The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-08-15
A NIGHT OF HORRORS.
A Passengers Story of the Terrible Disas-
ter en- the Panhandle Railroad.

A Passengers Story of the Terrible Disas-
ter en- the Panhandle Railroad.
Mr.. II. E. Ravens, of Springfield,
Mo, to q reporter of the St. Louis Re
publican: L purchased a through ticket
to st. Louis from Washington, taking q
berth in a Washington sleeper that
should have come through except for
the accident, although the train was
again made up at Pittsburg. We pass
ed Steubenville, our train being six min
utes behind time and running at the rate
of forty-some say fifty-miles an hour.
We passed Mingo, -four miles from Steu-
benville, and, rushing about one mile
further on, collided with the freight
train, which was attempting to reach
Mingo, as it would have done in three
to five minutes but for the collision.
The time was half-past one Wednesday
morning. There were two sleeping
cars on the rear of the train, and my
berth was in the forward of the two
sleeping-cars. l was reused by a jump
ing, jerking motion of the cars, and my
first impression was that the cars were
off the track I jumped out of bed and
as soon as | reached the door the rock
ing, jumping motion of the train
stopped. There were about twenty
passengers in our car, and perhaps as
many in the rear sleeper, some of whom
were aroused. Forward of our sleeper
was passenger coach, and the latter
with the two sleepers remained on the
track undisturbed, and none of the pas
sengers were hurt. The night was dark,
and as soon as L looked out of the door
I heard
ORGANS AND SCREAMING,
and, hurrying out, the aspect of the ter
rible wreck was an indescribable scene
OF horror. The side of the embankment
on the right hand, which was quite
steep and about thirty feet high, was
covered with the dead, intermingled
with the wounded with broken
legs, heads crushed, eyes protruding,
and pushed out of the sockets of some,
most of whom were screaming out for
assistance. Men, women and children
were among the sufferers. 1t was, as
said, nearly total darkness, and after
while we got q wretched light from only
one lantern. Fortunately, five Germans
who were engaged in threshing wheat
during the day, about mile or so away,
heard the shock of the collision and all
the five men came to the rescue, bring
ing with them each a lantern. They af-
forded all the assistance possible, and,
with the help of the few passengers in
the rear cars, whose feelings of human
ity overcame a reluctancy to give up
their berths, the work of rendering sue
cor was entered upon, as far as the great
disadvantages of the situation would al.
low. Strewn on the sides of the en-
bankment were some forty people, lying
in all shapes, many of them mangled SO
that they could not move or disentangle
themselves from the debris. Appeals
for help rent the air. Near the foot of
the embankment there was a running
creek, and the margin was wet and
marshy, SO that no level spot was con-
venient upon which to place the wound
ed in comfortable position, and they
were
STRENGTHENED OUT
the best that the case would allow. Gu !
riously, about 40 or so cushioned seats, |
which were elected from the train with |
the occupants, were utilized, and form |
ed impromptu cots, pillows or props, as
the case allowed, for the wounded, the /
principal effort at first being to straight
en- them out with their heads up and |
feet extended down the declivity. The |
wrecked cars, consisting OF the express
car, two postal and baggage cars and |
two passenger cars relnsined on the |
track ground to pieces. like kindling-
wood.
The roof of a car occupied by emf
grants, was torn Loose from the body of
lhe cars and turned upside-down, was
seen hanging ever the embankmcnt
with one end fastened to the wreck, and
on the top OF this roof two people were.
How they came there after the roof flop
ped over was mystery. One of the
nail boys was seen suspended from the
wreck with his head downwards, onef
eg torn off and quite dead The bag
yageman was thrown up into the air
md lodgedon the telegraph wires, from