New-York tribune., 1879-12-30
THE SCOTCH CALAMITY.
DETAILS OF THE CATASTROPHE.
THIRTEEN GIRDERs OF THE BRIDGE GoNE-A HUR-
RIcASE BLOWING At THE TIME.

THIRTEEN GIRDFRs OF THE BRIDGE GoNE-A HUR.
RIcANE BLOWING AT THE TIME
LONDON, Monday. Dec. 20, 1879
The train which fell into the Tay left Edinburgh
at 15 in the afternoon. IL consisted of four third
class cars one first-class and secondclass and
the brakemens van car. At the last station before
entering the bridge the tickets taken. and the
train was then crowded.
Vast quantities of wreckage. such as the doors and
the roofs of the carriages pieces of the bridge and
articles of wearing apparel. coming ashore. The
entire thirteen grders of the long central spans OF
the bridge are gone. The night was one OF bright
moonlight. but the wind was blowing hurricane
A RAILROAD MANAGERS REPORT.
The manager OF the North British Railway, tele-
graphing from Leuchars at o'clock this morning,
said Several large girders. along with the last
train from Edinburgh. were precipitated into the
river last night There were nearly 900 passengers,
beside the companys servants, all OF whom are be-
heved to have perished"
GREAT FALL.
A dispatch from Edinburgh, dated at o'clock
this morning. said: The portion of the bridge
which fell consisted of several large superncumbent
girders at the central and navigabe PORTION OF the
river which averages from 40 10 40 feet in depth.
The train would fall about SO feet before reach
ing the water. Some time elapsed before the nature
of the disaster was ascertained The damage 10 the
wires Oh the bridge aud the badness OF the weather
interfered with the transmission of the news and 10
is unknown whether the girders were blown down
before the train entered the bridge or were carried
away with il, and il will probably never be ascer-
tained as there are no survivors,"
CoNJECTUREs AT DUNDEE.
A telegram from Dundee states that only fifty-six
passenger tickets taken up at the last stopping
place but these do not account for the number or
young children requiring tickets, nor for the num-
Der OF railway employees or passengers for Broughty
Ferry whose tickets were not taken up. However,
if this statement is correct, it is evident that the
loss of life has been greatly overestmated.
ANOTHER ESTIMATE OF THE LOST.
dispatch from Dundee to the Press Association
asserts that the number of lives lost by the Tay
Bridge disaster does not exceed 90. This is prob
ably an underestimate.
The bodies of six Of the victims have been re-
covered.
The Provost of Dundee and party of citizens
who accompanied him In a steamer to the scene If
the disaster have returned to that city. search
was made about the bridge in small boats. .ut no
trace of any survivors could be found.
The gap in the bridge is abont half n mile
long, comprising eleven of the longest spans,
each 2i5 feet in length. and one span
of l45 feet in length. The bridge was about two
miles long, and had So spans the widest being those
of 245 feet. At the highest point 1t was l3O feet
The Government has sent two inspectors to ascer-
tam the particulars of OF the Tay Bridge disaster.
and has also directed a formal inquiry into
the occurrence. Divers have thus far been
unable to discover the wrecked tram. / ley viii
make another effort to-day. The place where the
train sank full Of quicksands, and If the bodies
of the drowned are not recovered within a few days
they will become Dedded with the cars. re-
cOvcry.
The Queen has telegraphed to the Provost OF
Dundee rendering her coincidence with the be-
reaved.
Only one body has so far been recovered and that
in a badly mutilated condition.
The railway authorities last evening estimated tho
total number OF lives lost at seventy-ive.
THE LATEST CALCULATION.
LONDON, Tuesday, Dee. 80, 1870.
Various accounts agree in placing the total loss Of
life by the Tay disaster Mt ninety.