Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-30
THE TAY HORROR.
FURTHER OF THE BRIDGE DISASTER

THE TAY HORROR.
FURTHER OF THE BRIDGE DISASTER.
LONDON, Dec. 29.-Tbe manager of the
North British railway, telegraphing from
Lenehars, at o'clock this morning, says:
Several large Orders, along with the last
train from Eainburg, were PreciPitated into
the river last night. There we're nearly 300
passengers, besides the compapy's servants
all of whom, it is believed, persisted.
A dispatch from Edinburg, dated at A. NJ,
| says: The portion of the bridge which fell,
| consisted, of several large superincline bent
Orders at the central and navigable portion
of the river, which averages from 40 to IS
feet in depth. The train would fall about 80
feet before reaching the water. Some time
elapsed before the nature of the disaster was
ascertained. The damage to the wires on
the bridge and the badness of the weather
interfered with the transmission of news,
and it is unknown whether the Orders were
blown down before the train entered the
bridge or were carried away with it, and it
will probably never be ascertained,
The bridge was only opened for traffic in
May, 1873. 1t was considered triumph of
engineering skill. It was about two miles
long and had eiehty-five spans, the widest Of
which was 245 feet at the highest point. It
was 100 feet above water. The gap on the
bridge is about half mile long, comprising
eleven of the largest spans, each 245 feet in
length and one span AS feet in length.
THE TRAIN.
The train left Edinburg at 4:l5 in the
afternoon. It consisted of four third class
cars, one first class and one second class aud
Trademarks van. At the last station BIO.
fore entering the bridge tickets were taken
and the train was then crowded. Vast
quantities of wreckege, such as doors and
roofs of carriages, pieces of bridge and ar
ticles of wearing apparel are coming ashore.
The entire thirteen Orders of the long
central spans of the bridge are gone. The
night was one of bright moonlight, but the
wind was blowing hurricane.
THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN PEOPLE LOST.
New YORK, Dec. ga special from Dun
dee, says: "The appalling catastrophe of
last evening has thrown the city into state
of frantic excitement, and the neighborhood
of the fatal bridge is thronged with horror
stricken visitors. Not a soul escaped who
was on the Inflated train. The gallantry Of
James Roberts, locomotive superintendent
of tho North British railway, of Dundee,
and Station Master Smith, in venturing out
on tie bridge, is highly commended. In
spite of the fury of the gale, which rendered
the attempt doubly perilous, after tremendu
Gus exertions, their hands lacerated BY cling
ing to the rail for dear life, they reached the
edge of
THE FATAL GAP. ...E
Here they discovered that thirteen Orders,
each 245 feet wide and weighing $50 tons,
all forming kind of tunnel in the middle
of the bridge, had been washed away.
Nothing remained but the bare iron pieces.
About one-third of the whole structure had
vanished. Thirteen brick work stumps were
to be seen in the midst of the waves. 1t is
positively asserted that BIS people are lost.
SEVERE INVESTIGATION.
The London Standard, in an editorial
this morning, says that whez the first feel
ing of horror that hangs over tho country
shall have subsidized, strict and severe in
vestigation into the causes of the accident
will be demanded by the people, and moth
ing short of a complete answer will be &C
copied. The gale to which the bridge sue
cumbed was not exceptionally violent, the
train of cars having apparently nothing to
do with the accident which had occurred be-
fore the cars reached the broken portion.
HORROR STRICKEN SPECTATORS. r.
DUNDEE, Dec. "a London special to
the Telegram says: The tidings of the disas-
ter were first conveyed by a gentleman who
had left his house with friend while the
| southwest gale was blowing with all its fury.
They began discussing whether, on such a
night, the Edinburgh train would venture
across the bridge. They then went to
block telegraph station, box 8, situated at
the north end Of the bridge, where they
found number of men also anxiously
awaiting information on the subject. Some
of them asserted that they had seen the
lights of tho train in question enter on the
high girders. Then they saw sudden
| train, seemed to descend with great velocity
into the river; then perfect darkness fol-
lowed. Minutes and minutes passed, but no
VI GiiC tAN1A4 "OAO 0OCAA3 0A4A SAAO POOH40
asked themselves, were these really the
lights of the Edinburgh train they had seen
SO suddenly quenched? The horror stricken
beholders made vehement appeals to the sig
nal man to ascertain the truth. He replied
that all he knew of the matter was that the
train had been signalled to him from the
south end of the bridge at 1909 o'clock. Dis
covering no indications Of the approach of
the train, the alarmed signal man endeavored
to telegraph to the south end of the bridge,
but communication had ceased.
81 LOSS OF LIFE OVER EsT1MATED.
LONDON, Dec 29.-The railway authori-
Ties now estimate the total number of lives
lost at seventy five. A telegram from Dun
das states that only fifty-six passenger tick
cts were taken up at the last stopping place.
but these do not account for number of
young children requiring no tickets, nor for
a number of railway employees, nor for q
number of passengers for Broughty Ferry,
whose tickets we're not taken up. However,
if this statement is correct it is evident the
loss of life has been greatly estimated
ST kE SYMPATHY.
The queen has teiegraphed to the provost
of Dundee. rendering sympathy for the be-
reaved. Only one body thus far recovered,
and that in badly rautilated condition.
Various accounts agree in placing the total