Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-07-21
A MEXICAN HORROR.

@'Ai'hF HbfAFisVH hAils" FIF
N'Alo7 Correspondence New York World
AS the telegraph has already told
you, horrible accident occurred on
the Morelos Railroad near Cuautla.
This route bad been inaupnrated only
three days before the disaster. The
President and highest government Of
ilclals went by invitation of the com
pany TO the terminus at the town of
Cuautla, and in order to honor the
distinguished party General Pacheco.
Governor of the Federal District, sent
out three hundred soldiers, under the
command Of five officers. As the rail
road company had not a sufficient
number Of cars 10 accommodate the
multitude Of people who went to Gu
autIa, onl Y one hundred soldiers re.
turned 10 Mexico on the Goth instant.
and on the 23d instant "A train was
made up consisting Of, first, passen-
ger car for the officers and passengers /;
secondly, five platform cars (such a.
are used for cattle in the United States
and in these were placed one hundred
soldiers and thirty-seven "soldadcras"
wives who are by law permitted to
accompany the troops 10 cook and
wash for them thirdly, sixth plat
form car, laden with eighty barrels Of
alcohol iourthly, another car, filed
with lime. At the rear was second
locomotive. This train left Cuautla
at $50 o'clock in the evening In the
course of half an hour a terrible thun-
der storm commenced, but a. this il
the rainy season" it excited 10 atten-
ton About nine o'clock p. NJ. the
engineer of the forward engine said to
the lieutenant colonel in command Of
the troops: "As the route il new |
fear the r.ad.bed may be washed out
in some places by this heavy rain and
the temporary wooden bridges may be
unsafe We had better return TO Gu
autla and wait until morning" The
colonel replied II have received or
dcr- to report in Mexico City early to-
morrow morning; you must 60 on. y
The engineer then proceeded slowly
and cautiously. When within a few
yard. Of new bridge, called Juan
Antonio, which .pauned barranca a
deep rayinc in the Malpai-, be stopped
aud got off the engine for the purpose Of
examining the bridge, although 1t was
supported by stone pier. The colonel
commanding Immediately -prang from
his car aud demanded to know why
the train bad been stopped. The en-
gincer again expressed hI- fears Of the
recently constructed bridge. The sol
dicr-. who had heard the former con
ycr-aiiou between their commander
and the engineer, seemed t. be panic
stricken and commenced jumping from
the platform cars. The officers, dread
ing a complete de-erIon, tTicd tp a'lay
their fcar., but quite a number e-cap-
Cd under cover OF the CimmeTian dark
ness. At length, however, order wa.
restored, and the men seated them
selves in sullon silence. the soldadcras
calling ON the Great Mother" for pro-
lection, and covering down again in
the car-. Then the Lieutenant colonel.
placing biz pistol near the engineers
head aud ordering two subaltcrn Off
Ger. to take charge of the two fremen.
mounted the engine with the engineer
and repeating. I'll blow your brains
out if YOU stop again compelled the
poor fellow to put the train in motion.
No guard had been stationed at the
bridge nor had even a lamp been
placed there; the heavy frcshet had
brought down debris which bad press
ed against the two piers aud carried
them off; the headlight of the engine
shonc only upon the rails which re-
mained, and the engineer being una
bic to sec that these steel threads were
unsupported the train instantly plung-
cd into the abyss, precipiiating Its
human freight into the foaming water.
The ravine being narrow the cars were
piled on each other, crushing and
mangling all. Then the eighty barrels
OF alcohol rolled out, many breaking
open as they fell next the lime pour
cd over the victims, and finally came
an additional horror. As the rear en-.
CINE was dragged into the ravine its
live Goals fired the alcohol, and in a
few seconds this agonizing mass of
humanity was enveloped in flames
Imagine their sufierings
A gentleman who escaped from the
wreck Of the first car said 10 me last
night: "Dante's description of hell
conveys but faint idea Of the horrors
witnessed. The thunder peals SEEM
ed to me like the voice of an inexora-
BILE fate, the fortunes Of that doomed
mass of human beings were made so
distinct, first by the flames of the al.
cohol and afterwards by the flashes of
lightning that my soul sickened. |
managed to Chamber up the sides Of the
ra,s;oo and cnuld only ,,rav. Christ