Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-01-07
Frtentfu, Calamity.

On the night of the 28th ult., portion of
the iron bridge which spans the Firth
of Tay, Scotland, was blown down, and q
railway train bound from Edingburg to
Dundee plunged through the gap into the sea
below, distance of neatly one hun
dred feet. Not soul on board the train
escaped. and the story of the disaster must
forever remain a mystery. Reports as to
the number of lives lost are conflicting, one
placing it as low as ninety persons, but
other dispatches positively assert that 315
lives were lost. The train consisted of four
thirdclass cars, one irst-class, one second
class, and brakemsn's van.
The bridge was only opened for traffic in
May, 1878. It was considered triumph of
engineering skill. 1t was about two miles
long, and had IS spans, the longest of which
was 245 feet. At the highest point it was
$50 feet above high water.
Later-The official report of the North
British railway, in regard to the terrible
calamity Sunday from the break in the Tay
bridge, says: "The falling Orders made a
very clean break from the portion standing.
Almost the only signs of smash are the ends
of the rails on which the trains ran, which
are torn asunder. The rails remaining are
wrenched out of their chairs for few yards"
Several bodies and ell the mail bags have
been recovered. On the 31st uIt., after sew.
eral unsuccessful attempts diver discover.
ed first class carriage of the wrecked
train, but as there were no first class passen.
gers, no bodies were discovered in the car.
The DIniculty I'm Maine.
Gov. Garcelon, of Maine, at the request
of Hon. Lot M. Morrill, and other promi.
nent Republicans, having submitted to the
su preme judicial court certain questions
touching upon the constitutionahty of Gar
celon's action in the recent electoral count
in that state, the court ON the afternoon oil
the Sd instant finished and signed answers
to the questions submitted. The following
is the gist of their answers:
If it appears to the house of represents
tives that there has been NO election in fact
members should be admitted to their seats
though no returns be made to the secretary
of state; representative is not to be de-
prived of his rights because municipal off
GERS have neglected their duties it is com.
petent for the governor or council to allow
an erroneous return, or one that is informal
| or Qe1eCblVe, TO De dlQSQ duC corrected Dy
an attested copy of the record as by statute
provided; the governor has no right to as.
sumo that return from city signed by a
legal quorum of the aldermen is
invalid it is immaterial whether
the aldermen return to the governor or
council the detailed vote of each ward sep.
arately, or whether they return the result
of all votes of all the wards for each candi-
date together; returns from towns or cities
which are not attested by town, plantation
or city clerks, are not valid, unless clerk
pro tempore had been chosen or deputy
clerk appointed, in which case the returns
would have the same force and effect as if
signed by the clerk; the governor has no
right to reject returns of election of mem
bers of the legislature which were not made
signed or sealed in open town meeting
when the majority of the selectmen are
absent from the meeting, or neglect or re.
| fuse to perform their duties, the voters
present may choose the requisite number of
| selectmen, and in case OF the death or re-