New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-24


evening and were met by TRIBUNEreporters'
Henry c. Villas, Of Cleveland general manager OF
the South Shore Line, was one of the passengers IN
the forward sleeping-car. He said to TRIBUNE re-
porter: THE crash occurred at about five minutes
of 10 should think come time after had gone to
he'd. II was very severe, and l, woke with a
start. Hastily putting on my coat rushed
out and fonnd myself one of the first
ON the ground At once 1 began to
look ont for the unfortunate people in the forward
cars The scene that presented itself was terrible
The postal car. which was directly behind the en-
CINE, had been thrown off into held
at tight angles to the track, at dis
lance of nearly one hundred feet. ana IL
was smashed all to pieces. The flames immediately
began to rise from it. doubtless caused oy Tue ire
in the stoves and the explosion OF the kerosene
lamps with which the car was lighted; ana III less
than five minutes the whole car was IN Dlaze,
which lighted up the bare fields around
with CHASTITY glare. 1t lay in heap un-
der O large elm tree which soon tooK
fire and was enveloped in flames Nothing could
be seen at first of the mail clerks who had occupied
the car and no sound was heard from them; out
when the roof of the car caved in three OF the
bodies could be distinctly seen huddled up III one
corner where it is supposed they were thrown anu
kiIIsd Inv the first shock The other body was found
in the opposite end of the and all were SO cnareu
and biackened that Identification was almost I'M
possible.
The cars which followed the postal-car were not
thrown from the roadway, but were lying across inc
tracks in the utmost confusion. The expresscar'
baggage-car and the smoking cars were OH tne
track and the first caught fire Immediately Inc
door To il was completely blocked by the ex-
press matter in the car and Brewer, the AGENT was
imprisoned amid the flames. His cries attracteu
attention and great efforts were maze 10 eA.rca'o
him from his terrible position. but IN vain lie hau
managed to get his head out OF small WINDOW III
the end of the car where he begged IN pteous tones
Far Those outslde to save him. The door was forced
men few inches which let in the air. and the flames
bursting out of the window, he fell back with
oroan and was not seen alive again. The passen-
uers had by this time collected from all parts OF the
train and were supplied with shovels from the
vil,oye They tried to extinguish the
flames by throwing snow upon the burn
jno cars They were soon assisted
by the arrival of the fire department Of Owego The
three forward cars were burning at the same tlme
and soon afterward the smokingcars began TO blaze
One of these had been occupied by the Alabama
negro minstrel troupe, the members OF which had
been able to escape without any further injuries
than some severe scratches and bruises Ihs car
was lying on its side, and it was some time before
all cot ont. with the assistance of those outside
dislocated his arm and assisted two other men in
milling his arm into JOINT while he lay his back on
the snow. After thus he worked like Trojan; and
with the help of some OF the passengers he was able
TO save every piece Of baggage. The GOODNESS ana
good discipline displayed by the employees on the
train was remarkable and 1t was by their efforts
that serious panic was prevented AS 1t was,
all the passengers were at first much frightened,
and many rushed from the cars half dressed,
but when they saw the danger was over they be-
came quiet and were very willing to lend their
assistance in caring for those VINO were m'ureu'
and in putting out the fire."
WHAT THE CONDUCTOR DID.
Harvey Lamb, the conductor of the wrecked train,
tells the following story: cit was few min
utes past 1 o'clock this morning. 1 was
walking down the aisle Of the last car near the end,
when Jolt came that threw me off my feet. /
picked myself up, but another jolt threw me
down again, and was followed by
third and fourth. Then the train stopped having
after the first jolt. l Jumped on. and with De
Vallyer an employee of the road. who was with
was. We were just west of the Toga station the
sngine beng hardly twenty feet from the platform
Ali the lights 10 the train had gone out and ior an
ear blazed up probably catching fire from the stove,
and almost at the same tune me. the ,hs postal
with the baggage smoking-cars and some passenger
ears were off the track, lying about their sides
in semeISs completely Gat fdar f Tss
telegraph ph' operator and teiegaPhod to owego ana
The postal car was in blaze. but not a
single sound or CRY came from those within
burned 80 6ercely that we were almost poweress:
The flames shot up in the air until thought that
The telegraph poles. and wires would 20. and that
communication would be interrupted.
were procured, ana we began CnOpplng
through the door of the express car. The other r
end OF h through Ssr Sat the door, There we could
see Henry c. Brewer the express messenger. stand,
Ing close sms the G S0S cGss behind h@
drsught and they burst out more fercey than ever
He seemed in danger OF ana pfeSs9o ms
a and he hS thrust hT bis nose out and drew
q breath. Of fresh air. Then we kept on
came nearer and nearer. They licked up the wood
work and contents of the car like finder. tongue
We could see it blaze aud then shrivel. and we saw
the agony on his face as he clung to the door I1en
S Sis aiotbinw caught fire. While we were there
working to save him we saw the flesh on his face
burning to crisp and nd. PeeliG;SS S o ,a LIE
while the flames burst out with such
force that we were driven away When ne es was
found only part OF the oody was ieie' Inc head'
o nef fire engine came from Oswego but too late
to be of very much use In the postal car the four
clerks were found lying, in heap burned
To crisp No sound was heard from
this car. and 1t seemed as IT they
had been thrown down and killed without moving.
All this took very few Iaiuutes The people in the
passenger cars were pitched about pretty roughly,
and came crawling out 10 great fright and utter
Confusion The wrecking tram reached the scene
about o'clock this morning"
WHAT AN OLD RAILROAD MAN SAW.
I'D. v. Pratt, of Elmira, an old railroad man,
who at one time held a responsible position on this
railroad was passenger on this tram In response