The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-24

sncClll
series OF interviews with survivors OF the
Tehicsina disaster which tend TO show that
q, vsa. .,ne Of the most horrible In all OF It's
1.,aI,s that has ever occurred In this couii-
try.
John +. Cassell, one Of the sleeping-carr
passengers, gives the following account Oh
his experiences In the disaster;
think Il must have been only lew mo
rnen,s after the train started That awose.
7 realized that we were in danger, out now
I could not tell. We were rushing aiong
the mountain side at fearful velocity, anu
in a few seconds the crash came. over we
went. and the thousands OF splinters anu
meces OF Debris completely buried ~.
Quickly as possible j was on my iee,, en-
deayoring to make my way through tne
masses under which were buried 70 saw
myself and the other occupants OF ths
train. Everywhere found myself hemne1
in .by masses Of wreckage. MY whe,
think. was Killed by the first shock, as mel
hands were cold when L touched tneni,
and my calls remained unanswered.
cleared a passage-way along the iog-ciains
for some seventeen feet, TIL reached the
Mace near where Miss Squires was I'M
prisoned. heard her scream Ior succor'
She told me she was not injured, Dut mere
Iy unable to get out OF the window.
DREADFUL WORK OF THE FLAMES.
Tho flames began breaking through
,,hero I was working and l was driven
hack n where knew no hope Tor escape
existcd. and retreated merely to avoid be-
inc burned TO death. l went back to my
vie for the fourth time, and now could
only grasp her hair. Again and again
called 10 her for one sign OF life, but all to
no purpose. The gases and flames no"
drove me from her side, and, as last re-
sort. | buried myself in the dt0riS. When
bone had left me the men working IRON
the outside suddenly and accidentally came
unon me and drew hall OF my body out
bnt there / LODGED, our combined efforts
proving unavailing TO free me from ih'
dfbris. FINALLY succeeded in dropping
through hole made for me 10y the res
cuers. | was The only one who ever reached
the light OF day from under that heap o.
ruins.
HOWARD TILTON's STATEMENT.
MFR. Howard Tilton. of Yale, British Co
lombia. the freight agent OF the Canada
Pacific Railway Company, says:
was asleep in lower berth when the
accident occurred. L was awakened bythe
terrible speed and the rocking OF the car.
/ threw ND the curtain and looked out OF
the window, and perceived that the train
was dashing down grade with frisltful ra-
njdity. at n rate OF probably seventy miles
an hour. Irealized that disaster was i'm
minent. and laid down again to wait Tor
the inevitable with the feeling man must
exnerienco when he is standing on scat
fold in expectation OF The fall OF the trap.
IL seemed only an instant when the crash
came. and was hurled from my berth. L
had been sleeping on the left side OF the
car, which fell upon its right side, and L
was covered to my waist with mattresses,
woodwork, aud debris. hut found no diff
Guilty in freeing myself. Smoke passed
through the car, giving timely token of the
impending peril.
BURIED UNDER DEBRIS.
To the right and In my rear | saw Mr..
and MIS-. Porter Ashe perfectly free, hut
Mis- Peterson, the m9id. was buried under
about six feet Of debris, on the top OF
which was water-cooler and wash-hasrn.
Mrs. Ashe was endeavoring to cXtricate
her. and / assisted in clearing away the
rubbish, We soon succeeded in pulling
her out. They were the only persons in
sight. / pushed up the window on what
was then the top Of the car, and found
ii TO work perfectly, not a pane hay-
inc teen crushed. | crawled through
and drew Miss Peterson out, and
Mrs. Ashe followed. l asked Porter
Asbe to throw out some blankets,
which he did, and then crawled through
himself. Mr.. Ashe, Miss Peterson, and
myself had only our undertaking on, but
Mrs, Ashe wore sealskin sacque. The
cold wave was intense. and we shiyered,
even though wrapped in blankets. Deep
stiffness followed the crash, and we heard
only one scream while we were in the car.
As / emerged from the car l saw Mr.. Hatch
and his mother climbing out of another
window. ran along and found we could
reach the ground by means OF the plat
form. | lowered Miss Peterson, Mr.. and
Mrs. Ashe leaping to the ground. The
upper part OF the car was by this time III
flames.
PITEOUsLY CALLING FOR HELP.
Passing along by the sleeper saw the
legs of man protruding from the car. lie
was piteously calling for help. He appeared
calm and thoroughly conscious OF his posi-
ton. i succeeded in partially eXtricatlng
him, when train-man came To my assist
ance, and we saved him from horrible
death. He proved TO be John +. Cassell
OF San Francisco, and he was the last per
son taken alive from the runs. All human
efforts were of no further avail, as the
sleeper WAS IN a sheet Of fame. We lef
the spot and limped down TO the bottom o.
the rayine, some fifty feet below, where W.
found Ex-Governor DowDey, Mr.. CasseIl
Mr.. and Mrs. Ashe, Miss Peterson, Captain
Warehouse and daughter, and few othel
persons scattered about. shivering in th'
cold blast. Among the rocks on the steer
side OF the slope lay Wright, the porter
wounded TO death, and begging piteously
for help.
:, EXHIBITIONS OF HEARTLESSNESs.
At this time there were some big, strong
men, fully dressed, parading up ana
down, who were appealed 70 for aid by The
injured, but who took no notice whatever
Of their calls OF suffering. | attempted tC
assist Wright, who was dying, but, heinz
worn out, could do but little. a brake
man named Mckenzie did al in his power
for us. A locomotive from Tehichipa soor
came TO our assistance and conveyed US K
the station, where we arrived two hours
after the accident occurred. The lOeomo
tive returned to the scene Of the disaster
and brought to the station the injured pas
sengers. Miss Squires, who was killed
had occupied the berth opposite mine. In
front OF the berth Of Miss squires, Mr.. Oil
yer, the county clerk Of Lake county, was
sleeping. lie was burned 10 death. His
wife was not with him.
BURNED AND MANGLED.
The next berth contained Mr.. and Mrs.
Cassell. lie escaped, bat she was killed.
A physician occupied the next berth, whose
name is unknown. lie was burned TO
death, but his remains were identified.
All on nv side OF the ear with the excen-