The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-04
meal by fremen's hooks and covered with

Aid tor tho wounded was soon at hand,
but for tho dead there WAS nothing but to
hide them from sight AZ soon rs possible.
The AItna building was transformed into
morRue ana, aB tho MASSES of burned flesh
we're hooked out were hastily removed
there and either stretched at full length, or
huddlod in little heaps An enormous
crowd had gathered about tho mor0ue. but
the doors wsre closed. Some, morbidly
curious, crept up TO tho windows, only
to fall back aRhast Mt what they seon.
Nineteen remains OF what had been human
covered with gheetipgs through which u
bare. blacked limb here and there protrud-
ed, while tho blood soaked through tho
white cloth and puddled on the floor.
Coroner Sherman. with assistant, stepped
from one to tho other, searching for letters
or some means of identifying one MASS
dozen instances the entire head had been
burned off. leaving only blacked trunk.
grim and ghastly, defyinQ all efforts of
Identification. Names end other data
could only be secured from Surviving
friends. No one could tell one trunk from
headed bodies but two had retained any
thing resembling the features of a human.
IL Was here in the morQue that the most
touching and awful discovery of the night
was made. The coroner tenderly removed
from one form clotted sheet, to find be-
meath the unmistakable form of Il woman,
and, worst OF all, clasped in her arms, AS il
to shield its young limbs from the flames
that had evidently consumed both, was an
infant child. She had shielded the babe
until the last, and even in death her black
ened arms were unwilling to be separated
from their charge.
The coroner has been 80 busy all day
gathering mems of identification that
nothing was done toward an inquest, but a
searching examination is now being made
Of the survivors. One fact has impressed
All here-not one trainman met injury. w.
II. Young. of Meadville, Pa, conductor of
the freight train, giving his version of the
affair, said: 1--WE we're running at moder
ate rate of speed but the grade was steep
and We had very heavy train. The flag
man was not far enough out and we could
not SEQ him in time to stop. All the train
men got off in time to escape injury"
The two sleepers were the Warsaw and
the Ascoli. The rear car was special III
which was a party of glass blowers. 4 his
pletely destroyed. The wreck will be an
expensive one from financial standpoint
as the loss will foot up in the neighborhood
of 100000.
Ey nine o'clock the wrecking car had the
debris nearly cleared and the wounded were
being cared for. Trainmaster Corbin was
also on the scene. Supt. Matson woulc
give no opinion, nor make any statement in
regard to the wreck, but the case will be
fully investigated and the strict rules of the
Erie system will be enforced. Many wile
rumors are afloat but none worthy of cred
ence, and only close investigation will place
the blame where it belongs.
This afternoon an inquest was held il
the Ravenna court house, the object being
to find out who is responsible for the wreck
About twelve witnesses we're present. bu
only two had testified when the inquest ad
iOurned ....