Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-01-04
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
Terrible Railroad Collision near
Toronto. nuu,


place this morning at G;55 o'clock, near Hum
Der station, on the Grand Trunk railway.
Fifteen minutes previous suburban train
consisting Of dummy engine and two cars,
on the Great Western division, left the union
station, having on board about 60 passengers,
chiefly employees in the bolt and iron works
at Humber, who resided in this city and who
were going to their work On rounding
sharp curve, Just before reaching the bolt
works. the engineer saw freight train thun.
dering down grade toward him. He reversed
his engine, whistled a warning and with his
fireman jumped for his life. The conductor
heard the warning, and crying out, Jump,
boys, for your lives !" sprung into the snow.
In a second more there was q terrible crash.
The engine Of the freight train knocked the
boiler Of the dummy clean through the first
car, crushing the unfortunate passengers in
every direction, and pinning many of them
to the floor. The impetus was so great that
the engine mounted the truck Of the dummy,
which kept to the rails, and remained on
balance. The engineer Of tho freight train,
when he saw that collision was inevitable,
sprung from his engine, but the fireman,
Thomas, was instantly killed. To add to tho
horror of the scene, the boiler of the dummy
exploded, and the escaping steam and boil
ing water scalded and carried death or terri
BILE injuries to the mangled and bleeding men,
Then fire broke out and completed the work
of destruction. Shrieks, groans and cries for
help from the Rgonized sufferers rent the air.
Every possible phase of Disagreement was to
be seen, limbs cut, bruised and mangled, half
eaten away by FIRE, or swelling to enormous
size by the action Of steam and water. The
first passenger car was terrible wreck, and
several hours elapsed before the poor fellows
buried beneath the debris could be extricated
relief party of 80 or 40 men was soon at
the scene, and at once set to work to rescue
the sufferers and at about l o'clock a car
load of the dead and injured was on the way
to the city. On arriving at the union station
an ambulance and several cabs and omnibuses
were in waiting. A large crowd had gather
ed. The wounded men bore their sufferings
with forttude and patience, a few groans
being the only indication Of their intense
agony. The scene at the morgue beggars de-
scription. Fifteen bodies lay side by side.
Fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers were
to be seen passing from body to body. Now
and again cry of anguish was heard, which
told of the discovery of some dear one car
ried of in the prime Of manhood. George
Barber conductor of the freight train, was
Immediately placed under arrest. He at once
admitted that he got orders at Hamilton to
run to Queens wharf, Toronto, avoiding all
regular trains He looked at the time table
but forgot that the suburban train was on
the list Of regular trains, and hence the
accident. Public sympathy is thoroughly
aroused for the unfortunate widows and chill
dren, and already subscription lists have been
started and offer of entertainments made to
provide funds for their aid Barber has been
employed on the road for about eight years,
and has served as conductor during the past
four years. He was regarded as q trust
worthy and intelligent man.
CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL FOR POOR CHILDREN IN
WASHINGTON.
"A Washington despatch of Dec. % says:
The Children's Christmas club, of which Miss
Nellie Arthur is President, gave q dinner to
500 poor children at the armory of the Ma
tional Rifles this afternoon. The club was
organized about a fortnight ago, and numbers
nearly 1000 members Miss Waite, daughter
of the chief justice, and Miss West, daughter
of the district commissioner, with Mr.. and
Mrs. Rossferry, have been the active workers
in the organization and preparations for the
festival Five hundred cards of invitation
signed by the president of the club we're dis
tributed by the police of the city. Commit
tees Of members received the guests at the
at the armory and waited on the tables, the
children being served standing They were
of all ages, big and little, some not over
three years old. They were well behaved
and the happiest lot of children ever gather
ed about Christmas board at the capital.
After dinner they were taken to the upper
hall, which was decked with flags and ever
greens, where they we're seated and entertain.
ed by an amusing story by the Rev. DIR. Leon.
ard, rector of st. Johns church music by
the Marine band, minstrel performance by
boy members of the club, sleight of hand
tricks by Mr. Stevens son of Admiral Ste
vens, and the distribution of presents by Mr..
| f. II Hav a Santa Glaua in Tha
President, who returned from New York this
morning, held cabinet meeting and then
went to the festival remaining to the end of
the 'show, which was the departure of the
children with their arms full of presents.
Poughkeepse, who ordered out the fire de-
partment to extinguish the celestial conaa-
grafton. But while none of these theories or
conjectures, scientific or otherwise, seem to
meet the case, the evening and morning skies
still blaze forth their splendors, and one does
not need to be an astronomer, with his head
full of theories, to enjoy them.
The chief justice came in during the last
hour. Many omnibuses we're at the door to
carry the children home Ashley passed out
each one was presented with tin horn by
the officers of the Rifles, who were in uni
form and acted as ushers. Christmas dinners
and presents were sent to children who were
sick and unable to come. Like entertain
ments were given by three smaller clubs in
other parts of the city, and altogether some
1000 children were made happy by this new
charity.
THE GREAT VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN ALASKA
MOUNTAIN SPLIT IN TWO.
Prof. Davidson of San Francisco has re-
ceiVed from Alaska these particulars of the
volcanic disturbances Of last October near
the entrance to Cook 3 inlet On the morn
ing of October a settlement of fishermen
on English bay heard heavy report, and i'm.
mediately immense volumes of smoke and
flames were seen to burst forth from the sum-
NIT of Mount Augustin. The sky became
obsoured and few hours later great guam
titles of pumice dust began to fall. At 3: 80
o'clock on the same day an earthquake wave
80 feet high rushed over the hamlet, sweep
ing away all the boats and deluging the
houses The tide being low saved the settle
ment from destruction. The pumice ashes
fell to depth of five inches, making the day
so dark that lamps had to be lighted. After
the disturbances had subsidized, it was found
that the mountain had been split in two from
base to summit, and that the northern slope
had fallen to the level of the surrounding
cliffs. simultaneously with the eruption a
new island made its appearance in the pas
sage between Ohernaboura island and the
mainland, IS feet high and mile and a half
-SAb' ~ was tue VOLCANIC hctlOQ LlhL
Two extinct volcanoes on the peninsula of
Alaska, lying to the westward of the active
volcano Iliamua, -, 900 feet high, burst into
activity and emitted immense volumes of
smoke and dust. Flames were visible at
night
Rev William Mitchell a clergyman who
was recently arrested at Boston for stealing a
book from store, has been discharged, II sp-
pearing that he was insane. He is now in a
private asylum.
The ship Cornelius Wernard Eduard and
the bark Waterloo and Angelo Filliponi, from
Pensacola, Fla, for Liverpool, Amsterdam
and Brest, respectively, with lumber, are sup.
posed to have been lost with all on board,
some 20 men.
The arrival of immigrants in New York
in 1888 show a falling of of over 60. 900 as
compared with 1882.
The number of failures in the United
States in 1888 was 10, 1877, an increase of 26l3
over the year 1882.
-Tha Railroad A oa pays a. "a eOoo Ill. -