West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1883-09-29
A YEAR OF DISASTER.
AN APPALLING RECORD OF DEATH
FROM ACCIDENTS AND ELEMENTARY
DISTURBANCES.

from the porteutious aspect Of the
great planetary bodies, postponed
the disastrous epoch until the pres
ent time, he could with confidence
have claimed that his prophecies Of
evil had been literally fulfilled. One
fourth OF 1883 is yet to come, but its
appalling record OF death from acci-
dents aud elementary disturbance
gives to it a CHASTITY prominence, and
it will pass into history as the year
of disaster. The great agents OF
destruction-aood, FIRE, famine, vol
cano, earthquake, :ornedo, and epi-
demic-hsve each contributed long
list of victims, which seemingly unus
ua,ly frequent minor accidents on
land and sea have helped to swell to
flightful proportions.
A statisticlsn who kept an imper-
iect record Of the first seven months
OF the year estimated that the fatal
tiles resulting from extraordinary
causes had then reached the enor-
nous aggregate OF $1,000. To this
must be added the awful destruction
of life by the overwhelming calamity
in the Indian archipelago. But it is
to be hoped that more careful sur
vey of the fearful loss Of life can now
reported. At present it is estim ated
that from rs 900 to $4,000 human
lives were lost. Should these fig
uTes, however, be disproved, the
widesrresd disaster which over
whelmed. these tropic isles will prove
the most destructive OF modern times.
Below we give in tabular from list
OF those calsm;ties which have reA
suited in the greatest loss OF lie dur-
ing the frst tbEee -iourths of the pres
snt year
Jsnusry-By foods in Germany
and Hungary about $50 lives were
lost.
Jan. ll-Burning of the Newhall
house, Milwaukee, and loss OF so
lives.
Jan, Is "A circus building in
Poland was burned and 27O people
peri4bed.
Jan. 2l-By an accident on the
Southern Pacific rsilway,'st Sehic-
hapi pass, % were crushed and burn
ed to death.
Jan. 2l--Tbe steam Clmbria colli-
ded with the Sultan off Berkum is
land and 399 were lost.
Jan. 22-By explosion Of powder
works at Oakland Gal, 26 were kill
e..
Jan 24-Fooding Of a mine in
Australia caused the loss Of % lives.
Feb. 1--Italian steame. Ansonia
wrecked OF the coast OF Tiipoli !:
loss 20.
Feb. 1--Panic in factory at
Bombay loss %,
Feb. 8-Steamer Kenmore Castle
wrecked IN the bay of Biscay loss
81,
Feb. 17-Accideot 10 Diamond
coal mine at Joliet, I'll. loss II.
Feb. 81 Fire and panic in a Cath
olic school in New York loss Is.
March 5--steamer Gypsy sunk
near New Orleans loss 18.
March 11-Hull and Yarmouth
England fishing fleets wrecked 4;
loss 1876.
March 9l-Steamer Nsvsrre ioun-
defed on voyage from Copenhagen o
Leith loss 4e.
March l8-Eunslsfnage wrecked
on Aberdeenshire coast loss %.
March 25-Avslanches from Mount
Arrarat loss $50.
April Wreck Of six Ysrmoth
(England) fishing vessels jIoss 40.
April 2-Boler explosion at
Dizer. France; 81 killed, 65 injured.
Apri, 16-Explosion of powder
depot at Rame loss 40.
April 17-Sixty-two persons
drowned while engaged in a religious
ceremony at Secunder bad, India.
April 26-Ship Couoty Aberdeen
oolided with ship British Commerce,
loss 25.
April 26-Exp plosion Of mine at