The daily gazette., 1877-01-01
ASHIARUlA'S= HORROR.
Details Of The Dreadful Calamity o. The
Lake Shore Road.
loy
An Iron Bridge Snaps Like Glass.
tnpC -
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY
HUMAN BEINGS PERISH.
CRUSHED, BURNED, DROWNED
AND FROZEN.
SIXTY OF THE PASSENGERS WOUNDED
ONLY sEyEN ESCAPE UNHgRT. 1
GRAPHIC STORIES OF SURVIVORS
HerOie Efforts of a Br0oEIyntts
Amid the Wreck.
AsHrApuLA, Ohio, Dec. 30, 1876.

The most disastrous railroad accident
since the Angola horror in 1868, occurred
at this station, sixty-five miles east of
Cleveland, last night. A heavy fall of
snow accompanied by a gale of wind,
had prevailed during the day, and on all
sides the snow had drifted into huge
mountains, and trains going either way
were greatly delayed. The Pacific ex-
press, which left Buffalo at twenty min
lltes past twelve =. M, and was due at
this station at q quarter past nine, was
over two hours late, and upon reaching
the iron truss bridge which spans the
Ashtabula River few rods east of the
station, the structure game way, preeipi-
tating the train of eight coaches and three
baggage cars into the chasm. The bridge
was an iron truss of $50 feet span, the
track being sixty feet above the water
level. The train was drawn by two loco
motives, the forward one breaking loose
from the other as the bridge gave way,
and escaped on the very brink of the
fearful gulf, the other engine following
the qmvering mass of humanity and
crushing coaches and adding to the hor-
ror by the rushing steam that came from
the crushed monster.
SURROUNDED BY FLAMES.
Hardly had thefalling coaches reached
flames burst forth on all sides and the
bleeding andmangled bodies became food
for the pitiless fire. Tho groans of the
dying, the cries of the wounded and the
agonfzing appeals of those whose bare
chances for life was being swallowed up
by the flames rendered the scene one Of
unparalleled horror, the recollection
of which will never be forgotten by those
who lived through that hour of indiscrib
able agony. There were 172 passengers
on the train at the time of the disaster,
and of this number il is believed that
about two-thirds were killed outright so
complete was the wreck. and sorapid and
entire the destruction by fire that but
thirty-four bodies have up to tins time
twenty four hours after the disaster
been recovered, and it is believed that but
few more will be found, others being en-
| tirely consumed. OF the number recover
| ed but six have been identified, the bal
| ance being an indistinguished mass of
charred and blackened flesh and bone,
horrible to look upon and entirely beyond
| identification.
| ASSISTANCE ny CITIZENS.
| The citizens of the village, about a
mile distance from the station, headed by
the Mayor, turned out en- n,asSe to the aid
of the sufferers, and hotels and private
|
hospitals Everything possible was done
to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded
These numbered fifty-nine, the greater
portion of whom arc but slightly injured
Many of these proceeded on theirjourney
| this afternoon.
, AN INQUEST ON SUNDAY.
| An inquest will be held on Sunday
beginning at nine o'clock, by HI. P
| Hepburn, Mayor of the village, which
will be continued until all the bodies are
recovered. The work of clearing away
the debris will be resumed at daylight
| The officials of the road have been on the
ground since last evening. 's
THE BRIDGE SUSPECTED TO BE UNSAFE
The bridge was built eleven years ago,
and it is said that the erection of truss
bridge at this point was strenously op-
posed by the Chief Engineer, Mr.. Charles
Collins, but he was overruled by his SUI
periors, and there rumors to the effect
that the bridge has been regarded unsafe
J for some time. These reports may, how
} ever, prove entirely unfounded, but the
truth will undoubtedlyb developed atthe
inuueSt