Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-01-01
THE ACCIDENT. =
A Terrible List of Killed
and Injured.
ONE HUNDRED PERSONS KILLED.
'iNy Persons More or Less H.
jured.
THE LOST DISFIGURED AND
SCARED.
Some Maine People Among the
Wounded.
EFFORTS FOR TIE RELIEF OF
SUFFERERS.
Foil md Complete Particulars Of the
Dreadful Disaster.
Foil md Complete Particulars Of the
Dreadful Disaster.

CLEAvELAND, December 3O--2 A. NJ. There
are known to be persons in the wreck now. We
can learn yet If any are alive. The Cleavelard
special relief train has arrived and surgeons have
gone to work.
2 80 A. M.--The very latest gives sixty a, the
number of wounded and one hundred killed.
Mrs. Frame of Rochester, n. Y, who was in
Jured, is not expected to live.
New YORK. December 80. special from
Ashlabuls says the storm Of yesterday there was
SO severe that very few bushes places kept open
after four five o'clock, and the trains from all
directions were several hours behind time. About
4. NJ, the village was aroused by general fire
alarm, and word soon spread that passenger train
No D from the east, had gone through High
bridge, over the Ashtabula rver, with a large
number of passengers and that the whole train
was on fire. a urid glare in that direction con-
trmed the report, and in spite Of he terrible night
nearly the whole village and all the fire engines
were soon en- route to the depot about one mile
! from the vi lage.
The train was due at station at Sis and was
nearly three hours late. 1t had eleven cars in-
GLIDING one drawing room car, three seepeis,
one smoking car, two coaches and four baggage
and express cars. 1t was drawn by two engines-
the Socrates ahead, followed by the Columbia,
No. $50. Daniel Mcclure, engineer of the Socra-
ties, relates the following
The train was running slow, and just as they
had fairly crossed the high bridge, not more than
forty rods disan. from the depot, thew felt vio-
lent jar, and in an instant the coupling between
the Socrates and Columbia broke, and the whole
train was precipitated with the bridge into the
river IS feet below.
Mr. Mcclure says his engine was pulled back
nearly to the edge of the bi oxen span, before the
coupling broke. and regained its former motion
barely In time TO save itself.
The bridge was an iron truss bridge, and been
in use about ii years. 1t is supposed the heavy
draughts must have thrown the cars from the
track. causing the cold irons to snap.
The horrible scene below bCppArs 1escription
The span is about bundled feet wide, and
through the space between flows the river, about
four or five feet deep, at this time covered with
ice. Into this space were the III cars and one en-
CINE and tender precipitated. The fall, of course
broke through the ice, and shivered the as ii
a magazine of nitro glycerine bad exploded be-
meath them. The seven passenger coaches alto
gether contained about l65 adults and a number
of children.
In the drawing room car bound for Cleveland,
were nine persons, all supposed to have perisasd.
10 the two sleeping cars, bound for Chicago, were
thirty five passengers. Most Of those in the for
ward car were saved with injuries more or less
severe.
Within a very few moments after the crash. the
flames burst out from nearly every car. Ere help
was at hand the flames were striving with the icy
torrent as to which should devour the greater
number Of human creatures.
Mr.. Frank BelknPp who was one Of the earliest
at the scene, says the piteous cries for help from
the victims were enough to distract the stoutest
heart.
Here was Young and finely dressed girl. about
ten years old, struggling to release her hips from
the weight which was crushing her slender FORM
and close behind her were flames shooting out
forked tongues which in another instant had en-
wrapped her in ther furious embrace.
Here was fine appearing gentleman Of middle
age sitting bolt upright in his seat, unable to ex-
tricate himself, calmly awaiting the flames, which
soon claimed their victim.
There were bodies floating out from the wreck
and others not yet strangled by the icy hcod were
attempting to reach the shore.
crowd soon made their way to the burning
debris and with axes and hooks extricated many
persons, who were placed on stretchers and taken
10 the top OF the hill, where the best of assistance
awaited them. The hotels at the depot were soon
| filled and private houses were thrown open thro'
out the town. The surgeons OF town rendered all
the assistance in their power but many persisted
during the night Notwithstanding the best of care.
Others are now lying in a suffering condition.
Fully one hundred persons were killed in this
disaster. Among those wounded at Ashtabula
are Charles Kicker, Biddeford Me, not serious
w. b. Sanderson, Auburn, Me, slight injuries.
New YORK. December 80. A despatch from
the line of the accident on the Lake Shere r. Il.
reads follows:
Up to noon, of the l65 passengers, less than 60
are known to have been saved, with injuries more
or less severe. The lost totally disfgured
it is feared that ide mt ifcaton will be utterly i'm
possible. OF the dead the name of only is
known.