, 1880-01-24

bridge except at the risk of his life, and
altar great exertion and laceration of the
hands. caused by clinging to the rails, Mr..
Smith and Mr. Roberts were able to go
far enough to see with certainty that q gap
had been made 10 the structure. The first
evidence of this disaster by which they
were startled were the clouds of spray
from the over flow Of the broken piping
of the Newport water supply, which, as
the local public know, was laid along the
railway. Further, they could see that a
number of the high Orders had disappear.
ed, but as the driving Of the spray and the
ftfulness of the moonlight prevented them
from perceiving to what extent the struc.
ture had been destroyed, they returned to
Dundee, and the worst fears of the crowds
that had gathered on the Esplanade and at
the Tay-bridge station were confirmed.
These crowds had been forming from the
time when the .rumour of the descent of
the train began to spread, and it is needless
to say that the public excitement. which
had at first been suppressed-partly by
the judicious silence of the officials and
partly by what seemed to be the improba.
bility of the rumour-rose very quickly
after the receipt OF the sad Intelligence
brought by Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Roberts.
There were still. however, those awho
believed that, although part of the bridge
bad fallen before the pressure OF the gale,
the Edinburgh train with its living freight
had either been saved from catastrophe,
even within the high girders themselves, by
the sudden action of the WESTINGHOUSE
brake, or that. fearful of the winds VIC.
lence, the officials 10 charge of tho train
had brought it to o stand at Wormlt juno
ton. A multitude of persons chung to
these slender hopes for q long time, aud as
no communication existed, either with
Newport. to which the steamer from the
Tay Ferry harbour had rot ventured to
sail, or with any of the stations 10 Fife,
to which the telegraph connexion had been
broken by the fall of the bridge, it was
natural that they should 80 cling. BY and
by, however, news came up from Broughty
Ferry that two of the mail bags had been
picked up on the beach there. This news,
having been verified. also spread with
electric rapidity, and every doubt of the
truth of the disaster, not to the bridge
only, but also to the train, was thereafter
dispelled.
About 10 o'clock the ferry steamer Dun
dee approached the pier. The Provost
shouted to Captain Methven whether any.
thing was known at Newport. and those
on the pier seemed 10 hold their breath that
they might catch the reply. Above the
roar of the wind, which was still blowing
strongly. the captains voice announced
that DO information had been received at
Newport. In the meantime, Mr.. Glib the
postmaster, had received a telegram from
the postmaster at Broughty Ferry stating
that several of the mail bags. which should
have been brought to Dundee by the train,
bad been picked up on the beach there.
Mr.. Glib at once informed the Provost Of
the contents Of the telegram, which left
no room for hope for the safety Of the
train. There was inst the chance ithat
some one might have made az effort to
escape death and been successful, and that.
if assistance could be at once afforded.
some explanation of the catastrophe might
be obtained. To afford such aid seemed
to be the most eager desire of all. The
Provost asked Captain Methven, VIII
you go upf" Captain Methven. to the
intense satisfaction of all, replied that be
was ready to do so and instructed his men
to keep up steam. The passengers from
Newport were speedily d~isembarked, and
the Provost and his succouf party quickly
got aboard. While this was being done,