The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-03-02
Burning Of Sleeping-Car-HOrrible
Death Of Two Passengers.

RUTLAND, W., req. "a.
THE New York train due to leave Rut-
land last night at ten p. m. over the Har-
lem Extension Railroad met with seri-
Gus accident at South Wallingford, which
resulted in the death of Charles II. Bissell
and son, of Chicago.
The accident was caused by broken
rail a few rods north of the station. The
train was composed of three cars-a bag
gage, passenger and the City of New
York" Wagner sleeper. The train passed
safely over the break except the rear
truck of the sleeper. 1t sprung off, and
went over an embankment fifteen feet
high. The coupling held, and it was
dragged thus 125 feet, until it crushed
against huge pile of refuse marble, de-
posted beside Kelly's marble mill. The
conclusion broke the coupling, cast off
the truck, turned the car upon its side,
and threw the rear end several feet across
the mill-race way, and at nearly right
angles with the track.
The patent heater was broken by the
fall, and in moment the car had caught
fire. The wind was blowing from the
west, and famed the flames through the
car, the heater being at the west end Mr.,
Bissell was the first of the ten passengers
TO get out. All had escaped through the
windows and east door except Mr.. Bis
sells son, who was fastened inside in the
debris He called to his father: "For
Gods sake, get an axr' and his father re-
peated the call. A bystander ran for an
AK, but Mr.. Bissell was impatient, and
jumped through one of the windows to
reach his son. Not sound was heard
from either of them afterward. The car
was enveloped in sheet Of flame ten
minutes after the accident. 1t was impos-
sible to render any assistance. The smoke
was so dense it is supposed they both suf-
focatcd instantly. The position of the re
mains showed that the father did not
reach the son. The father was in the
west end and the son near the center.
The charrel remains Of the father were
identified to-day by watch with its chain
and other trinkets, and the son by apistol
and smoking pipe. The remains Of both
were burned to a cinder.
1t is supposed that both Mr.. Bissell and
his son were almost Immediately suffo-
Gated, and that death ensued from this
cause. 1t is said that the car was a mass
of flame in an incredibly short time after
the accident The curtains, bedding and
bed were all of light and inflammable
material, the car was of wood which
was thoroughly seasoned, and that with
the varnish would render it easily ignited
and quick of consumption. After igni-
ton the heat was intense, almost as fierce
as blast-furnace. The heavy irons were
melted off and twisted into all sorts of
shapes; the brass and copper fixtures of
the Car we're melted and run together in
masses of large and small size; gold and
silver watches, jewelry and glass were
melted into liquid form and dropped upon
the ground and cooled off in masses in all
sorts of fantastic shapes and sizes.
The scene is described by eye witnesses
as heart-rending in the extreme. Nearly
all those who escaped were in an almost
nude condition, and the night was terribly
cold. Some Of them were injured, and
the blood was streaming from their
wounds. The families living in the vi
cinity were promptly on hand, and they,
with the passengers in the coach, soon
provided the destitute ones with enough
clothing to protect them from the cold.