, 1880-01-24

THE TAY- BRIDGE DISASTER.
fFrom tie Tmes.)

UTpRs UsOt 0uuuocs 0uu b pOItIVu VI Tue
Tay-bridge was blown down while the
train from Edinburgh due at 7,15 was
passing. The train was duly signalIed
from the Fife side as having entered on
the bridge for Dundee at 7.14. It was
seen running along the rails. and then sud-
denly there was observed o fash of fire.
The opinion was that the train left the
rails and went over the bridge. Those
who saw the incident repaired immediate
~ to the Tay-bridge Station at Dundee
and Informed the station-master OF what
they had seen. He Immediately put him
self in communication with the man ia
charge of the signsl-box at the north end
of the bridge. The telegraph wires are
stretched across the bridge, but when the
instrument was tried it was soon seen that
the wires were broken.
The rumour of the disaster quickly
spread, but, owing to the tempestuous
weather, comparatively few persons
were out at the hour when the intel
ligence reached the town, and it was not
until the mornings newspapers were
issued that the calamity became generally
known. Then thousands Of persons.
anxious to learn all they could, proceeded
ia the early dawn to the Esplanade, eager
" scanning the side of the wall in search
of washed-up bodies. The news was
FIRST conveyed to the town by Mr.,
J. B. Lawson, of Windsor-place, who left
his own house with a friend o few minutes
after 7. Naturally enough their converse
ton turned on the fury of the gale, which
was blowing from the south west. They
began to question whether on such a night
the Edinburgh train would venture on
the bridge. To satisfy their curiosity they
went to the block telegraph signal-box at
the north end of the bridge, where they
found O number of men also anxious for
information. Some OF these asserted that
about q quarter-past 7 they had seen the
lights Of the Edinburgh train enter on the
bridge. They followed the lights across
the lower spans and into the high girders
aud then saw q sudden shower of fire,
This shower, with the lights of the train,
seemed to descend to the river, and then
there was nothing but darkness. In con-
sequence of this alarming statement, loud
appeals were made from the Esplansde to
fhe signalman, who 10 reply said that the
Edinburgh train was signalled to him from
the south end of the bridge at 8 minutes
past =, aud entered the bridge, according
to signal, at IA minutes past. He bad
looked out from his box for it, but had
seen nothing. Until then GAO he had
been unable to learn anything of the train.
Finding that the train was not in sight,
be endeayoured to telegraph to the signal
man on the south side of the bridge, and
4hen discovered that between 7.14 and
TIT the means of communication had been
interrupted. The very serious intelli-
= zsnce was at once conveyed by Mr.. Law
,sonrsto Mr.. James Smith, master OF the
3Tsy-bfidge station.
81 The news spread like wild6re, and a
crowd soon began to gather at the Tay.
bridge station. The train for Newport,
for which tickets had been sold. had in
The meantime been detained. The facts,
,.fso,tar a. they were known, having been
cosyeyed to MI. James Roberts, locomo-
tive superintendent of the North British
~ Rsilway Company at Dundee. be, with
Mr. Smith,. went up to the north end OF
Il ths bridge, but could learn nothing more
chan had been reported by Mr.. Lawson
= jaiShdi,thS Others, who, az it now turns out,
Md Jeeeu Wlihat must have, been the descent
eftt6sxR mi, into tie riHef. Ipispite Of the