The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-01-06
The Lake Shore RR. Horror.

Tne Lake SHORE Bhs HOrFOFs
AsHTABuLA, O.. Dec. sO.-The most disastrous
railroad accident since the Angola horror in 'es,
occurred at this station, e5 miles east Of Clevo.
land last night. A heavy fall Of snow, accom-
panied by gale OF wind, had prevailed durtRR
the day, and on al sides the snoW had drifted
into huge mountains, and trains Roing either
way were greatly delayed. The Pacific Ex-
press, which left Buffalo at 1870 p. M. and was
due at this station ut o:I5. was over two hours
late, and upon reaching the iron truss bridge
which spAns tho AshtabulA river few rods east
Of this station, the structure gave way, precipl-
tating the train Of eight coaches and three bag
gage cars into the chasm. Tho bridge was an
iron truss Of $50 fect span the track being 90 ft
ABOVE the wator level The train was drawn
by two locomotives, 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 quiVerinR DAss
Of humanity and the crushing eoaehes and
adding To the horror by the rushing steam
that came from the crushed monster. Hardly
the falling coAehes reached the ground after
this fearful leap ere the halnes burst forth on
all sides, and the bleeding and nAnRled bodies
became food for the pitiless fire. The Rreans of
tho dying. the cries OF the wounded and the
Agonizng appeals OF these whose bare chance
for nfe was being rapidly swallowed mp by the
flames, rendered tho scene one OF unparalleled
horror, the recollection OF which wlu mover De
forgotten by those who lived through that hour
Of indoscltDnblo agony. There were lI2 persons
on the train at the time of the disaster, and OF
thia number IL is believed that about TWO thirds
were killed outright, so complete was the wreck.
and 40 apid and entire the destruction Dy nre
that but "a bodies have up TO this times hours
afInr tho 1l 1aster-been recovered and it ls be-
Ieyed tLat II, : few more Will be found, others
heina entirely consumed Ofthe number recoV'
cred but six have eSen idenuned; ths DsdHnoS GS
hlaoker ed a. sh ard hon es, horrible 10 LOOK upon
and entirely unreoogll' "a pie.
The citiSens OF the v!llags ABOUT mi,e an-
tant from the station, hsadv1 by The mayor
turned out en- Dldsss TO the a.d OF Inc suneEers'
the hotels and private residen, 90 NTere conveSt u
cd into temporary hospitals EN N'rylung pOssl-
ble was done to allie late the suhs'rings of the
wounded. These numbered SO, the greater por-
ton Of whom are but slightly injured. Mang Of
these proceeded on their journey on Saturday
A correspondent Of tho Cleveland Loader SAYS
have Just returned from the TunS, mud have
zen bodies only one Of which has any resemD-
lance whatever to human body. BY the side
of another heap Of embers was found pair Of
scissors, also q tuft Of Rreyish hair. No other
means OF identification could be found, although
the hunt may be more snccesstul when the Ie-
moval of the upper rubbish begins. The iron
of the bridge is twisted in endless confusion
with that of the cars. while the locomotive is
Charles s. Carter, of Brooklyn, N. Y, says he
was sitting in a palace car with Jhree other pei
soDs, engaged In friendly game OF cards, when
suddenly he heRrdtho window glass breaking
in tue forward part OF the car, and almost inst
antly the car began TO fall. Ho was seated with
bis back toward the front Of the car, and a. he
wenit down he sat as quietly Rs he could and
held on. When the car struck the bottom OF The
ravine he found himself almost unhurt, altho'
ono of the men who was playing cards with him,
whose name he did not know, was killed, while
another, u MT. Sheppard, of N. Y, had his leg
broken. Mr. Carter says the tue front Of q TIE % car
In front began to eat their way upward and
spread with great rRpidlty. He turned TO assist
Sesdod dniGpeti m eeettinS % him out When sheppaTd was
fairly out Carter returned to the assistance OF
woman, who was calling for help at the front
end Of the car He got her out, aud, as she was
quite thinly clad, gave her his Overcoat After
reaching hotel he found himself fseVerelybruis
ed In several PLACES & I'm u tna b ssesT pSG a Sa he
aster ready to help in rescuing. He saw wo-
man struggling for life. and went to her assist
ana then, urged by the cries of the mother, went
back to rescue her daughter, sweet child OF 3
| or years The tIeaeherons wood IN sphntering 9
| completed the horrible work. The man was
| compelled TO see the child enyeloped in flame,
and hear no " help me- mother !" rim R1nR out in
| an agony Of death. In moment she was lost,
swept up by the sharp tongue Of fire, while the
| mother, in helpless agony, fell down IN deadly
There was on board a family named Bennett
on their way from New York 70 Jefferson,
wreck. and the children were o1iy saved by be.
! ing tossed from the arms Ot one man TO auOther
over the pile OF burning wood. one OF the four
| children was seriously injured and all were
| slightly scratched lhts morning the mother
| who was enciente, gave birth TO child the
event being bastened by the excitement she had
1t seems that the train had just about covered
the bridge when 1t fell. as fragments lie across
| the ravino touching the base Of the abutments
| on either side When one stands at the foot Of
| the TaYine and looks up. 1t seems an utter i'm.
| pass bility that any man could take leap from
7 y hnlR1I n
| oil cOmparatiV ely unframed, and had IL not been
| for the fire probably not One-half would have
| been lost The water in the creek is only about
| three feet deep. and il 10 thought bY some that
when 1t Is dragged number OF bodios may be
| found.
| stock drover is another witness rs to the
| rapidlty with which the fire did ils work. He
| Gays he was one Of the first out Of the wreck,
| the whole thing was atinme.
| A special train loaded with some OF the ini ur.
| ed. left AshtnOulA at s:l5 on Saturday morning,
| oOnsating OF an express. passenger and palace
| car, In the latter the beds had all been made.
| and in them were placed the worst Of the vic
| TINS, thOso Delng able 10 slt up bring aeeOmmO'
Before the hearing Of evidence by the cOrOn-
| ers jury, bItet viewing Ihe SCENE OF the uisastef
| and oOrpses, the coroner Rul hOrized the friends
| of the deceased 10 remove identified bodies "
theT homes, The Jury then expressed their IN,
the cause OF the accident
A. L. stone, brakeman, IN the rear car, who
| vines He tR0nght ieo persons were on n M
| tram Al the time Of the accident. The express
was going at the rate Of ~ miles per hour. III
| tie faster than ordinary, when approaching the
| bridge owing TO the snow; after the accident he
| ran to tho depot TO prevent the other tram that
| ne believed was following from coming ahead
| The cars were heated By Bakers heaters and
| stoves
Conductor B. Hem sald the train consisted of
| a locomotive. smoker, three Ordinary ears, a
| drawing rom car, three sleeDers and baggage
| car. Thought 1871 passengers were on board
when the calamity happenedi some passengers
| think there were more.
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