, 1873-08-19
UNWRITTEN HEROES,

Amid oil tho horrors Of tho rccept railrond
disaster noar lonont, and wo Gnu scarcely ro-
call any catastrophe Of similar nature whore
tho details have been more torrib!o,-it is ro-
froshing to read Of tho noblo humanity and
loroio effort to re1toyo suffering which wore
characteristic OF some Of tho pasaongors on tho
iu-fated train. It does not mitigate tho Suffer-
iugs Of tho poor yictims; it cannot restore the
dcad to life or alleviate tho SORROW in 30 many
households; 1t does not pn1liaso tho criminal
foolhardinoss and rocklessnesa Of tho con-
ductor OF tho freight tzaiu. mud yet ono can
not read Of tho noble work of theso mon
md women, and Of the remarkable fact
that. although this disaater occurred in
noighborllood inhabited by rough people, thoro
WIS not Nh unHoomly act committed, without
foolng n aonae Of thankfulnoss aud admiration,
and having more abiding faith in tho nobility
Of humanity. It is no diacredit to tho groat
majority OF those who wore witnesses Of this
diBaator that they woro SO paralyzol with horror
aB to be utterly demorslizod. mud t1at thoir very
first impulse wes to fly from the dreadful scono,
to turn their eyes from the hoart-rondlDg 8ight,
and cloHe their cars to tho walls aud groaus Of
agony. Noarly all tho passengers had retired or
wcro retiring for the night. Tlis sudden aud
terrible change, this unexpected summons to
moot death at IN instant'a notice in it's most tor
riblo form, Was sufficient to appal tho etoutess
loatt. The darkness OF tho night, tho sudden
crash, tho roudiug Of tho ponderous engines,
tho splitting aud crushing Of cars piled together
in promiscuous ruin, tho bursting Of the boiler
and the escape Of tho acalding steam into car
full Of human boinga, Some Of them unable to
extricate themselves, others hurlod many feet
away, and still others to whom death was moro
lnerciful aud cano instantly, make picture Of
| absolute terror which must forever haunt tho
! memories Of thoso who havo survived it.
DIRK and torriblo as this picture is, however,
it is relieved by tho noble conduct Of o few who
rose superior to it, ind showed themselves to
be tho masters Of tho situation. 10 mastar
such situation, aud to master one's self ct
such time, require montai and physical quail
ties OF tho highest order. Humanity and sym
pathy arc not tho only olomonte necessary.
They only suggest that something must bo done,
and in such terrible emergency as this. tue
person who docs not fool those pron,ptings Is q
little lower than tho brute. Probably every pcr.
son on tho train who escaped unhurt folt aH II
he muBt do something, and yot It Is evident that
but two out Of the largo numbor woro not wholly
overcome aud demoralized. Even tho conductor
himself, upon whom passengers place rollanco 4!
such time, WAS Of no moro help than it lie
had boon thousand miles away. Two men
howoyor, In addition to their humanity and SYM
pathy, had coolnoss and prosonce Of mind
enough to roalizo tho oxtont Of tho diaastor, tc
SEQ the necessity Of doing something immeai
ately, and to dotorniuo what must be dono
There woro othors who may also have boon
equal thus far to tho omorgoucy; but there II
Rtill another quality Of q physical character
which IL absolutely necessary to the achieve
mont Of any result In such caaoH, and that II
norye There aro .fow, very fow, poo
pic who can look upon such terri
bio slaughter and .suoh agonies Of suf
fering without quailng and being paralyzod
however humane aud sympatAotto md anxious
to do something tlloy may DO. These two nor,
Mr.. D. Il. Hawloy, OF Normal, and tho Toxan
Magoo, Ind all these qualit'oH, md when other
stood terrified, or fed domoralizod. or waited to-
somo ono to take tha leadt they bont all thei
, energies to tho work Of rescue, dirootel othors
and worked like horoos thomaolvos until all th
, ylctima in tho smoking car wore taken OH
from tlolr praon-houso Of torture, and tendcrl.
CAROL for until help arrived from Lomont AM
Chicago. Such men aa those never want reward
. for their reward oouAiate In tho consciousness