St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-04
STORIES OF SURVIVORS.
Graphic RecitaIs of Some Who
Live to Talk.


Live to Talk.
RAvENNA, o., July 3.-Tom Hanley,
of Corning, who was in the fatal rear
car with a score of bright, lively fellow
glass workers on their way home to
Corning, after good seasons work in
Ohio, says it was miracle that siugle
occupant af the car escaped to tell of
what followed the crash. II was half
asleep, listening in a lazy way to the
Jokes and occasional cheerful growlS
from one of our friends in corner,
Vainly attemptingstO get some sleep,
when | fancied l heard a man cry out
in alarm. Too sleepy to fully inveSti-
gate, l glanced up and around the car
and sunk back into the seat. Opening
my eyes the next moment, it seemed as
though | had fallen asleep and wax
ened in another world. l seemed to
feel no shock-Only SmOth-
cred crashing and dull sensa-
ton of pain, resulting probably. from the
terrific blow l received in the back of
the head. Then a realization of what
happened came only too soon, as
the most horrible groans and cries came
from every side from the poor fellows
who an instant before had been eX-
changing some merry remark.
"Then came the fire, and with the
first blaze l stopped my ears to the
screams of pain and terror that arose. l
was wedged in by some one, my friend,
probably. but as he was so bent, twisted
and doubled under the seat, and about
my benumbed legs, that could not tell
what it was, except that it was human
and living at one time, but dying now,
as could catch the gasplng breath and
death rattle coming from the poor fell
lows throat. 1t was terrible. but
a merciful release, painless death.
to what some of the others had
to suffer. Many were caught and pin
ioned to their seats, or squeezed against
the walls of tine car, or against the
engine that had dashed into and
through the cars. Wherever they were.
there they stood, pleading in vain for
help, and seeing every moment the
warm flames creeping closer and closer,
winding about their limbs and licking
| their faces. and one by one their cries
were stilled as they gave up the fight
for life. My escape was simply a mira
Gle, and came about through no effort
of my own. / was forced or knocked
| toward a break in the car, and aftei
hard work eXtricated my legs from the
mass of wreck and human forms and
found myself standing in the outside
air badly hurt, but alive"
Albert Smith, of Corning. n. Y, who
escaped with his right leg broken, tells
! his experience as follows: II was in
the rear coach asleep. The stopping of
the train awoke me. l heard the roar
ing of the meat train, and had Just
raised the window to look out to see
what was the matter, when l was
thrown through the open window and
| landed twenty feet from the car, alight-
ing on my right leg and dislocating it..
tainted from the pain, which had be-
come intense. When l came to was
at the Ktna house, and the surgeon had
| just finished setting my leg. Willie
Kain, of Brooklyn, was sitting in the
seat in front of me, and 1t was in all
swer to his question of What's the
matter@ that l raised the window,
which act probably saved my life, as he
was caught in the car and burned to
DEATH"
Mary Magill, another survivor, says
81 was sitting in the front day coach
with Mr.. Gunthrop. and suddenly we
! felt an awful jar. Some one said that ii
was the air brake and everything would
be all right soon. just then my brother
came in all covered with blood and his
clothes torn. He told me that we were
all right, but that the rear coach was