Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-03-12
"No Bell-Rope ON the Train -

s.NO Bell-Rope ON the Train"
The late horrible accident on the Great
Western Railway Of Canada, by which ten OF
twelve people we're in few minutes roasted
beyond recognition, is one Of which the occa
sion aud responsibility are net hard to Tx. a
kerosene oil ,aup in the saloon al the front eno
of crowded passenger car fell, broke, and In.
stautly became fierce fire. Before it was no.
ticed, it was beyond the power Of the passen-
gers to smother, and the wind OF the tast-hyiug
train carried the flames through the CIR as if
through the vent Of furnace. Obviously ii
was case 10 which the train was 10 be stop
ped as quickly as possible. Every moment OF
delay cost life. But in this awful crisis, the
means Of stopping the traiu were found lDiss-
Ing Here is the conductors S statement OF the
fatal fact
There was no bell-rope 90 the train. We al
gayH carry one, aud invariably use 1t When we
have no oil tanks on. We don't take oil tanks
every night. Sometimes two or three or four
nights OUT of the week We don't carry the
rope with the oil tanks because there is no
place for the rope 1t would be apt to catch,
rendering it unserviceable. thought it better
to depend upon our own ex=rtloDs tnan upon
the beIl-rope. The rule of the company always
supposes Us to carry bell-rope no matter what
the train is made Of [ don't think wood,
gravel, aud iron trains carry them. No permls-
sion from headquarters was ever granted to
me 10 90 without beil-rope. The station
master at Loudon, Mr. kuight, knew was in
the habi, of going without a bell-rope, having
told him that | wished he would let me go
without tank cars. because could not pull a
bell-rope over them. AT the speed we were
ruuuing that night the trains usually 60 a few
hundred yards before stopping. Had we had
beIl-rope on that night and had worked Ii,
We might have stopped within few hundred
yards
Rev f. Hooper, of Woodstock, passen-
GER after describing the beginning Of the fire,
saiC III at once prepared myself in case Of
danger, when the conductor, who was at the
rear end of the car, spraug forward, calling to
the people to keep their seats, saying there
was nothing wrong. saw the conductor look
in the saloon, close the door after him, and go
out at the front end Of the car. By this time
all was confusion. Some person opened the
saloon door again shortly after All pressed to
get out behind, as far as could see. | spraDg
with the rest, and was taken by the press out
Of the rear door. | tried 10 get down the
steps on the south side of the Car. They were
full of people hanging 90 for life. | did what
could to push them off the steps, but found
it quite impossible, they cluDg SO teDaciously
to the rail- Being close to the door | was get
ting suffccated with smoke aud flames, and fell
down. Que leg got between the brake rod aud
the ceutre rod, aud was pinioued there TILL the
fire removed those pressing 90 me. The noise
Of the people gasping for breath was terrible
Some were groaniug on the track, and others
stricken as they fell off, But few fell off the
step, but many were pushed or fell off the
end. The flames and smoke coming out of the
car were SO great that 10 one could last long
on the platform. As soon as | Gould diseu
tangle my legs l threw myself FROM the car.
People were lying around on every hand, aud
those could reach | assisted a. could. Only
one man that saw was taken of the Car when
it stopped. The rest that were pot dead got
of themselves. That one was Brcathwick. l
assisted TO carry him to the second car. | was
looking out of the window when the crash took
place, aud thought it about half way between
Londcn and komoka. | should think the train
ran about two miles after the people became ex-
cited before it stopped. have an idea that the
train ran three mics after the explosion. | was
cool at the me, and knew everything that Vas
going on around me- The man who went first
TO the closet shut the door when he came out
the last time [ don't know how far east the
passengers commenced dropping Think 1t
was over mile Those who fell were mainly
pushed off There was u bell cord hung 10 the
car and aud several others pulled it vigorous
ly and 1t broke. think the conductor did all
he could"
TENNYsoN THE POET IA correspondent OF
the St. Louis Democrat has had the rare good
fortune 10 find Tcnnyson, and the mau who is
now the talk of the hour, the paiuter Holman
Huut, together. We give the extract, with the
dinner at the inn, SO peculiarly an English Gus