler. Here
the poor cretures were hopelessly penned
for some time, breathing vapors of death.
and suffering all the agony of immersion
in boiling cauldrou of super heated
water.
O. NJ. Roddy, an eye witness says.
Immediately after the disaster, he went
to the second class car; it and the smok-
iEg car was telescoped, and Cd the locomo-
tive, the steam from which, issuing
from the cars was so dense that he could
see nothing. One after another of the
scalded victims were crawling from the
openings, as crow bars were immediate
ly put into requisition 10y the passengers
from first class cars, (all of whom escap-
ed injury and openings were made.
Many were found entangled, and were
extricated with the utmost difficulty,
timbers having to be broken. Five per
sons were fcnnd dead and carried to the
road side. where the wounded lay for
three hours in tie most fearful agony
DIR. Bardett, of Belleyille, arrived at
this time, and had them removed to a
Pullman car.
On their arrival here everything was
done to allay their sufferings. The medi-
cal men of the town were summoned,
mattresses procured, and large freigh,
shed turned into temporary hospital,
where the patients received every posi- :
BILE attention. The medical men and
their assistants were unremitting in theil
attentions, while the ministers of the
Gospel We'd with each other in zeal In
the administrations of their sacred Office
The sight was one to battle description.
The terrible cries of the sufferers rent
the ears Of the lockers on, who made
every possible effort to grant their re:
quests for water, and their condition I'M
der the influence Of their terrible inju
ries, was fearful to behold, whilst the
prayers and cries of those who felt pre-
monitions of approaching dissolution was
here and there heard.
After the Injured arrived here, some
of them passed away, happy relief be-
ing afforded from their terrible agonies.
Those who were less injured walked
about wrapped in bandages. and con-
vorscd freely upon the occurrences of the
night. The express and baggage car was
forced past the broken engine, without
injuring the express messenger OF bag
gage man but the smoking car telescoped
"a second class car. The latter, going for
ward. knocked the salty valve off the
the boiler, and remained on top of the
engine, allowing the steam to ELL the sec
ond class car, which was crowded with
passengers. many of them e7, rontc for
Quebec. The two first class cars and a
Pull...an palace car were comparatively
uninjured, and the passene ers were tran
Sixty-fve men and women were fearful
ly scalded and otherwise uninjured, six
of whom died on the spot, and their bod
les were brought to this place. Others
are dying every hour.
John Hilbert, the engineer, was in
stantly killed, and the fireman badly in.
jured- ore of his legs will have to be
amputated. Ii. Nelson. the conductor,
and the other train hands were unin-
jured.
A dispatch of Saturday night says %
of the injured have died, and others
still dying. Medical men say that DO
more than or 7 of the 81 injured per.
sons will live. The suffering and appear
ance Of wounded is frightful The killed
and wounded were all second class pas
sengers. The first class passengers es-
capped uninjured.
The Chicago Journal, in speaking of
the accident, says
The disaster on the Grand Trunk Rail-
way is the first calamity that has befal-
len the road for a long time. 1t is es-
pecially TO be regretted on the company's
account, at this time, for the reason that
within the past year or two its manage
ment and its general affairs have been
greatly improved, and it is fair way of
beeomming one of the very best railway
thoroughfares on the continent, as regards
both running equipments and a good
track. Saturdays disaster-caused by
the breaking of the axle of an engine
appears to have been one of those acci-
dents which it seems impossible for even
the most vigilant of men to foresee or
guard against.
The Irish american, a journal intense
ly Democratic and strongly Catholic thus