The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-01-02
TIE PROSPECT STATION DISASTER.
Graphic lCcOuH; Of the Horrible CataS-
tFOphe.
Fully TRTRTY VICTIMS.

One OF the most horrible accidents
we have ever recorded occurred neal
Prospect Station, Pa, on the Buffalo
Cory & Pittsburg R. r., Tuesday az
ternoon. The following detailed &C
count was teIegraphed on Thursday:
ERIE, Pa. Dec. 26.-The immediate
cause Of the accident at Prospect Sta
tiOn was a broken fiange on the ten
der wheel. About sixty rods west of
the station Is a trestle work some
twenty feet high, over which the To-
eOmOtiye and tender Of the eastern
bound express passed in safety, but
tue baggage and passenger car, only
two coaches in the train, were thrown
from the trestle, fell thirty feet. and
suuct top downward. The weight OF
the trucks crushed in the cars, clos
ing up the windows, and, to render
the situation even more terrible, the
passenger coach was partly tilted up
on its side, SO that fer the occupants
OF that side there was absolutely no
means of escape.
Almost immediately the cars tCOk
~ NAAE FasaoCtAhGA OllAIl bAA llAuk a.
both sides. Some half a dozen persons
waiting at the station were soon at
the scene Of the accident, but they
worked at an immense disadvantage.
No water could be had, and the snow
that was scOOped up had little effect
in staying the flames. Only two axes
were available, and the wood work of
the cars was bolted together so firmly
and intricately that but little head
way could be made with them. All
the time these efforts were being put
forth, the flames were steadily gain
ing, and the shrieks Of the imprisOn-
ed victims, as the scOrching heat en-
velOped them, were appalling to the
stOutest heart. Now and then a rope
was put through crevice, fastened to
a form, and the sufferer pulled out by
main strength. Sometimes il would
be lifeless body, and the chRrred
arms, legs, or head would drop off in
the struggle. In three or four instan-
ces the head was thus separated from
the trunk, and in as many more cases
the body was bersft of its limbs.
The body Of lady was thus rescued
from the flames, the head and one
arm swapping of like q piece of char
coal, while the other arm was un-
touched, dainty kid glove covering
the hand, and her fingers wearing
their jeweled ornaments. The body
will doubtless be recognized with the
aid of the rings. But for these it
would have been impossible to identi-
fy it. The bodies of three other ladies
were taken out, neither Of which 1t is
believed can be recognized by friends.
In all 1t Is estimated that fully ten
out Of the nineteen forms removed
from the burning cars are unrecOgniz-
able. 1t Is supposed that in addition
GO the bodies recovered, q number of
Others were consumed in the burning
cars, and that nothing but blackened
bones will be discovered when the
fire is extinguished and the ashes
raked over. Adding these to the
mum Der Of injured that will die, It Is
estimated that the total number Of
lives lost will not fall short of thirty
the whole number of persons in the
two cars at the time Of the accident
being about fOrty-fiye.
Frank Taylor, of Cory, was leaning
against some object, and seeing an
acquaintance passing called him by
name. The friend turned around and
saw Taylor apparently uninJured, but
suddenly he said, "Tell nv Wife'-
fell over dead. He must have died
from some internal injury; but the
inmates of the burning cars were
shrieking for aid, and Mr.. TaylOr's
friend did not see him again until his
corpse was brought In and placed
with the others. After the grOans of
the dying were stilled in death, the
stencil arising from the burning bod
les is said to have been sickening.
With no means of eXtinguishing the
flames, and the heat being too intense
to admit of all the bodies being extri-
Gated, nothing could be done by the
spectators hut to stand quietly by and
see the remains slowly consumed.
The following is a late special from
the scene Of the disaster to the Erie
Dispatch:
MAYsvLLE, y. Y, Dec. 26.-The
bodies thus far identified are Mark
Haiglit, BrUctOn, \. y; Wm. H. Os-
borne, Westfisld, \. Y; Herman
Ryan, Farnham. \. Y; Edwin II.
Bell, Sherman, n. Y; Col. Maloney,
BrOeton, n. Y; Frank Taylor, Cor
~, Pa. John White, Lancaster, y.
Y; August Cardat, Arkwright, n.
Y; Charles Metz, Eden Corners, near
Angola, n. Y; Mr.. and Mrs. Wilbur
+. Rice, Titusville, Pa. (; E. Joseph
Curtin, TItusville, Pa; Kate Riley,
Dunkirk, \. Y; VIM. Rankin, labor
er from Canada Jas. H. Nc Carter,
Miller Station, Pa. Four bodies only
are yet unrecognized. All the woun-
ded but Maggie Curtin, w. H. Tick
nor, Mrs. COrnelia McCarter, and Fa-
yette Flanders left Prospect Station
for their homes. At the Chatauqua
House, Maysville, are John Douglas,
Canadian, left shoulder and breast
broken; may recover. John Cowdrey,
Cory, head cut and internal injuries;
recovery very doubtful. All the 9TH
ers are doing well. There were thir-
ty eight paying passengers on the
train and five employees back Of the
tender.
At the inquest Henry Miller and J.,
]. Marks testified that the train ran
very fast. w. II. Lee and others con-
tradicted IL. The fireman says five
miles per hour. Orville Swift, of
Cory, was on the train, and his body
is not recognized. Two of the four
bodies unclaimed are shapaless mass
es. Douglas, in the car twenty-five
minutes, says several were killed out
right and others We're writhing about
until killed by suffOeatiOn. Some
were conscious until burned TO death.
The inquest adjourned to Saturday to
take the testimony Of Conductor
Flanders.
Curious Statistics OF Marriage.
To nennIa Of a statistical rather than