River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-03-02
The --latest ana Most Terrible Rail-
way Horror.

the Chicago Times gives the following
details Of the latest railway horror
whereby one Of the proprietors Of the
Sherman House, Chicago, and his son,
lost his life
The New York train, due TO leave Rut-
land last night at 10 P. NJ, over the Har.
lem Extension railroad, met with a seri.
Gus accident at South Wallingiord, which
resulted in the death Of Chas. IL. Bissell
and son Of Chicago.
The accident was caused by broken
rail few rods north Of the station. The
tram was composed OF three cars-a bag.
gage, passenger aud the "City of New
York Walker sleeper. The train passed
safely over the break except tie rear
truck Of the sleeper. IL sprung of, and
over an smbankment tifteen feet high.
The coupling held, and IL was dragged
thus, l2o feet, until it crushed against
huge pile Of refuse marble, deposited be.
side kelly's marble mill The concus-
sion broke the coupling, cast of the
truck, turned the car upon its side. and
threw the rear end several feet across the
mill-racc way and AZ nearly right angles
with the track.
The patent heater was broken BY the
fall, and in a 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 pa. sen.
gers to get out. All had escaped through
the windows and cast door except Mr..
Bissell' son, who was fastened inside in
the debris He called to his father
"For Gods sake, get an axe I" and his
father repeated the call A bystander
ran for an axe, but Mr.. Bissell was i'm.
patient and jumped through one of the
windows to reach his son. Not sound
rs heard from either Of them after
wards. The car was enyeloped in sheet
Of fame ten minutes after the accident.
II was impossible to render any assist.
ance. The smoke was so dense it is sup
posed they suhocatcd instantly. The
position Of the remains showed that the
father did not reach the son. The father
was in the west end and the son near the
centre.
The charred remains Of the father were
identified to-day by watch with ITS
chain and other trinkets. and the son by
pistol and smoking pipe. The re-
mains Of both were burned to a cinder.
Messrs. Buxby, Parker and Gaines,
friends from Vergennes, secured the re-
mains, and they were brought to Rat
land and put into Baskets, and will be
taken to Vergennes for burial. A, w.
Gilbert, Of Chicago, is slightly injured
about the face and head. lie lost most
Of his clothing. +. E. Woodbridge, Yer
gennes +, j. Iierncy and wife, and Mr..
Chapman, Of Montreal, are slightly in
jured, and also four others who pursued
their journey, names unknown.
1t Is supposed that both Mr.. Bissell
and his son were almost immediately
suIocated, and that death ensued from
this cause. IT is said that the car was a
mass of flame in an incredibly short time
after the accident The curtains, be /
ding and bed we're all Of light and inAam-
mable ..aterial, the car was of wood
which was thoroughly seasoned, and thqt
with the varnish would render it easily
igmted and quick of consumption. After
ignition the heat was intense, almost as
fierce as blast furnace. The heavy
irons were melted of 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 end small
size; gold and silver watches, jewelry,
and glass were melted into LIQUID form
and cropped 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 terri
bly, cold. Some Of them were injured,
and the blood was streaming from their
wounds. Mr.. Pitkin, of Pitkin Bros 3,
Hartford, Conn, was one of those who
escaped with nothing on but part of his
underclothing. His head was severely
cut, and the blood streamed from
wound. lie was taken into the mill near
by and warmed and one man produced a
coat, and another pair Of pantaloons,
and another a pair Of shoes, and finally
he was dressed sufficiently to proceed on
his journey. Most of them were in the
same plight. The families living in the
vicinity 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.
THE NEWS IN CHICAGO.