Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-07-10
a Frightful Accident at Ravenna,
Ohio, Ushers Scores of Pass
engers Into Eternity.
Lurid Flames Add to the Horrors
and Agonizing Torment of
the Dying.
Sargent and Ransom Counties Wis
tied by a Terrific Storm
Loss $4,000.

OAuu
]y happen in%frequently took place at this
point to-day, and without a moments
warning a score of souls were ushered
into the great beyond. The east bound
passenger express of the New York,
Pennsylvania & Ohio road was standing
at the station here when without a
moments warning a fast special of re-
frlgerator cars crashed into the rear end
and plowed It's way through three Pull
man sleepers, filled with passengers.
The results beggar description, as the
shrieks of the wounded resounded in the
air. To add to the horrors of the scene
the engine fires communicated them
selves to the kindling wood into which
the cars were mashed and the dead and
dying we're put to the additional tortures
of the flames. Two men and a woman,
whose names could not be learned,
were hanging out of the win
dows of one of the sleepers,
uninjured except that their feet we're
pinned i'll the debris. Before the eyes of
the remaining passengers they were con-
sumed, all efforts to rescue them proving
unavailing. Under the locomotive could
be seen the headless bodies of two men:
and another body was seen suspended
from the cowcatcher of the engine. The
scenes around the catastrophe were sick
ening and strong men turned away una
BILE to bear the horrors unmoved. Geo.
Holman, engineer of the refrigerator
train, claims to be blameless. He states
that he saw the rear end Of the passen-
ger train too late to check the terrific
speed under which he was going. A
light rain was falling and the rails were
wet and slippery in consequence. AS
Don as he saw the standing train he re-
versed his engine, threw open the sand
box and jumped. The momentum did
not seem to be checked at all. Holman
escaped uninjured. The rear brakeman
of the passenger claims he went back
from his train and displayed a danger
signal, but Holman denies this, or at
least states he did not see it,. The SUI
perintendent Of the road lays the entire
blame for the accident on Holman. The
dead number twenty and double this
number are injured. It was one of the
most frightful accidents in this section
since the terrible Ashtabuia disaster
some years ago..
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
RAvENNA, Ohio, July 4.-The details of
the railroad accident at this point are
sickening in the extreme. It is a chap
ter of horrors. Scores escaped death as
if by miracle. Twenty were killed out
right and as many more seriously in
jured. 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 a good
seasons work in Ohio, says it was a mir
acle that any occupant of the car es-
capped to tell of what followed the crash.
II was half asleep, listening in a lazy
way to the jokes and an occasional cheer
full growl from one of our friends in the
corner, vainly attempting to get some
sleep, when I fancied I heard a man cry
out in alarm.
Too sleepy to fully investigate, I
glanced up and around the car and sunk
back into the seat. Opening my eyes
the next moment, it seemed as if I had
fallen asleep and awakened in another
world. l seemed to feel no shock, but
only a smothered crashing and a dull
sensation Of pain, resulting probably
from a terrific blow I received in the
back of the head Then a realization of
what had happened came only too sooD,
as the most horrible groans and cries
came from every side, from the poor fell
lows who the instant before had been
exchanging some merry remark. Then
came the fire, and I stopped my ears to
the scream of pain and terror that arose.
1t was my friend probably, but he was
so bent, twisted and doubled under the
seat and about my benumbed legs that
I could not tell what it was, except that
it was human and living at one time, but
dying now, as I could catch the gasping
breath and death knell coming from
the poor fellows throat. It was a ter.
rible but merciful release, and a pain
less death, to what some others had to
suffer.
Many were caught and pinned to their
seats or sqeezed against the walls Of the
car, or against the engine that had
dashed into and through cars wherever
they stood, or lay pleading in vain for
help and seeing every moment the warm
flames creeping closer and closer, wind.
ing about their limbs, and licking their
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