The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-03
RELICS FROM THE ASHES
A Finely Formed Hand Burned or at
the Wrist
IDENTIFICATION OF THE DEAD.

accident; the debris piled up IN places
from ten to fifteen feet, the cars in the
middle OF the train being all smashed
together; tho fro burned with considerable
volume for an hour reaching It's climax IN less than
ltteen minutes; there were no means OF putting out
the fire and efforts were made to do so; saw one
man crawl from under the locomotive about three
quarters Of hour after the accident; very high
wind prevailed at the time.
THE RESTAURANT KEEPERS EVIDENCE
The next witness was Mr. James l.. Porter, who
kecps restaurant near the depot The evidence was
eorroborativc OF Mclntyros. Witness was Of opinion
The nre might have been qucncncd ut any time within
fifteen minutes after II broke out, and that ire
steamer could have put II out entirely in lew
minutes Tho conductor stated witness that he had
about 100 people on the tram.
The jury here took recess until one O'Clock
After the recess James A. Manning, the engineer of
the station works, recalled and examined as
TO the arrangement of the plug at the engine
house. From this evidence 1t appears that there
Is threench water plug in the engine
house and that the hose OF the Fire Department
Is the diameter, but tho threads couplings nre
not alike and that the hose could not be used Man.
uing it will be remembered, testified yesterday that
lhere appliances at this house for throwing
water except the three.quarter inch host which he
explains by saying he did not think the
hose of the department would lit this
plug, and he not aware that the department had
recently purchased and placed 500 feet OF hose
The engine houses he could II necessary put pres
oil $40 pounds on tho pump connected with this
plug; II did not occur 10 hlm nor did any one sug-
gcst TO HIM to the hose; had the hose been
when he arrived ut the scene he could have extin-
guishcd the rc IN ten seconds aterward he could not
have out the fire. lin his opinion, IN
wreck was NOT burning; the Water Works
suene house is about 400 yards from Lake Ere nre
lhe complaints made by bremen rather that they
could get down TO the wreck than that they had
been ordered not to so down.
WOUNDED PASSENGERS STORY.
At this point the testimony oil Manning was inter-
Yupted TO enable Mr.. White wounded passenger, to
testify, ande as this interruption led TO an mpor-
White is a produce merchant, residing In Wealth.
from un The sleeping car City Of buffalo ~
Mr.. White sad he was seated the second seat
from the rear end Of the car, riding backward anu
jarrng or humping motion, as II the train
oil tho track, then found himself hanging over
Satiou CT gong Gown; II scemea long time gong
down.. and then cane the fearful crash,
was standing on its forward end. and
Mr.. White found himself wedged in among the deoris
DO attempting to exirica.c himself. but that he
must de; two crashes now followed, eau by tie
falling cars; when all was quiet Mir White ex.
bricated himself and thrust his heai out
Of a. window which he broke with
his fist bu c,ulI distingu sh 10 hing;
he said aloud to hmse 1--WE get out of heIc this
way, and In response came from the dark chasm be-
low him the exclamation. ''Can wcY" Eyes, | ain out
Already was the reply 10 this unknown voice; 'is
there going to be fire 2" the next quest Of;
''No." ''Thcn perhaps you can help mcy" to this
appeal Mr. White extended his hand grasp ng that OF
Hu unknown and unseen party, and with the other
hand holding on to some firm substance, and endeav-
orei TO pull the party up, but IN this he failed The
person letting 20 his hold SAIL, "You can't get me,
take YOURSELF by this time the fire had broken
each end OF the wreck; Mr.. White
got ard swung himself on To the ground five minutes
alter tho flash OF fro had broken out, and IN ten
minutes It had spread over tho entire wrcckr the
eighteen passengers in the City OF Buffalo,
including possibly two children
Mr. White, in attempting to AID the man out oil the
wreck, heard lady shrek, 'For Gods sake save my
rhild buttt Impossible TO reach her this car was
\ most fearful wreck. and broken more than any
other the train, splners; witness had
gone through tho tram several times, and was OF
opinion there about 800 persons tho train
inter leaving Ere the conductor OF the sleeping
had said At Erie that the tram was getting so a that
Nm additional would be added at that place;
smoking was added at Erie
A>wITNEss COMES TO GRIEF.
Al tho close OF Mr.. Wines testimony ono Of the
Jurors by the several represen tatves OF
The press went INTO room below In which a hand
Ore engine is Stationed and found by TRIAL that The
cap the valve the plug lifted the old and the new
Lose IN the house, Notwithstanding Mannng's posi-
tive testimony to the contrary.
Manning, who bad completed his testimony when
Mr.. White took the stand, was hen asked
.DId you try the cap on the new hoseY' To which
be replied he did, and repeated his statement AS before
gwen He thea down TO try II again, and ON
his return he id:-''l lind now on trying the cap
IRON the Water Works valve that 1t tits the hose
and will 1T tho old SO that II can be used"
This direct contradiction and palpablc intent of
Manning to evade some OF the points produced very
uniavorabic impression, and, with however little
reason II cannot intensity the prejudice, already
strong existing against the company and DO II re-
,nnrkea th,s witness eyinced sbrew,lncss and care
IN giving his testimony that utterly precludcs the
possibility OF AN unintentional msstatement
Manning further testified: when first got to the
q a Innl hu1h0 tn tllnl VA
could put the fire out but did not know II the hose
IN the IRE engine house would 10.
This is also "a material mod caton OF former testi-
xony when he stated that the usc OF the valve did
not suggest itself MIN, did else suggest
H. Altogether Manning has made mess OF his tcsti-
rxsrixosY or TIM ENGINEER FORWARD ENGINE.
Tho next witness called was Daniel Manure. en-
GINGER OF the locomotive Socrates, which the lor-
ward engine IL tue lost tram, that did not DOWN.
rhe salient points OF this witness testimony we're as
toows when his engine was within about Two car
lengths II car averaging forty feet IN length OF tho
west eud OF the bridge he heard the bridge
,pap no immediately pulled the throttle out to send
his engine forward; looked back out Of the cab window
and saw tho following locomotive, me Columbia, SINK
The couples connecting the Two engines then broke
ba coming against Tho west pier before iaii.
Ing, tho tender OF the Socrates settled
with the falling bridge and was thrown
from the track; the briugo swung away from
lis pInco and crashing into the gull below, ol-
lowed by the cars they crashing down one by
one Tnc tram was running at the rate OIL about ten
miles hour, ana no part tie Train was on 'hc track
at the time The witness was positive on 'his poh',
A. he declared he could detect such an accident III
an instant Mcclure believes tho bridge broke very
near the centre; the snap coming as he thinks from
under bIs engine where 1t then was TINS opinon was
strengthened by the fact that he went up an incline
some passing over the balance OF he brdse
AUD on 10 terra nrma When got oil the bridge the
entire structure with the tram had disappeared lie
then spoke vi his movements and OF The conctioh o
The wreck and Of the lire which IS corrooorat've o.
what has already been tcssiDcd he had seen
this BRUCE tested icD or eleven years since
BY six locomotives passing over II at once Does no.
know OF any subsequent lest considered the bridge
safe one aud had never heard any one express any
other opinion This completed the testimony IoI tne
Luj(-pass eight tomorrow morning, Ia the Council
Chamber In the village, mile and a hall distant
from the wreck.
- Two FEEr SNOW.
The storm OF wind aud snow which ragged during