The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-01-03
THE NEW ANGOLA.
The Railroad Holocaust at Prospect
Station-Heart Rending Scenes
Crushed and Roasted by a Slow
Pire-Worse than angola. rs.i 8

The Railroad Holocaust at Prospect
Station Heart Rending Scenes
Crushed and Roasted by a Slow
Pire-Worse than Angola. r1i5
The Erie Dispatch of Wednesday, which
had two reporters at the scene of the Prospect
Station dlsaster the day before, gives the fol-
lowing account of that awful calamity:
About sixty rods west of the station is a
trestle work, some thirty feet high. on which
was broken rail. The locomotive and tender
of the eastern bound express passed over it in
safety, but the baggage and passenger cars,
only two coaches being in the train, were
thrown from the trestle, fell thirty feet and
struck top downward. The weight Of the
trucks crushed in the cars, closing up the win
dows, and, to render the situation even more
terrible, the passenger coach was partially
tilted upon its side, SO that for the occupants
of that side there were absolutely no means Of
escape. Almost Immediately the cars took
fire, the passenger coach burning on both ends.
Some half dozen persons waiting at the station
were soon at the scene of accident, but they
worked at an immense Disadvantage.
No water could be had, and the snow that
was scraped 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 gaining and the shrieks Of the
imprisoned victims, as the scorching heat en-
veloped them, was appalling to the stouSest
heart. Now and then a rops was ppt through
creYice, fastened to form and the sufferer
pulled out by main strength. Sometimes it
would be hfeless body, and the charred arms,
legs or head would drop off In the struggle. In
three or four instances the head was thus sep
arated from the trunk, an d in as many more
cases the body was bereft Of its limbs. The
body OF q lady was thus rescued from the
flames, the head and one arm swapping OF like
piece Of charcoal, while the other arm was
untouched, dainty kid glove covering tho
hand and her fingers wearing their jeweled
ornaments. The body will doubtless be rec
ognized with the aid Of the rings; but for these
it would have been Impossible TO identity it.
The bodies Of three other ladies we're taken
out, neither of which, it is believed, can be
recognized by friends, In all, it is estimated
that fully ten Of the nineteen forms removed
from the burning car are unrecognlzsbie. II
| Is supposed that, IN addition to the bodies re-
covered, q number of others were consumed
IN the burning cars, and that nothing but then
biackened bones will be discovered when the
| fire is extinguIshed and the ashes raked over
Adding these to the number of injured thai
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 al
the time OF the acGldent being about ffty-hve
The following are reported among the killed
j. Kind, Spring Mills, New York; VIII
Mayburn; Mark Haght, cattle dealer, Brock
I ton; young man named Bel from Sherman
New York; and Frank Taylor, Cory. Young
Bell had twin brother on tho train, who wal
seen covered with blood, but it is belieFec
that he will survive. Frank Taylor was lean
ing against some object, and seeing an ac
quaintance passing, called him by name. The
friend turned round and saw Taylor apparent
| ly uninjured, but suddenly he said, 'TeIi my
/ Wife"-and fell over dead. He must have
died from some internal injury; but the In
mates Of the burning cars were shrieking fol
aid, and Mr.. Tsylor's friend did not see him
again until his corps was brought In and pEae-
ed with the Others After the groans OF the
dying were stilled in death, the stencil arising
from the burning bodies is said to have been
sickeniDg. With no means of exinguishing
the flames, and the heat being too intense to
admit OF all the bodies being e8tricated, moth
ing could be done by the spectators but to
stand quietly by and see the remains slowly
consumed.