The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-01-11
THE ASHTkBULA CALAMITY.
STRANGE AND THRILLING INCIDENT

STRANGE AND THRILLING INCIDENTS.
The Cleveland correspondent of the New
York Times furnishes full and saddening
particulars OF the fearful railroad accident
near Ashtabula, Ohio, on the Goth. We Gull
from it the following:
CLEVELAND, Dec. 3l.-A large force OF
workmen have been engaged ats tld Ashta-
6dia wreck ali to-day, and the de6aa IS near
ly cleared away. Only two additional DO.
dies were found to-day, and these, with the
u found yesterday, are probably all that
will be recovered. The rest are so COM
pletely destroyed by fire that they cannot be
separated or removed. OF the sc recovered,
10 are thought to be recognized. Among
them are the remains Of DR.. A. III. Wash
burn, Rector OF Grace Church in this city,
whose death has thrown a pail of sadness
over 4 portion Of this community. DR..
Washburn has been Rector of Grace Church
for more than IL years, and was widely re.
spected and beloved. Memorial services
were held in the Episcopal Churches to-
night. The remains of the dead Rector were
brought to Cleveland by special train, arriv-
ing at 10 o'clock tonight.
STATEMENT OF A BRAVE MAN.
Several of the injured brought here Satur-
day night have been interviewed, and fur
nish the following statements: Mr.. A. Burn
ham, who is being cared for at the Huron
Street Hospital, is the travelling agent of the
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul Railroad.
He is an intelligent gentleman, 55 years old,
and was fortunate in escaping with no more
serious injuries than a painful confusion OF
the right, and some quite severe bruises on
the left, side of the body. At the time OF
| the accident Mr.. Burnham was in the stnok-
ing car, occupying a seat about midway of
the car, in company with Mr.. David Chitten-
den, Cleveland agent OF the New York Cen
trail Railroad. The latter was sitting next
the window. Mr.. Burnliam was first alarm
ed by the violent shaking OF the car, indica-
ting that it had left the track, and he thinkA
he instinctively clutched the arm of the seat.
At the same moment Mr.. Reid, Mr.. Stone,
and the conductor, Mr.. Hem, sprang up,
and Immediately following there came ter
| rife crash. Mr.. Burnhaln states that he did
not for a moment lose his consciousness, and
realized that the car was falling. 1t seemed
an age before it struck. Several almost deaf
ening crashes followed rapidly, filling Mr.
Burnham's mind with the apprehension thai
something would fall upon him, and feeling
about he found that he had been thrown
among mass Of debris, beneath which were
two men. He got up, and on examination
found both men were dead. About this
time Mr.. Reid had got hold of Mr.. Tilden
who was apparently lifeless, and was ell
deavoring to pull him up, calling him re
peatedly by name. Mr.. Burnham went tt
the assistance of Mr.. Reid, and the two sue
ceeded in removing Mr.. Tilden, who wa
still In an unconscious condition. Mr.. Reit
went away, but speedily returned, and Mr.
Tildell, having in the meanwhile partially
recovered, twas conveyed to g place of safety
Mr.. Burnbam heard a cry for help from
under pile Of shattered timbcrs, and turn
ing backihe found man struggling to fret
himself from the broken and splintered mas
that held him firmly down. Mr.. Burnhan
endea fored to get hold of him, but found i
impossible to do so, as the advancing fir,
was now flashing in his face and making ia
pid progress toward him. He was compelled
to leave the unhappy man to the terrible
fate Of being burned alive. Mr.. Burnhan
saw the necessity of securing his own safety
and climbed or clambered OFT Of the remains
of the smoking car on to the bottom of an
other scar. Here he saw two men with thei
i heads protruding from a mass ct debris, ant
who appealed to him for help. He pulled
the ON nearest to him out, and helped hin
away, the mans leg being broken; the othe
succee :ded in extrcating himself. Mr.. Burn
ham then got out himself, and now first be
comir lg fully conscious OF his hurts, sough
plat ;e of safety. where he might be able t
secur needed attention. Regarding the fat
Of Nh. Chittenden, who occupied the sea
with Mr.. Burnham, that gentleman think
that he was thrown among the timbers an
almo st instantly crushed to death. and tina
his body was doubtless burned.
Mr.. Burnham expressed himself as full
convince That the smoking car was oil tn
track before the bridge gave way, ana pfot
ably the rear locomotive and several olhe