Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-16
AWFUL FATALITY
IN TIE RAILROAD ACCIDENT NEAR BASLE,
SWITZERLAND, SUNDAY.
II is Now Believed That Over One Hundred and
Twenty Persons Lost Their Lives When the
Bridge Collapsed d-Heartrending Scenes at
the Wreck Nearly as Bad as JOhnstOwn.


Cured yesterday near Bale, on the Mo-
enchenStein and Bale railroad show that
two engines and three carriages loaded
with excurSionists fell into the stream
which flowed beneath the iron bridge
which gave way and caused the disaster.
These carriages and engines now form a
shapeless heap of wreckage beneath the
prevented two other carriages, which
were were suspended practically in the
air, from falling and still further in
creasing the number of killed and
wounded. OF the large number of per-
sons injured many have suffered so seri-
ously that it is considered likely that
their injuries will terminate fatally, as
they consist of bad decorations, and in
some cases limbs have been completely
severed.
The bridge, or viaduct, which COL
lapsed and caused the accident, has re-
Gently been built and strengthened
after sustaining damage by the rising
river.
The total number of people who lost
their lives yesterday by collapse OF a
railroad bridge on the Moenchenstein
and Bale railroad is now placed at l20,
with hundreds more or less injured.
Another account of the disaster says
that 81 have already been recovered
and that 40 persons are severely wound
ed. 1t is feared that many others are
dead, whose bodies have not yet been
found.
The victims are Dstly leading citi-
zens Of Bale and its neighborhoJd. En-
gins ers who have Inspected the bridge
since its collapse say that the iron work
of the structure alone gave way, and
that the masonry work is intact.
Scenes which were truly heartrending
were witnessed in this city to-day, when
the bodies of large number Of the vic
tins of the Moenchenstein railroad dis
aster were brought here from the place
where the accident occurred, by sorrow
ing relatives who had gone in search Of
missing husbands, fathers, or brothers,
wives. mothers or sisters, as the case
might be, for representatives OF the ma
iorlty OF the best families OF Bale left
here to attend the musical festival.
Wives brought home the bodies Of their
husbands, and husbands brought home
the bodies of their wives and their
children. Several families were prac-
ticaly wiped entirely out of existence
by the disaster, the full extent of which
is not known even at this hour. Bale
:, Of nj
of the dead, and the scene of bitter
deSolation and mourning.
Everything that the local and munich
pal authorities can do to help the
wounded, recover the dead or assist
those who have been plunged into dis
tress by the fearful railroad wreck is
being done. Clergymen, priests, and
physicians, large force of troops and
fremen and scores of vehicles, to be
used as ambuances, have been despatch
ed to the scene of the wreck. The
troops and firemen are buSilY engaged
in removing the wreckage, recovering
the bodies Of the dead and transporting
the wounded to their homes in this
city, or to the hospitals.
The work of the soldiers dragging
the river was greatly impeded by the
fact that the stream was considerably
! swollen by the recent melting OF SHOWS.
Thus the waters carried many Of the
bodies long way down the river, so
much so that it is expected that several
days of dredging work will be re-
ouired before the soldiers work will be
completed.
CHASTITY as the broken bridge and its
environS were during the work of res
cue, there was one corner of the dark
picture, which was the center Of inter-
est, if only from the fact that it was
the center of horror. This
spot was the 'imbrovised morgue
on the river bank where
the dead bodies were taken and tender
ly laid in rows by the soldiers. Close
to this place of the dead, were two huge
fires OF fiji trees, and bivouac of in
fantry soldiers, who furnished guard
from their number who, with fixed bay
onets formed squad OF sentinels
around the dead, admitting within their
lines only those who were actually In
search of missing relatives. Such peo-
pie arrived there at I'll hours of the
night and were most kindly received by
the officers in command OF the troops,
who gave the visitors every facility to
prosecute their search.
With the morning hours the removal
OF the wounded to this city, delayed in
many cases on account OF the serious In
iuries incurred because the patients
were unable to risk the jolting natural
to travelling in Il carriage, cart or am0u-
lance over rough country roads by the
relief trains was commenced, and the
mourning procession may be said to have
soon reached from Moenchenstein to
Bale.
That somebody" is to blame for the
accident nobody for moment doubts,
but people are too busy just now in car
ing for the wounded and dead and try
ing TO arrive at some accurate estimate
OF the total amount OF the disaster. that
the question of blame is postponed for
the present, from official consideration.
The state of terrible excitement into
which the inhabitants OF this city were
plunged Yesterday by the Moenchstein
railroad disaster, continues this after
noon. People are still tiocking to the
scene, the majority on foot, others in
all kinds OF vehicles, until it may be
almost said that every man and woman