Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-01-24

telegraph three weeks ago, made u
anxious to get details, for which WI
looked impatiently in our Londor
papers as soon as they arrived. W.
found that scarcely anything wa.
known on the spot which had no
already been reported by telegraph
We give, however, two reports o
what was seen, one from the sigma
station, another from a private resi-
dence overlooking the scene of tht
disaster.
FROM THE SIGNAL STATION
The rumor of the disaster quickly
spread last night, but, owing to the
tempestuous weather, comparative
ly few persons were out at the houl
when the intelligence reached the
town, and it was not until this
mornings newspapers were issued
that the calamity became generally
known. Then thousands of persons,
anxious to learn all they could, pro-
ceeded in the early dawn to the Es-
planade, eagerly scanning the side
of the wall in search of washed-up
bodies. The news was first con-
Veyed to the town last night by
Mr.. j. B. Lawson, of Windsor
place, who left his own house with
a friend few minutes after Z. Nat
uralIy enough their conversation
turned on the fury of the gale, which
was blowing from the southwest.
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 a number of men also
anxious for information. Some of
these asserted that about quarter
past Z 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 and then saw a 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
Esplanade to the signalman, who
in reply said that the Edinburgh
train was signalled to him from the
south end of the bridge at 8 min
utes past 7, and entered the bridge,
according to signal, at IA minutes
past. He had looked out from his
box for it, but had seen nothing.
Until then (7:30) he had been I'M
able to learn anything of the train.
Finding that the train was not in
sight, he endeavored to telegraph
to the signaIman on the south side
of the bridge, and then discovered
that between 7:14 and 7il7 the
means of communication had been
interrupted. The very serious in-
tellipence was at once conveyed by
Mr.. Lawson to Mr.. James Smith,
master of the Tay-bridge station.
FROM A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.
The following is statement as to
the accident 0y an eyewitness:
| was seated by my fireside last
night listening to the elamor of the
storm WITHOUT, when a blast of
wind more furious than before
caught the chimneys of a house
almost opposite and brought them
down to the ground with a crash
that startled every one of US to our
feet. Stepping over to the easement
[ eaZed out upon the street, and just
then a blaze of moonlight lighted
up the broad eXpanse of the Tay
down below, and the long, white,
sinuOus line of the bridge came into
view. don't know how it was,
but | instinctively took out my
watch. 1t was exactly Z o'clock.
sThe Edinburgh train will be due
immediately" | exclaimed to my
wife, "come and let US see whether
It viii attempt to cross on such
night" Sosaying, we turned down
he gas in the parlQr, and with many
expressions of thapkf4lpess that no
friends of ours, so far as we knew,
1ad to cross the river at that time,
prepare to await the appearance OF
he expected train. The light had
1y this time become most titful,
rreat masses of cloud were securing
across the expanse of the heavens,
1t times totally obscuring the light
If the full moon. "There she
comes" cried one of the children,
md at that moment the slowly
lights of the Edinburgh
rain could be seen rounding the
.urye at Wormit. Then it passed |
he signal-box at the south side, and |
entered upon the long straight line
If that portion of the bridge. Once |
IN the bridge, it seemed to move |
llong with great swiftness, and |
when the engine entered the tunpelr |
ike cloisters of the great girders,
nv little girl exactly described the |
fleet of the lights as seen through |
attiee-Work when she exclaimed, |
'Look, papa! Isn't that like light
ling9" All this takes some time
% write, but to the eye it seemed as
f, almost simultaneous with the |
entrance of the train upon this part |
If the bridge, a comet-like burst of |
iery sparks sprang out, as if fOrcibly |
elected into the darkness from the |
engine. In long visible trail the |
;treak of fire was seen, till quenched |
n the stormy water below. Then |
here was absolute darkness on the |
bridge. A silence fell upon the !
Eager group at the window. Then |
With stunning force the idea broke |
lpon my mind, "Heavens, }" / cried, !
Il fear the train isOver the bridge"
With a growing horror, l watched |
he curve at the north side to try |
whether / could see the train pass
hat point; but as several minutes |
passed and no moving object be- |
,ame visible at that point, /
,natched up my hat and hurried |
across the Magdalen-green, to meet |
several individuals all bent upon |
he same errand as myself, The |
erriffic nature of the gale at this
ime may be inferred from the fact
hat, descending the slope of the |
yreen. / had to crouch down upon |
he grass to prevent being blown |
bodily away. 1t seemed as If the |
wind had become a solid compelling |
power and was actually attempting |
10 drag one away with a giants |
grasp. One gentleman was blown
lp against another on the green, |
and both tumbled together. The |
massive signal-post beside the sig
nal-box on the north end of the |
bridge was bent by the wind like a |
willow wand. On the Esplanade |
the sand and pebbles were dashed |
about with such force that my |
hands and face were positively sore.
Looking towards the river, could
make out nothing clearly, The
water from the broken Newport