New-York tribune., 1877-01-06
WHY WATER WAS NOT USED.

THE FAULT ASSERTED TO HAVE BEEN IN THE RAIL
WAY OFFICIALS AND THE MAYOR OF AsHTABULA
STATEMENT OF B. B. LYONS OF THIS CITY.
B. b. Lyons of No. 248 West Forty ninth
St. received injuries i'll the Ashabua disaster from
which he still suffering, made statement In Buffalo
which contains some startling assertions. Yesterday
Mr. Lyons repeated these assertions to a TRIBUNE
porter They bear chiefly upon the action of the railroad
and fire department authorities IN refusing OF neglect
ing to employ the at hand for extinguishng the
flames lie said that within few minutes after the dis
aser steam fire engine aud two hand engines were
at the spot and there abundance Of water at hand
Furthermore, half way up the bank was an engine
house, with engine used TO pump water from the
river into the railroad cOmpanys tanks. In this en-
gnehouse 500 feet Of hose, and altogether about
5000 feet OF hose enough at hand to be ava
BILE III extngushing the fire. But no attempt was made
to bring these appliances into Mr Lyons said that
it was the opinion of those with whom he cOnversed that
not more than six persons would have been burned TO
death, and that not q single body would have been
burned beyo recognition II water had been thrown on
the fire. With regard to the authority which prevented
the use the engines and hOse Mr. Lyons said that he
had what seemed to him ample evidence that the rail-
road officials were responsible He himself heard after
the disaster that dispatch had been received from rail-
road headquarters ordering that no water should be
thrown upon the wreck to the effect that all should
sink into oblivion" Mr.. Lyons quoted this in the
are the very words Of dispatch received by
Superintendent Strong" and the assertion after
ward corroborated by other fremen. who gave their
names and addresses TO Mr. Lyons. Mr.. Lyons
marked that it awful thought that the
railroad officials would deliberately plan not to life.
for the pecniary advantage Of the road and yet
could not help remembering that the Lake Shore Com
pany would not get insurance money for smashed
while they would got it II burned and that,
furthermore by the Ohio State law, they required
to pay $1,000 damages for deaths caused by their fault
considerably higher, at the discretion OF jury. Mr.
said tnat II at least certain that THOSE who
arrived a the OF the disaster the evening
urged that should be thrown upon the burning
bua, who civil engineer In the employ OF the road
objected refusing 20 allow the hremen tO make use OF
their engines Mr. Lyons thought IL singular that the
Chief of the Fire Department did not oycrrule these
directions He had always supposed that fire depart
possessed IN case OF lire, the authority " act
upon their own discretion.
Again, there had been gross msstatemen OF the num-
Der Of passengers Oh the train. Conductor HEM sid
shortly the accident that there 100
on the train. After the disaster he placed number
than 100 on board. From the Palatne all taken
out alive from the Yokohama taken out !;
the City OF Buffalo taken out ut all from
the Osseo all taken out alive from the rst day
second day coach Mr.. Lyons did not know II any
| saved fIOm the smokingcar "a considerable number
taken out alive. All those rescued and able to dis
the matter spent little time comparing notes
Mr. Lyons said this had done carefully and the re-
suit had not been exaggerated In the slightest degree.
They made the total 220 passengers board al tho
time OF the disaster, not counting 70 or % children.