The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-02
rHE LAKE.slronE DISASTER.
over Hundred Killed and Wounded.

| FIRE AND WATER DO THEIR DEADLY
| woRK--A NIGHT OF DEATH AND TERROR
THRILLING SCENES AND INCIDENTS
CARING FOR THE WOUNDED.
A dispatch from the scene Of the acciden,
reads as follows:
cup to noon. OF the one hundred and
sixty-fve passengers less than sixty are
known to be saved, with injuries more OF
less severe. The lost are SO totally distigured
by fire that Identification is utterly impossi.
bic. 1t is believed that but few, IL any,
bodies are under the ice. " the dead the
name Of but one is known, which is that OF
q child OF Mrs. Bradley, Of San Francisco"
| Another dispatch says the list OF the
saved from the wreck has been nearly COM
pleted, and shows one hundred and twenty
persons missing, besides those hurt. a
good many victims were drowned. All OF
the cars are burned to cinders.
| Another Ashtabula dispatch says the re-
ports are conflicting rs to the number kill
| cd. Probably from sixty to one hundred
persons persisted. Very few bodies have
vet been recovered, and those which have
been are burned so they cannot be recog-
nizcd. 4 dispatch received in New York
Central railroad states there were on board
the wrecked train one hundred and forty
passengers, and that sixty OF them had been
| found, though it was thought that more
would be found alive. It was impossible to
gives the names of those in the sleeping
cars, as Mr.. Stager, the conductor, is miss
| inc, and he had the list in his pocket.
CLEVELAND, December 30.-Thc follow
ing. from special dispatch to the C!eve-
land Leader, is the very latest from the
wreck at Ashtabula:
Tho haggard dawn which drove the
darkness out OF this valley Of the shadow Of
death seldom saw ghastlier sight than was
revealed with the coming of this morning.
! On either side OF the ravine frowned the
dark and bare arches from which the
treacherous timbers had fallen, while ut their
base the great heaps Of ruins covered the
hundred men, women, and children who
had so suddenly been called to their death.
"Three charred bodies lay where they
had been placed in the hurry and confusion
of the night Piles OF iron lay on the thick
ice or embedded in the shallow water Of the
stream. The fires smouldered in great heaps,
where many Of the helpless victims had
in wild excitement seeking some trace OF a
1.-THE list OF the saved and wounded hay
ing been already sent, the sad task remains
OF discovering who may be among the dead.
| The latter task will be the most difficult Of
| all until the continued absence of 4 friend
here or there will allow of but one eXplana-
| tion-that he was among those who took
this fatal leap.
" All the witnesses so far agree as to the
main facts OF the accident. 1t was about s
o'clock. The train was moving at mode
rate of speed, the Ashtabula station being
| lust this side OF the raTinc. Suddenly and
without warning the train plunged into the
abyss, the forward locomotive alone getting
| across in safety.
almost instantly the lamps and stoves
set fire to the cars and many who doubtless
were only stunned, and who might other
wise have been saved, fell victims to the
fury OF the flames.
! "On the arrival of the Cleveland train
the surgeon of the road organized corps
OF assistants and made tour of the various
hotels, where the wounded were attended
TO By such help being given to each as was
tDosSible. The people Of AShtabula lent
willing hands, and all that human skill
could do to save life or ease pain was done.
"The train which came from Cleveland
forthis purpose was Immediately backed
into position, and long before daylight the
persons least wounded were being prepared
for transportation to Cleveland to be sent
TO the hospitals or to their homes.
"The scene among the wounded was
almost as suggestive OF horror as the wreck
in the valley. The two hotels nearest the
station contained q majority OF the
wounded. They were scattered about on
temporary beds on the floors OF the dining
room, parlors, and offices. In one place a
man with broken leg would be under the
hands Of q surgeon, who rapidly and Skill
fully performed his work.
"Another man. covered with bruises and
spotted with plaster, looked rs though he
had been showed upon, except where the
dark lines of blood across the face or limbs
told different story.
"In another corner poor woman moan
ed from the pain she could not conceal
while over all there
BRooDED THE HUSH OF AWE
which always accompanies calamities OF this
character.
"Toward morning the cold increased and
the wind blew fearful gale, which, will
: the snow that had drifted waist-deep al
points along the line Of the road, made the
; work extremely difficult. =
"At O'Clock the beds in the sleeping
car of the special train were made up, ant
such OF the wounded as could be movct
were transferred [ o the car.
"From Mr. Charles Collins, chief engl
ncer OF the road, it is ascertained that the
bridge was Home truss, built entirely o.
iron, and about eleven years old.
alt was sixty-nine feet above the water,
and had an arch one hundred and fifty fee
long in the clear, the whole length OF the
bridge being one hundred and ffty.seyer
feet. --....
"It has been tested with six locomotives
and at the time of the disaster it was con
sidered in perfect condition.
"AIr. Collins gives no opinion as to the
cause of the accident, expressing himself a;
utterly enable to do so.
~ have Just returned from the ruins ant
have seen the smoldering remains OF at leas
dozen bodies, only one OF which has any
: resemblance whatever to human being.
"By the side OF another heap OF clnder
was found pair OF scissors and
ga TUFT OF GRAYIsH HAIR.
"No other means Of Identification coult
be found, although the hunt may be more
: successful when the removal Of the upper
| rubbish begins. ~
ssThe iron OF the bridge is twisted in end
less confusion with that Of the cars, whil
the locomotive is wrecked in every part
By this time nearly all the woodwork Il
: burned away" -,ds '''./
THE IrSKSOWS DEAD. ~