New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-23
THE TEHICHIPA DISASTER.
HOW THE SURVIVORS ESCAPED.

SAN FRANCIsCO Jan. GA dispatch from lehl-
chipa states that in the investigation of the tram
disaster the Coroner's Jury found that the VieuhiS
cams to their death by of neglect on the parC
OF Conductor Reed and Brakeman Patten. Inc YER
dict is not yet approved by tho Coroner. Two
bodies have been identified as those OF IhOmss
Keegan and Ferdinand Gromfort, discharged SOL
diers of Company H. 9th Cavalry
John f. Cassell one of the seepng-car passeh-
gers arrived in this city yesterday. In giving an
account of the disaster he said: 3" think IL must
have been only a few moments after the tr"'h
started that awoke. | realized that we were III
danger but how | could not tell. We were rush
ing along the mountain side at fearful Veiocly
and in a few seconds the crash came. over We
went and the thousands of splinfers and pieces OF
debris completely bnried us. As quickly as pos
sible | was on my feet endeavoring to make
my exit through the masses under which
we were buried TO save myself and the other "ccu-
pants of the train Everywhere l found myself
hcmmed in by masses of wrscklge. My wIie,
think was killed by ths first shock, as her hands
were cold when tOuched them, and my calls re-
manned unanswered / cleared passageWay
along the hog chains for some seventeen'feet, TIL
reached the place where Miss SquireS was impris-
oncd heard her scream for aid. She told me that
she was not injured but merely unable to get out oil
the window. The flames began breaking through
where was working. and l was driven back TO
where knew no hope for escape existed, and re-
treated merely to avoid being burned TO
death. went back to my wife for
the fourth time. and now could only
grasp her hair. Again and again called to her for
one sign Of life, but all to purpose. The gases
and flames now drove me from her side, ana as
last resort buried myself in the debris. When
hope had left me the men working from the outside
Suddenly and accidentally came upon me, ana drew
half of nv body out bat there | lodged, oar COM
bned efforts proving unavailng 10 free me from the
d6bris Finally succeeded in dropping through a
hole made for mo by the reScuers. | was tho only
one who ever reached the light Of day from under
that heap of ruins"
now PORTER AsiIE AID HIS WIFE ESCAPED.
Porter Aisle gave his experience AZ follows: " My
wife. maid aud myself were occupying the drawing
room Of the secpng-car. We were awakened by
the swayiug of the going ut the rate OF about
seventy miles an hour. Our maid was buried III tn"
dGhris my wife and falling Oh top OF her. The
car Immediately took fire and we were forced to
take the timber and burning boards OF the maid,
piece by piece. The car became envclopcd IN
smoke. BY breaking the windows at the top OF Tho
car succeeded IN ing my wife and maid, and
pushed them through the window. We
were climbing oil the car nearly suilocated
by the smoke when / heard man
calling for help aud bnsecching us not to leave
him | reached down through a broken window
aud succeeded in getting hold OF Ex-Governor
Downcys hand aud pulling him out nearly
stranclcd. While helping her maid to the ground
NY wife stepped on the window and fell through
into the car again. TIE by this time was
burning rapidly. II is imp Issible to tell how | got
her ont. jumped with her to the ground aud inn
moDiaicly ran down the Hill 10 avoid tho flames.
Before leaving the ear pushed through window
q scashiu cloak and n Goiman lined with FUR two
blankets and one mattress. | had no other cloth
ing except ms ughtshirt Tie wind was blowing
strongly and the weather was'intensely cold Sur
rounding us Law the dying ami dead. TX Governor
Downcy Mr. Casscll, my wife and her maid. How
ard Tilton. who rendered great assistance and
who actcd spl muddy, the child OF Mr. Watterhouse
ans my-cif occupied the mattress. and were only
protected by q blanket until assistance came from
Trmchipa. The railroad officials did every thing IN
their power to relieve distress. and from the SUPER
iuieudcnt down TO the tranmcn acted with the
ntinos; dc icacy and courtesy. We were provided
OF Ichiclipa with warm clothing
HOWARD TUToNs STORY OF TIE ACCIDENT.
JLc(aH publishes tho following interview with
Howard Iton. of Yale. Brush Columbia, the
freight agent of the Canada Pacific Railway Com
pany. who va, on board the train AT the time OF
The disaster. llc says: Il was asleep IN "a lower
berth when tLc accident occurred. | WAS awakened
rs the tcriblc speed nnG the rocking of the car |
threw up the curtain and looked out Of the window
and perceived that the train was dashlng down
grade with irightiul rapdty at q rate of probably
seventy miles az hour rcalzed that adisastcr was
imminent and laid down again to await for the
inevitable with the feeling man must experience
when he - standing on sCaliod IN expectation OF
the ia ol the trap IL seemed only an instant when
tho crash came, and Was hurled from my BERTH
had been sleeping on the let >ldcoi The which
fell upon rs right side, ami was covered t. my
waist with MATTRESSES woodwork and debIls,
but found 40 difficulty freeing myself.
Smoke passed Though the ear. giving timely token
of the impending penn. 10 the tlght ana IN my
rear saw Mr. and Mrs. Porter Ashe perfectly free,
but Miss Petersen, the maid, was buried under
about sIN fcot OF debris tho top of which were a
wafrr-coolcr and wash basin. Mrs. A~he was
dcavorug 10 cXtrcaic her aud assisted In clear
ing ava, the rubbish. We soon succeeded IN pull
ing her out. They were the only persons IN sight
| pushed up the window Uu what was then the top
al Inc car ana found 1t worked perfectly, not
pane having been broken. ] cTuwlcd through and
drew Miss Petersen out and Mrs Ashe followed.
asked Porter Ashe To throw out some blankets,
which lac did, and then be cIawlrd through himself
Mr. Ashc Miss Petersen and myself had only our
undrrclothlng ON, but Mrs. Ashe wore sealskln
sacquc. The cold was Intense ana we shNered even
trough wrapped III blankets
ljeeo stiffness followed the crash. and we heard
only one scream while we were IN the car. As
emerged from the | saw Mr. Hatch and his
mother climbing out OF another window. ran
along and found we could reach the ground by
means of the platform. l lowered Miss Petersen,
MIR and Mrs AsDe leapng to the ground. The up
per part of the car by this time IN flames. Pass
ing along by the sleepingcar saw the EGGS of a
prOtruding from the car He was piteously calling
Tor help. lie appeared cam and thoroughly con-
scOus of hIs position. succeeded IN partially OK
Treating him when "A trainman came To my assist
ance, and we saved HIM from horrible death. He
was John T. Ca sell, of San Francisco. and he was
the last person taken alive from the ruins. Ali human
efforts of no further avail, ~ the sleepngcar
limped down TO tho bottom of the rayinc some
nifty feet below. where we found Ex-Governor
Dowmry, Mr.. Cassell, MIR. and Mrs AShe, Miss Pc
tersen Captain Waiterhouso and daughter and a
few other persons, scattered about and shIvering
III the cold blast. Among tho rocks on the steep
IL.