The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-12


or the sades features of the accident here de-
veloped--a family consisting of father. mother and
found crushed beneath the pile of splintered tim
Der. Husband and wife were dead. The mothers
arm was clasped so tightly about her child that the
little one could not be extrcated from this verita
BILE embrace of death for several minutes.
The little fellow finally gotten out Of
the wreck after two hours labor. when it
was found that of his legs was
broken. He acted like little hero. DR.. McLaueh-
lin. of Jackson. took him to the Hibbard House
and tenderly dressed his wounds. The mans name
was ascertained to be Rice. and the family were
their way from Philadelphia to Chicago.
Mr.. Parsons pathetcaly referred to an instance of
like nature. A child less than year old was.
while nursing. torn from its mothers breast and
the bodies of both were found in the wreck. Con-
ductor Lsdd and Mr.. Fry. OF Albion, were tireless
IN their efforts to do all in their to assist the
victims OF what it would seem was the result or
criminal carelessness on the part OF somebody.
WHAT THE WAGNER CONDUCTOR STATES.
The conductor OF the Wagner sleepers on the
doomed train came with his cars made up az spe-
cia train, arriving in this city at nine o'clock The
particulars OF the Jackson accident so far as seen by
him, given follows:-My train was made
up of three Wagner seepers. the st. Nicholas.
Fort Wayne and Dexter. with forty passengers. We
did not get away from Detroit until about haIfpast
ten O'Clock. being fifty minutes behind time.
and like the devil-all OF forty-fve miles
an hour-to make up. until pulling into
Jackson yard. when We Stacked up to twenty-five
miles. was in the coach. the Dexter. that il
shackled at Detroit for Grand Rapids. and some what
browsing. whom felt a slight shock as though the
engine had reversed. Many time have felt
u
noticed the train came to stand
very quickly. and stepped ont to what the
trouble. There was brakeman hurrying past with
O light, and he said in answer to my holIoa of
"What is the matter?" that the train was smashed
up. jumped of and ran ahead and the ter
rible sight Engines lay side by SIDE. up against
the bank; the boilers together. as you would
lay your fingers. Both cabs were OFF. and noticed
that steam box stripped. the steam escaping
from the vent with shrll roar. Baggage and
smoking were forced together little. but not
much. while the two next cars completely tele-
scoped. never anything like it. they being
damned through each other. 1t was horrible
beyond any words of description or imagination.
The first car was well filled with emigrants, and
their groans. cries and shrieks made me sick. did
not stay long, as had my own cars to look after
and could give no assistance there. 1t was
right in the village. occupied by road employees,
and more than thousand people seemed to be help
ing. The engineer OF train Mat Gilbert, and
the fireman Smith. did not know the latter's
first name. Both men were killed outright. Gill
bert had both legs cut of and his bowels
torn out. l can't bear to think of it,
I saw him lying with his hot life's blood
shining in the glare of the many faring lamps.
Smith cut and torn beyond recognition.
went back and found many of my passengers not
even awakened. and they were good deal vexed at
being hastily aroused. Il threw out bedding.
towels and mattresses fast could be done
with the help of the porters. From the little look
ing around there siding right there.
with freight train on it. Our wrecked cars lay
upon them and after while the freights were
into special and came right along, SO could not
look into things much moro. As understand 1t,
the blame is between the engineer OF the switch en-
CINE and the yard MASTER
TERROR IN A SLEEPING CAR.
Mr.. William b. Clapp. who. with his wife. oc-
cupied middle berth in the first sleeper. was
first appraised Of the disaster by being violently
dumped from his contracted couch upon the
floor. al gathered myself" said Mr.. Clapp
"into standing posture as soon as possible,
but was unable. tor five minutes or so. to make an
exit from the car. owing to the confusion. Upon
a sickening one. The cries OF agony from
the wounded and dying, the kissing steam
from the engines beneath tho debris. the
crushed timbers and the pickering lights gave
tho weird and horrible appearance. The
lady inmates of the sleepers who had scrambled
from their touches and had the horrible spectacle
and it's enormity suddenly revealed to their
vision alternated their sobs with prayers to
be removed from the ghastly sight. little
selt-possessed to begin extricatng the victims the
scene was appalling to the strongest, and in
to whom my attention was directed was haxen-
haired little girl OF perhaps five years. The right
side OF her face had been cut away AS
il severed by some sharp instrument. while the
child's limbs were tightly wedged in the debris.
short distance removed from this sickening sight
was noticed of six human beings
ntior, with arms and limbs in their nakodness
protruding IN the last Qutvers OF deat Stli little
further along the bodies OF the fireman and
gincer of tho express train under u mountain of
splintered wood and warped iron, FOR the
husky voice OF young woman as she drew tho
attention of group OF onloOkors to a little boy
wedged in among the wreck few yards of. who
cried piteously to be liberated, while its mangled
head and shoulders swayed in struggle for life. Of
such these untitled the heart
for the work needed. As the morning wore on.
however. the passengers. the railroad hands and
those attracted to the entered upon the work
of exricatng the unfortunate ones. The ordeal was
one hope never to pass through again.
cLERGYMAN's EXPERIENCE
Rev. Neal McDermitt. Presbyterian minister. OF
Guelph. Canada who was on his way to Elnirs.
Ill., related his experience Of the accident. He
said:-'T in the third car at the time.
Our train late and going prob
ably forty miles an hour. The front cars
of the train full Of passengers. most
of whom French Canadians route for the
pinery region. The in which sat filled
with passengers-men, women and children All
at once it dark. and could see.
on looking around. about q dozen men.
all the rest being buried in the debris.
The was literally smashed to kindling wood. and
the pieces used to make fro with later. re-
ceived several slight wounds anu must have been
stunned. This suffered the worst Of any. six
teen ~ Of its inmates being killed. The yard engine
and tender with two of the attached
were mixed with the engines, express. baggage
and three passenger of the express train that it
would be almost impossible to know to which train
the pieces belonged. did not in any way feel the
shock at the time. and ut first did not know what
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