Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-06-16
4 HARVEST OF DEATH
IsIO A GORGE THIRTY FEET DEEP
An EXC arsien Train Pisngss Through .
Bridge ana oas Hundred and
Twenty of its Passenger are
kilied-AWfuI scenes

BERLiss June IA fearful accident
is reported from Switzerland. A rail-
road bridge across the Moeniehen, a
small afffaent OF the Rhine, at Stein, in
the canton Of Basic. not far from Ger
many. gave way Sunday under the
weight of an excursion train, crowded
with throngs of people.
The long train was crowded with
people On the way 10 sttenda musical
fete. six score of persons were
killed outright while hundreds were
injured Two engines and the first car
plunged into the river and all the pas
sengers in the car were drowned Two
cars remained suspended from the
bridge. All the trainmen were killed
Thirteen cars were saved The musical
fete 1T Moenchenstein was abandoned
as soon as the news of the accident ar
rived. and hundreds of villagers hur-
ried To the scene TO assist in rescuing
the victims The bridge was an iron
skeleton structure which was con-
sidered well built and substantial The
only apparent reason for the collapse
of the bridge is that the train left the
one side of the bridge
The gorge was about so feet deep
and the water was deep and swift
The engines and car were en-
tirely submerged and none of
the passengers or trainmen were
able to escape. The bodies of
these victims remained long
time in the water before being reached
but finally the car, which was badly
crushed and splintered, was torn apart
and the victims penned within released.
OF the remaining cars all were more
or less damaged, the forward one
being almost suspended over the tor
rent below, having been thrown off its
trucks and lying almost crosswise of
the track. All the others were de-
rallied and not q passenger escaped
without some injury. At least
hundred were badly hurt and
of these several. 1t is feared, will die.
The dead and wounded were taken to
Stein. The calamity has stricken the
people with horror. Relief trains with
surgeons have been sent to the scene
of the accident
The total number of people who lost
their lives is placed at 100, with hun
dreds mere or less injured. Another
account of the disaster says that
fifty-seven bodies have already
been recovered, and that forty
persons are severely wounded. 1t
is feared that many others are dead
whose bodies have not been found.
The victims are mostly leading citizens
of Basic and it's neighborhood. Engi-
neers who have inspected the bridge
since its collapse say that the iron work
of the structure alone gave way and
that the masonry work is intact
BAsLE, June i5.-Scenes which were
truly heartrending were witnes scd in
this city when the bodies of a large
number of the victims of the Moenchen-
stein railroad disaster were brought
here from the place where the accident
occurred. by sorrowing relatives who
had gone in search of missing husbands,
sisters, as the case might be, for repre-
sentatives of the majority of the best
families of Basic left here to attend the
musical festival Wives brought home
the bodies Of their husbands and
husbands brought home the bodies
Of their wives and of their chill
dren. Several families were practical.
ly wiped out Of existence by the diss 3
ter, and the full extent of which is not
known even at this hour. Basic is
now truly n city of mouaing. a
place of the dead, the scene
of bitter desolation and moura-
ing. Nearly every family in the
city may be said to have been
touched by the calamity, for those fam
lilies who have not actually lost one of
their members have dear friends or ac-
auaintances either among the dead or
among those who ere mourning the loss
of relatives
Everything that the local and
municipal authorities can do to help
tho wounded, recover the dead or assist
those who have been plunged into dis
tress by the fearful railroad wreck, is
being done. Clergymen, priests and
physicians. large force of troops and
fremen and scores OF vehicles TO
been dispatched TO the scene
of the wreck. The troops and firemen
are busily engaged in removing the
wreckage. recovering the bodies of the
dead and transporting the wounded to
their homes in this city or to the hos
pitfalls. The physicians and ministers Of
the Gospel are doing noble work in min
istering 10 the wounded and in comfort