The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-07-08


in the vicinity of the Erie depot were
awakened by terrible crash, quickly
followed by agonized screams, and
frantic calls for rescue.
Soon hundreds were hurrying to
the spot from which the awful cries
proceeded, and there sight was met
that froze the blood in the veins of the
Mortified spectators, and for moment
completely paralyzed all their powers
of thought or motion.
Passenger train No. s, the magnifi-
cent vestibuled New York & Chicago
limited Express, due here at 1:37 a. M, ,
had pulled in at this depot with very
heavy train, consisting of several bag
gage cars and eight coaches and Sleep
ers. The engine stood several car
lengths east beyond the depot. and the
last car just cleared the Atlantic mill
crossing, a distance of between four
and five hundred feet. The train was
late, and in addition to making the
regular stop at this depot, stayed sew
eral minutes over their time to make
some repairs on the whistle, which
did not work satisfactorily. While
this work was in progress, fast meat
express No. 80, running 80 miles an
hour, with twenty-four heavily loaded
Swift's refrigerator cars, crashed into
the rear car of the passenger train with
all the force of its fearful momentum,
and in a moment plowed its frightful
way through the entire length of this
car, and penetrated for some distance
into the next one before its terrible
force was spent. And who shall de.
scribe the scene that followed? The
last car was loaded with glass blowers
on their way from Findlay to Corning.
N. Y, where most of them lived.
They had been in -Findlay since last
January, working for the Richardson
Glass Company, and were going home
to spend their Summer vacation, the
works having closed the day before.
There were between As and SO of them
in this car, which was taken on at
Kenton, O., and the consciousness of
home journey filled their hearts with
the joyousness born only of such real
izations, and happier or lighter heart
ed company of young men would be
impossible to find.
The mind sickens at the narrowing
details which cannot be portrayed by
human language. The helpless VIC
TINS, without a moments warning,
were caught up by the monster engine
and hurled and driven through the
crashing timbers into mass of crush
ed and mutilated humanity, the dead
and injured piled in horrible heap at
the front and on top of the locomotive,
which did not stop until it had plowed
its way partially into the next sleeper.
The rear car was an old fashioned
ordinary day coach, and before the
tremendous force of the high speeded
freight, was shattered with frightful
rapidity into shapeless mass of piled
up timbers and twisted irons, within
which was score of human beings,
mangled and torn into hideous frag.
ments of flesh and bones. Most of the
bodies were driven with awful force
before the engine, and crushed into
horrible heap between the sleeper and
the rear car.
The roof and one side of the car
rested on the engine, completely COW
ering its top and hanging down over
its west side. Pinned in between the
boiler and this heavy wreckage were
a half dozen of men struggling with
frantic endeavors to release themselves
from their awful situation. But their
legs were pinned fast, and their efforts
only increased their agony and inten-
sified the horror of their helplessness
and suffering.
In the place where the smoke-stack
stood several bodies were seen in a
ghastly heap, and two of the victims
were gathered up into the black mouth
of the boiler itself, as it plunged
through the coach.
the air with maddening sounds, and
the sight of men pinioned by the fear
full weight of timbers, madly waving
their arms in crazed desperation, and
shriekingin in the frenzy of physical tor
ture, will be picture of lifelong hor-
ror to those who beheld it.
But far worse sight met the eyes of
those who came few moments later,
for the pile of wreckage had almost
Immediately taken fire, and in few
minutes the horrors of the scene were
multiplied a thoEsand times. The
wretched victims saw the frightful
end that awaited them, unless assist,
ance came Immediately, and struggled
with ten-fold endeavor to release
themselves, but all in vain. Soon the
means and groans grew less, and the
cries sounded fainter, and in few
minutes death mercifully released the
sufferers from their awful agony.
In the meantime the alarm sounded
by the engine and Quaker Mill whis-
ties and the changing of the fire bell,
had aroused nearly everybody in the
city, and hundreds of people were
constantly arriving at the scene.
The fire department quickly respon-
ded to the call, but owing to the dis
tance from the engine house to the
depot, were not able to reach the wreck