Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-23
Details ofIhe nismsfer.

BISMARCK, March IA special from
Mandan to the Tribune gives the following
details of the railway disaster: Your re-
porter accompanied Divisions u perintendent
Taylor to the scene of the wreck this morn
ing, and coroner from Mandan was also on
board. The unlucky spot is about eleven
miles west of Bismarck at what Is known as
Soapstone Cut, on Sweetbriar creek and two
miles east of Sweetbriar station. About 80
O'Clock last evening a snow-plow, work or
boarding trains and passenger train left
SweetbIiar in the order named. The snow
pillow passed safely over the ten-bent bridge
which spans Sweetbriar creek, but the work
train, which was composed OF fat-cars next
to the engine, followed by two sleeping-cars
for thirty men each, dining car, kitchen car
and store-car. The first indication of some
thing wrong was a sou'6 like a broken
wheel. The train was going at about ten to
fifteen miles per hour. The engineer hearing
the jar Immediately reversed the engine, but
before he had time 10 think
THE TERRIBLE CRASH CAME,
and eight souls were landed into eternity A
wheel on the head truck of fat car broke
and the whole truck Jumped the track
Evidences of its course upon the ties extends
back nearly a mile from the wreck. AS the
short curve leading to the bridge was reached
the strain upon the car was 80 great that the
truck must have been broken in numerous
pieces, some of the more tenacious striking
the ties on the bridge and showing them be-
fore it. The iron being left without support,
the sleeping was Immediately precipi-
tated into the river, thirty feet below,
striking on its side. This was fol-
lowed by sleeping-car No. 2, which
careened over and finally assumed a
similar position No. /. The dining-car
followed, crashing into both the others.
After this was the kitchen car, which re-
manned upright against the dining-car. The
Office and store car was but Partially off the
track. Four bents in the bridge were broken
into splinters and their sleepers completely
demolished. There were about fifty men on
the train at the time, and the escape of even
one
SEEMS MIRACULOUS,
after viewing this wreck. In sleeper No. l
there were about twenty-four men. Some
were lying in their hunks asleep; others
smoking and reading, and some playing
cards. AS soon as the car overturned, the
bedding caught fire, and the mangled and
dying were roasted almost beyond recogni-
ton. The only deaths were among those in
this car. Those who escaped Immediately
grappled such buckets as they could find,
and worked like heroes to extinguish the
flames, but the straw beds, blankets,
and other combustible matter made
it impossible to do so. 1t is supposed
seven of the eight killed were killed instant
ly and before being burned, as but the voice
of one man crying "help" was heard. He
was lying with his feet to the flames and
comrades could do nothing, and were obliged
to see him
GRADUALLY ROAST TO DEATH.
Scattered here and there promiscuously
among the burned blankets, valises, clothing,
brO nd rOIa ha
charred remains of the unfortunate victims.
One peculiar feature of the accident was that
but two of the twenty three injured and not
killed were seriously hurt. They had their
shoulder blades dislocated, and one OF them
had broken arm.
THE NAMES OF THE KILLED,
as recognized by their friends, w-re Ole
johnson, found with one leg partly burned
to ashes, head mashed and arms over his
head, as if suffering intense agony; he had
Just sent for his family in Norway to Join
him at Bismarck. Thos. Wilson was found
about ten feet from Johnson, a charred
mass. VIM. Watson, lying with one arm over
his head and the other with the hand burned
off comp letely. J. NJ. Mccormick, found in a
roll of blankets probably smothered and then
burned. Thos. Grady, with head burned
nearly off, charred pocketbook beside him
containing some time-checks and a con-
siderable sum of money. Geo. Moser, James
OBrien and VIM. McAndrews, found in SIM
liar positions.
THos. o'CoNNoR,
engineer OF the fatal train, says: "The wreck
caught fire almost instantly" The coroner's
jury found the wreck to have been acct
dental, and both the trainmen and the Union
Pacific officials are held guiltless. The dead
were wrapped in blankets and brought to
Mandan this afternoon where they were in
TERED. The wreck is being rapidly cleared
away. Superintendent Taylor says trains
will be resumed on time to-day. The ladies
of Msndan are taking active part in at
tending To the wants of the injured, who are
mnstly foreigners having no friends in this