New-York tribune., 1877-01-01
DETAILS OF THE DISASTER


KLKYEN CARS AND ONE LOCOMOTIVE HURLED INTO
RAviNE SEVENTY FEET DEEP-MORE THAN
ONE HUNDRED PERSONS MANGLED AND BURNED
A SCENE OF HoRROR-HEROIsM OF A COLORED
PoRTER-CHARLEs +. COsTTR's ACCOUNT.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, Dec. 3l.-When morning
dawncd yesterday after the terrible tragedy Of the night
all that remained OF the Inflated Pacihc express was
charred mass Of car trucks twisted rails brakerods,
bridge irons, and upturned and rusted LOGON olive
The ravlne in which they lay was covered with snow
Ice while from either side steep banks covered with
shrubbcry and snow rose to hight of 20 wherc
was once an iron bridge 20 feet high there remained only
the stone pi At the top OF OF them ami
short distance away lay the head locomotive OF
the train. buried drift with the bumper torn
from IFS tender having gone with the other engine in s
into the Tavine In the mass OF moderng ruins
Law the chared remans OF than 100 men, women,
and children. Two out OF three persons who were
the pcrished; others more or less injured
II was until yesterday morning that full and sat
sacOry account OF this disaster could be obtained The
hour OF its happening p m-its distance from large
village, and the confusion which ensued among those
who survived rendered all attempts more or less futile
Tho train left the GRAND Central Depot in NewYOrk at
$50 D. m Thursday, and contained two cars two e1-
press cars the drawing coach Yokohama and the
sleeping cars Paatine, Osseo, City OF Buffalo, Patis-
burg Linden aud Schenectady. Henry Wagner whose
home Syracuse and who pershed in the disaster,
W. the conductor charge OF the sleeping cars. At
Albany carly on Friday morning were detached
and at Rochester the divided, one half going 10
Chicago by the Suspension Bridge route aEd The o,hcT
ng on toward Cleveland taking the Lake Shore
road the destination. The train reached BuHdo
on Friday at l:l5 D. m. whore drawingrOOm and oGdi-
nary COACHES put in place OF the night cars 1t Ie
Erie one hour late Cleveland 1t was showing heavily
a cold wind was blowing. and the engine often found
difficulty in making It's way. When II reached the
AshtaDula Creek, which is 60 miles east Of Cleveland
II was three hours late and was moving only about 10
miles AN hour There IL composing the train
aud two locomotives found them heavy burden. About
o'clock the bridge that The creek 20 feet above
IT WIS reached and the train ed SLOWLY across IL
was thought OF the best bridges on the road IL ha
been tested with six locomotives aud, having double
track two trains had frequently crossed II al the same
time.
The forward engine had reached the further iCr and
was iust entering drift that lay in It's way when
the crash came cracking OF beams and girderS fell
unou the ears OF the passengers the cars lost their level
the whole framework OF the structure, having single
span Of $50 fyc fell wth the train and engine Into the
ravine below The forward locomotive alone remained
on the picr above The noise % the fall great
to be heard indoors half mile away. The ice In the
creek eight inches thick broken through andt cars
sark into tic water which from three TO sK feet 10
DEPTH After the mOmentary silence that ensu"d those
who we're not killed sought 20 make their esrapc from
the cars through the broken timbers and iaPolrng
trous work among the woodwork, an1Gt"n minutes the
whole mass was IN flames. Fcdby the fierce winds the
fire made swift progress aud so hghtcd up TIC H'hc
that the neghborng people who had heard th' f has
tened TO the scene period OF great confusion pre-
vailed vii c mcn and hurried mther a"d ihithcr
search Of missing friends oich 70 huu '' ''! "''V
burning IN the wreck
Tho snow finally ceased falling and q coll"r wind
bstled through the snOw-bound rnyinc. Amdn'gIth the
fire was smuld rng among the ashes aud "nW"k "h"h
II couldnot burn. Onchrd Of those " no were fc owed
their lives 10 the bravery of coloi"1 man. u por' q!
rho coach PalatEc His the lasj Ga. u L." trn and
hen II fell near the eastern abuimat, struck upon the
ton .. smother sleeper and rolled rHCu its side
s,.rsttl-fur that was his name-immediaey ru>ci "A
window and escaped He then sct t. work uCahH- III
the windows OF the car and every nan ana woman
except one climbed out This was a sck man. VINO WAS
not able TO hep himself. Steward called upon thoN'
- ho,p he had already saved to assist III rrscn'EH TIC
r.,naiuinp man. anI two persons, Of them
yyo1nsn remained TO help him. with sorie dIlii-
c,Ity the three hualy succeeded IN Ec;iing hlai
out 70 that every person IN tue car was S"''4'
shtalu,a station was about one-fourth Of mile away
Thithcr the survivors went rs soon rs possible
fr the Injured being rendered by the people Oi the
vicinity AMI thosr who went to the scene NON thr d"!oI
By this means the survivors were lodged IN various
otcs vnrn train with the surgeons Of the road on
ho.d arrived from Cleveland The two hotels nearest
tbc station contained majority Of the wounded Tic!
were scattered temporary beds on the noors OF
the diving room. ptrors and Offices In one pace man
with broken c would be under the hhnds OF surgeon
ho randi, and skiluy performed his work. Another
man covered with bruises and spotted with plaster
MIXED a. though Ae ad been showed upon except "hcre
tho dark lines Of blood across the face Or pbs told d-
fcfepf ssiy. In another corner poor woman moaned
fr,u the pain she could not conceal while over 81 there
rested ne hash OF awe Wmch always AcCOnPaH'os "a
lamitics OF this character.
Toward morning the cod increased and the Wind blew
, feeIfl gale, which, with the show that had drihed
vaat deep points along the line OF the road mace ne
,,,-k extremely difficult AT o'clock the beds In inc
,,,, car NJ the spccial train made up, aud such
M te woupdcl as could he transported were removed
IN the car Before daylight the train started On It's IT.
,rr,, TO Clcycland-slty miles west-and arrived thefe
IN safety Early on tie following morning men Iepared
m the wreck and began the search for the bodies Oi
r., WIN per1,led At only three bodies had been
,oupd and they we're burned beyond hII nope OF iu'h
Ge,uon Before the day closed thirty Tour DOdlcs were
recovered but OF them cOuid be eAce'
nv articles OF apparel Jewery, or the contents OF their
pockets. ,..,
m nasce car AT ths time OF the accident with three
,her Dersons engaged In friendly game OF cards. Shen
.nAdenIv ha heard the window glass breaking 10 tho
,yard part Of the car and almost INSTANTLY the car DO
-. "a Ali He WAS seated with his back toward the
S ~ the ear and as he went down he sat - quietly
a. ha eould and hed on when tie car struck the bot
10. a Aaraytne be found himself Almost unhufh a.
ssnss oua of the VINO was playing cards win hm'
nsee aaas hs I'D not know. was killed. while An0tnef'
- nAewnase of Brooklyn. bed hiA leg erOken- MI
r 49, - 4pans of the car mach lower than the
- - thsa Is flames In mont began 70 %. their way