The New York herald., 1876-12-31
ASHYABULA'S HORROR.
Details Of the Dreadful Calamity on the
Lake Shore Road.
AN IRON BRIDGE SNAPS LIKE GLASS.
One Hundred and Twenty Human
Beings Perish.
CRUSHED BURNED. DROWNED. FROZEN.
CRUSHED. BURNED. DROWNED. FROZEN.
Sixty Of the Passengers Wounded
Only Seven Escape Unhurt.
GRAPHIC STORIES OF SURVIVORS,
Heroic Efforts or q BrOOklynite
Amid the Wreck.
[pY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

AsHrABULA, Ohio, Dec. 80, 1870
The most disastrous railroad accident since the
Angola horror in 1868 occurred this station, sixty
nve miles east Of Cleveland, last night heavy fall
OF snow, accompanied by gale Of wind had prevailed
during the day, and sll sides the had drtcd
into huge mountains and trains going either way
greatly delayed the Pacific express. which lett Buffalo
at twenty minutes past twelve r NJ, and was duo at
this station at quarter pas, nine, two hours
late, and upon reaching the iron truss bridge which
spans the Ashtabua River few rods east Of the sta
tion the structure gave way precptatng the trains
Of eight coaches and the three baggage cars into
the chasm The bridge was an iron truss
Of 150 feet span tho track being sixty feet above
water level The train drawn by two locomo-
tives the forward ono breaking loose from the othcr
the bridge gave way and escaped the very brink
Of the fearful gulf; tho other engine following the
Quvering mass OF humanity and crushing coaches and
adding to The horror by the rushing that came
from tho crushed monster
sURRoUxpED TLAxEs
Hardly had the falling coaches reached the ground
after this fearful eap the flames forth all
sides. and the bleeding and manged bodies became
food for the piiiless fire. The groans or
the dying. the cries OF tho wounded and
the aRonizing appeals OF those whose bare
chance Tor lie was being swallowed up by the flames
rendered the scenc one Of unparalleled horror the
recollection Of which will be forgotten by those
who lived through that hour Of indescrlbablo agony
There were l72 passengers the train as
the time Of the disaster, and or this
number II Is believed that about two-thirds
we're killed outright complete the
wreck, and rapid and entire the destruction by fire
that but thirty-four bodies have up 10 this time
twenty -four after dsuster-been recovered,
and It Is believed that but few more will be found
others being entircly consumed OF the number re-
covered but have been Identified the balance beng
an iudlstingushsbls mass OF charred and blackencd
desh and bone, horrible to look upon entirely be-
yond Identification.
AssisrAScE BY CITIZENS.
The citizens OF the village about mile distant from
the station, headed by the Mayor, turned
10 tho aid Of the sufferers and hotels and private
dcnces were converted into temporary hospitals.
Everything possible done to alleviate the suffer
ings OF the wounded These numbered lfty- -ninc the
greater portion OF whom are but slightly injured.
Many Of these proceeded their journey this after
noon.
An INQUEST SUNDAY.
An inquest will be held on Sunday, beginning at
nine O'Clock, By II. T. Hepburn Mayor Of tho village
which Will be continued until all the bodies re-
covered The work Of clearing away tho debris will
be resumed at daylight The officials Of the road have
been on the ground since last evening
THE SUSPECTED BR UNSAFE
The bridge was built eleven years ago, Il is said
that the erection OF truss bridge this point was
sirenuousy opposed BY the Chief Engineer Mr. Charles
Collins, but he was overraled by his superors aud
there the effect that the bridge been
regarded unsafe for some time Those reports may,
however prove entirely unounded, but the truth will
undoubtedly be developed ut the inquest