The record-union., 1891-07-04
Special to the REcoRD-UNIos.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoS.
RAyENNA Ohio, July 3.-Nineteen
people We're killed and twelve injured at
an early hour this morning i'll the most
frightful railroad accident of the present
year. Ats O'Clock the eastbound express
ON the Erie was lying at'the station while
some repairs were being made to the en-
gine. Flagman Boynton was started back
with a lamp to ward off any possible
danger from the rear. Suddenly, with
out warming the headlight of locomo-
tive flashed around the curve, and fast
stock train dashed down the steep grade
from the west, crashing into the rear OF
the passenger train standing quietly at
the depot. There was some dreadful
mistake.
KILLED AND INJURED.
Nineteen precious human lives were
crushed out in a moment, and twelve
persons manned and injured. Following
is the list of killed and injured.
Killed-Henry Gildea, John AIcAvoy,
Patrick Ryan, 7. Hauf, 7. Burns, j..
kimbail, owen Sandman, Thomas Nolan,
Thomas Keville, George Gildea, David
Belehian, J. Coyle, n. Newcomb, D..
Ryan, ID. Cassidy, Henry McGill, all
glaSs-wOrlers of Finley, O., and Corning,
\. Y; c. Griffin of Brooklyn, n. "; a.
Gunthrop Of Brooklyn, \. Y; w. Kain
Of Brooklyn, y. y; an unknown nurse
girl, and an infant child.
Passengers in the Pullman sleeping
car injured-Joseph Morgan of Corning,
y. y; Thomas Hanley of Corning, \. y;
George Smith of Corning, James
Dwicken Of Corning, Dennis Ryan OF
Corning, James Smith, II. c. Degraff,
John Cadween, James McGill, John
Dating, J. Codt. NJ. Moser, II. Young, c.
Reilly, w. {. Jones. A. Humphrey, II
Humphrey, John O'Hare, X. McMain
Edward Perry, Z. Maltby. All these are
seriously hurt, and some may die.
SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT.
The passenger train was about ten
minutes late, owing TO trouble with one
of the cars. The train at the time OF the
accident lay on the main track, Just at
the bottom of n steep grade, and though
the trainmen knew they were followed by
p fast freight, no one seemed to think the
freight was at their very heels, and once
Oh the down. grade, coming into the
station, 1t was a hard matter TO stop,
especially as the freight did not make
Ravenna stopping place. What might
have been expected actually happened.
The freight WAS making time and came
down the hill with a rush, the tender be-
ing fairly hurled through the rear cars OF
the passenger. When your correspond
ent arrived on the scene after the ac-
cident the scene was awful.
PITEoUs CRIES FOR HELP
Arose from the heap of wreckage. and
willing hands were already tearing at the
heap of broken and twisted timber and
iron. Suddenly here and there tiny
tongues OF flame sprung up from the
crevices Of the wrecked train. The fire
had added to the horrors OF the wreck,
and fight as they would the reScuerS
could not drive the ugly element back
one foot from the writhing victims, who
Shriekcd and implored III vain for help
that was willing enough, but was far too
weak to tear aside the iron and timbers
before the wreck and flames had done
their worst.
There were very few injured who did
not die, and very few of the dead who
Were not bruised, broken and blackened
and burned out of semblance.
\ MIRACLE THAT ANYONE ESCAPED.
Tom Hanley OF Corning, who was in
the fatal rear car with Il score Of fellow
glass workmen on their way home tC
Corning, after the seasons work in Ohio
says 1t was a miracle that single occu-
pant of the car escaped to tell of what
followed the crash.
j was half asleep said he, "when ]
1ancied / heard a man cry out in alarm
Too sleepy to fully investigate, glanced
around the car and sunk back into
my seat. Opening my ewes the next mo-
ment, it seemed as If l had fallen asleep
and wakened III another world. ] seemed
10 feel no shock, only a Smothered crash
and dull sensation of pain, resulting
probably, from a terrific blow received
on the back OF the head. Then a reali-
Zatiou Of what had happened came only
l,a9 il,Ip
crlcs came from every side from she poor
fellows who, an instant before. had been
exchanging some merry remarks. Then
came the fire, and with the first blaze
stopped my ears to the
SCREAM OF PAIN AND TERROR
That arose. j was wcdged in by some
one Of my friends probably, but he was
so bent, twisted and doubled under the
seat about nay benumbed legs that |
could not tell what it was, except that il
was human and living at one time, but
dying now. Many were caught and pin
toned 10 their seats or squeezed against
The walls OF the car or against the engine
that had dashed into and through the
cars. " hereVer they were there they
stood or lay, pleading in vain for help
and seeing every moment the flames
creeping closer and closer, winding about
their limbs and licking their faces. One
10y one their cries were stilled. My es-
cape WAS simply miracle, ana came
about through no effort of my own.
was forced on, knocked toward tho
break IN the car, and after hard work cX.
tricated my legs from the mass of wreck
and human forms, and found mysell
standing IN the outside air, badly hurt
but alive
READY ASSISTANCE.
There was 40 delay in ready assistance
but all efforts We're fruitiess until the az.
rival of the city Fire Departments. The
1iames could not lie stayed until water
had been poured into the wreck. Fol
hours il seemed To agonize the onlool<erS
but in reality all that human power coule
do was done.
At daylight the flames were sllbdued
and a fearful crowd OF several hundred
stood at the station gazing on the siclen.
inp sight while all about them was In,
smothering odor of
BURNING HUMAN FLESH
Arising from the mass heaped up in In,
vyacl<age. Now and then All eye chanceC
ON little shreds of clothing or scarce
tIesb and bones, each and all blacllenel
and roasted TO a horrible degree. Posi-
Ilv tbe most fearful sight, il one could br
worse than the other, was the appearance,
of tho boiler Of the freight engine.
In the first shock the front end of tht
boiler was broken in, and rs the engin,
plouohed its way through the mass o
humanity, four poor fellows were actual!