Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-06-26
One Hundred and Twenty Lives Lost
in the Railroad Wreck.


BERNE. June 16.-The total number
If people who lost their lives by the
collapse of the railroad bridge on the
Moenchenstein & Bale railroad, is now
placed at 125. with hundreds more or
less injured. Another account Of the
disaster says: Fifty-seven bodies have
already been recovered and it is known
that forty persons were also severely
wounded. 1t is feared that many 9TH
ers are dead whose bodies have not
been found. The victims are mostly
leading citizens OF Bale and its neigh
borhood.
Scenes which were heartrending
we're witnessed in Bale when the re-
mains OF a large number of the VIC
Tins were taken there by Borrowing
relatives. Several families were prac-
ticably wiped out OF existence in the
disaster, the full extent OF which is
not known even at this hour. Bale is
now scene of bitter desolation and
mourning. Nearly every family in the
city may be said TO have been touched
by the calamity. for those families who
have not actually lost one of their
members have dear friends or acquain-
tances either among the dead or among
those who are mourning the loss of
relatives. Those who are wounded in
clude so many serious injuries that al
| most each hour records another death
or another case in which physicians
give up all hope OF saving the patients
life.
Everything the local and municipal
authorities can do to help the wounded,
recover the dead or assist those in dis
tress is being done. Clergymen. priests
and physicians, large force OF troops
and tiremen, and scores of vehicles TO
be used as ambulances have been dis
patched to the scene OF the wreck. The
troops and firemen are briskly engaged
removing the wreckage. recovering
the bodies OF. the dead and transport
ing the wounded to hospitals. The
physicians and ministers of the gospel
are doing noble work in administering
to tho wounded or comforting the
dying.
The neighborhood OF the collapsed
bridge now resembles in many features.
episodes after q battle. or the closing
act in some war-like struggle. Still
more so was this the case last night
when the river banks were illuminated
by huge fires and troops and firemen
were working increasingly. dragging
the river for the dead. nursing the
wounded and keeping guard around
the spot where it was not thought ad-
visible to admit the crowds of people
who had Hocked to the scene from
every village in the canton. The work
OF the soldiers in dragging the river
was greatly impeded by the fact that
the stream was considerably swollen
by melting snow. Thus the waters
carried away many bodies and several
days OF dredging will be required be-
fore the soldiers work will be COM
pleted.
That "somebody"is to blame for the
accident nobody doubts. but the people
are SO taken up with their present duty
that the question of blame has been
postponed for the present from official
consideration.
The state OF terrible excitement into
| which the inhabitants were plunged
yesterday by the Moenchenstein rail-
road disaster continued this afternoon.
Shortly after the first horror OF the
crashing engines and cars through the
bridge and into the swiftly running
stream had died away. the survivors
OF the accident saw scene which
must have rivalled in horror the most
heartrending features OF the Johns
town disaster in the United States.
Beneath the bridge was hideous mass
OF debris intermixed with still breath
ing heads, despatched with blood and
brains, protruding arms and legs.
bloody garments OF all descriptions.
hats and bonnets umbrellas and par
asols, hands and feet while floating
down the stream were numbers of
dead bodies and family struggling
men. women and children. a few now
and then uttering horrible cries OF
terror or emitting those fearful. gurg-
ling, suffocating, moaning gasps pe-
|
After the first moment OF practical
paralysis which followed the revela-
ton OF this horror the survivors did
their utmost to rescue those whose
lives were in danger. The work of
pulling those who remained in the
two suspended cars from the perilous
position in which they were placed
was one OF great danger and difficulty.
and resulted in number of instances
of heroic conduct.
In the meanwhile messengere were
dispatched on all sides for medical re-
lief, which was most earnestly needed
by the hundreds OF wounded people,
whose distressing cries for help and
prayers to God to relieve them from
their sufferings were most heartrend-
ing. Though everything possible was
done by the survivors, some time ma
turally elapsed before physicians
reached the spot. Troops and firemen
were next to arrive and they did good
service in many ways, so much that by
| nightfall sixty bodies had been recov-
cred from the wreck and from the
mountain stream into which the en-
gines and cars OF the excursion train
had plunged.
When the relatives OF the dead and
wounded began to arrive and identify
some OF the victims there was another
most awful series OF incidents. The
widest grief was expressed on all
sides. Weeping and moaning filled
the air and several people were forci-