New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-04

upon a sickening sight, while all about them was
a smotherng awful odor of burning human flesh,
arising from a mass of blackened heaped-up
eckage. Now and then ones eye CHANGED
upon little shreds of clothing or scared flesh and
| bones, little piles of what might have been
human, each and all blackened and roasted 10
a horrible degree
Probably the most fearful sight, il any one
could be worse than the other, was the appear
ance Of the front of the boiler Of the freight
engine. In the first shock the front end of the
boiler broken n and as the engine plOughed
its way through the mass of humanity four poor
fellows were actually Scooped up in the cauldrOn,
wounded and helpless, and they lay slowly roast
ing to death, before the very eyes of the spectators
who could not aid them. They after
ward pulled out piecemeal by the firemen's hooks
and mercifuly covered with sheeting.
Aid for the wounded was soon on hand, but
for the dead there nothing to hide them from
sight. As soon as possible the handsome Aetna
Building was transformed into morgue, and as
the masses of burned flesh hooked out they
were hastily removed there, and either stretched
at full length or huddled in little heaps An enOr-
nous crowd had gathered about the morgue, but the
doors closed. Some morbidly curious stepped
up to the windows, only to fall back aghast at
what they had seen-nineteen bodies of what had
been human beings, covered with sheetings
through which bare, blackened limb protruded-
while blood soaked through the white clothing and
huddlcd on the floor. Coroner Sherman with his
assistants stepped from to the other searching
for letters or some means of Identifying one
mass from the other. This was difficult. In
half dozen instances tie entire head had been
burned off, leaving only the blackened trunk.
GRIM CHASTITY defying all efforts at Identification.
Their names and other data could only be secured
from their surviving friends; one could tell
one trunk from the other--all had become alike
in their common fate Among the entire nine
teen beheadcd, dismembered bodies but two had
retained anything resembling human features.
1t was here in the morgue that the most touch
ing and awful discovery of the night was made.
The Coroner temporarily removed from one form
the clotted sheet to find beneath il the unnstall-
able form of woman, and worst of ALL clasped
In her arms, as if to shield its young limbs from
the flames that had evidently consumed both,
was an infant child. The woman had
shielded the babe until the last, and even in
death her blackened arms were unwilling TO be
separated from their charge.
The Coroner has been so busy all day gathering
means of identification that nothing could be done
toward an inquest, but a searching examination
is now being made of the survivors. One fact
has impressed all here-not one of the trainmen
met with injury.
W. H. Young of Meadville, conductor on the
freight train, in giving his version of the affair,
said We were running at a moderate rate Of
speed, but the grade was steep and we had a
heavy train. The hagman not out far
enough and we could not see him in time to stop.
All the train men got off in time TO escape injury
Cincinnati, July 3.-The wreck is the most dis
astrous that ever occurred on the Erie road.
special train was sent from Youngstown, convey
ing surgeons and nurses to care for the injured.
Many of the passengers on the train were asleep
when the awful crash came and number were
crushed 10 death in their berths. terrible scene
followed There were cries for help from all parts
of the train, mingled with dying means Of others
whose lives were being crushed out.
The steam was escaping from the monster
freight engine, and soon the wreck caught fire
and the flames crowded upon those who were fast
in the debris The few persons who escaped with
ont injury worked with almost superhuman power
in their efforts TO rescue the more unfortunate
ones. In several instances persons slowly burned
to death while pleading with their last breath
for help which could not be rendered.
The wreck was most complete. The cars were
piled upon and across each other almost in solid
mass. linus ullt Sllldil patty VI l'oC"NAo "VAFNN
at disadvantage. AS rapidly as the injured were
rescued they were conveyed to the station, where
physicians from Ravenna and the other near
points, the first to arrive, rendered all the
assistance possible The fire was finally eXtin-
l,uished, but not until several persons had per-
ishcd.
In couple of hours the company had responded.
and relief train, with a corps of physicians and
nurses. arrived from Cleveland and other points,
and the iaiured received every attention Those
able to be removed were sent to Cleveland ana
placed in the hospital there The dead were
removed to the rooms of undertakerS in Ravenna.
1t would appear that the whole accident was
due TO the carelcssness of some one in leaving
switch open. The heavy freight train was run
ming at the rate Of thirty miles an hour, and 1t
struck the passenger train with full force
One poor woman was pinioned in the
wreck, though apparently but slightly hurt,
whose piteous appeals for help will never be
forgotten by the spectators. The flames had not
vet reached but were slowly reaching her. Strong
and willing hands swung axes as they were
never swung before. On crept the flames 1t
WAS battle between life and death, and death
WAS gaining The heat becoming more IN
tense every Instant. Men who were no longer
able to Withstand the flames gave place to others
with the rapdty of lightning. But it was
useless fight The choppers bad TO fall back and
abandoned the woman TO her fate. In momeno
the flames caught her dress and Instantly eaped
to her head Her pitcous cries Of Save me;
save me-" as the flames cnveloped her form, and
the expression of agony on her face as she sank
down IN the debris, caused the stOuNot
hearts 10 grow sick with horror. How
many more such frightful tragedies, though
unseen. were enacted within the burning ruins
in these brief moments will never be known The
bodies were carried TO the depot as soon as IecoN
cred and laid in lows They presented ghaStIy
sirbt. though not nearly so badly mutilated as
might have been expected from the
nature of the accident. In the early
morning the bodies were taken up and placed in
an improvised morgue In old store room.
common spring wagon was used, thirteen being
boulcd In a single load. They are being rapidly
prepared for the inspection of friends and for burial
bv local uudertakers wreclling train responded
from Kent. and about daylight workmen began
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