Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-06-28
PLUNGED DOWN AN ABYSS
A MEXICAN RAILWAY HORROR.
A Train Rushes into a Yawning
Chasm-APpsIlIng Loss OF Life
Over Two Hundred Soldiers HurI.
ed TO Death-An Alcohol Fire Adds
a Holocaust of VIctims-COnster-
nation at the Capital.

CHICAGO, June 27.-A special dispatch
from the City of Mexico says: .sThe acci-
dent at Malpais loses none Of its horror
through fuller reports and more accurate
advices. For some time past the district
where 1t occurred has been swept by fierce
storms, sW elling the creeks into torrents
and laying waste many fertile fields. The
bridge spanning the river at the point men
toned. although known to be unsafe, was
still in use when the fated train, bearing a
battalion of soldiers, attempted its passage.
The result was a crash, as the undermined
support gave way, and the engine and cars
were hurled headlong down the chasm.
Scarcely had the magnitude OF the disas-
ter became apparent when a new horror was
added. In the freight vans, comprising a
portion of the train, was a consignment of
alcohol. This took fire, and the consequent
explosion contributed much to the loss of
life. The few who escaped uninjured at
their unfortunate comrades, but it was
some hours before the exact extent of the
disaster became apparent.
"It is now known that thirteen.0fficers and
one hundred and ninety-two privates were
either killed outright by the fall or roasted
to death, while fifty others sustained hurts
of more or less serious character. The
train was entirely consumed. When infor-
nation of the appalling calamity reached
this city the excitement was unbound
ed, and crowds thronged all the
news centres anxiously awaiting par
ticulars. Never In the history of
the republic has so frightful a casualty
been chronieled, and it's occurrence, it is
feared, may still further prejudice the pop
ular mind against railway enterprises.
However, Los GriDgos, as the natives term
all outside barbarians, can come In for no
share of the blame In this Connection
CITY OF MEXICO, June 27.-The follow
ing additional facts are learned touching
the accident on the Morelos Railway: The
temporary bridge over the chasm at Malpais,
on the recently opened Morelos Railway,
was washed away, and train carrying the
Third Battalion of Infantry plunged down
the abyss. One hundred and ninety five
privates and thirteen officers were killed.
The latest accounts of the disaster on the
Morelos Railroad report that seventeen Off
GERS and one hundred and Dinety-seven pri
Yates were killed. This list does not in
clude railroad officials and employees, or the
wives and children of the soldiers, many of
whom were on the train. Only sixty per-
sons in all were saved alive, and of these
forty are more or less injured. The disaster
occurred at IL O'Clock on Friday night, as
the train, which was a long one, and drawn
by two engines, was passing over a wooden
bridge. For moment after the plunge of
the cars from the bridge all Was darkness.
Suddenly one hundred barrels of brandy,
loaded on two vans, caught fire, and
the burning fluid inundated the mass
OF passengers struggling in the ruins.
Only few who were not disabled or hope.
lessly wedged in the timbers escaped. The
dead and living were wrapped in sheet of
fame and slowly burned before the eyes
OF the survivors, who were unable to save
them. The Secretary of Public Works and
anumber of army surgeons went to the scene
of the disaster early Saturday forenoon.