The Portland daily press., 1895-07-10

'-- -oAooo ioollHS Has run ulgn mduy
cures some of them of very sensational
nature, have been reported and the sick
I'LL over this province have felt their hopes
revive While it is doubtless true that
many people from the States have mad e
tne pilgrimage very much of an excur-
sion, IL has not been SO here, and nearly
all tne person on the train were sick, and
ID many cases were on their way to the
SHRINE as last hope. The fact that SO
many SICK people were on the train made
the accident worse than it would other
wise have been.
Inc question asked by everybody here
is. Who is responsible?" 1t would seem
that the blame must rest with the dead
driver, Peter Mcleod, who sent his en-
gine crashing into the engine ahead OF
him, and who, with his fireman, Richard
Perkins, was instantly killed. 1t is be-
lleved that the collision was complete
surprise to both men, the position of
their bodies showing that they made no
attempt to escape from the engine. 1t is
believed here that the peculiar state of
the atmosphere, hot, sultry, sleep induc-
ing, caused the driver to lose all idea
where he was. There was q thick gray
fog that shut everything in, and this may
have confused him. He
DIED AT HIS POST,
and apparently without knowing of the
da niger ahead
| The awful shock of the disaster for the
moment prevented intelligent action or
even an intelligent appreciation of the
situation. 1t was a moment of terror,
and to make it worse the Catholic clergy
man who were the leaders of the party
were killed or injured. Those in the
Pullman died seemingly unconscious of
danger. The time between the collision
and death was too short for them to even
arouse themselves.
The cries of the wounded were some
thing fearful, and as, one by one, they
were taken from the ruins, the awful
nature of the disaster was plainly to be
SEEN
| There were many pathetic incidents
! Even the sick seemed to think only Of
others. One woman, who was desperately
wounded, said in French to man who
offered to assist her, "My mother first -
Many of the wounded are in great danger
their injuries being in many cases inter
nal and their suffering great.
| The priests who were left alive and in
| jured directed the work of mercy.
| The number of the wounded will con-
| siderably exceed the first estimate of
! forty.
| A special received here says that in
many cases the pilgrims, who were at
| first thought to have escaped uninjured,
were in reality badly hurt For the
moment they had a strength born of ex-
citement, and did not at first comprehend
| their real condition 1t is thought
probable that at least three of the
wounded, man and two women, were
in great, and immediate danger. The
last rites of the Catholic church were ad-
ministered to them today.
Rev. Father Mercier one of the killed,
was well known priest, and was very
popular with his people. He was an
eloquent man and had a high reputation
as a preacher. He had been very active
in promoting these pilgrimages to the
famous shrine. Mr. Charles Bedard, of
Richmond, who was also among the
killed, was a much respected citizen.
The priests not only administered
spiritual consolation, but directed the
work of looking after the sick. One
woman almost
WILD WITH TERROR
exclaimed, "In the name of God what
calmly attending to one of the wounded
replied, Help that man there, " pointing
to man who, badly wounded, stood in
need of immediate assistance The COM
mand, for it sounded like that, was at
once obeyed.
Every house became a hospital The
people were aroused and rendered all the
| assistance in their power. Many of the
pilgrims were too dazed to talk, and
others could not give their names, being
too badly wounded to speak, and the
early reports amounted to but little.
OF course there was the
Widest EXCITEMENT AT RICH
MOND,
Sherbrook and other points where the
pilgrims lived. Rev. Father Dignon,
was the parish priest at Windsor Mills.
The wreck was a scene of confusion.
The engine was wrecked, and the cals
were piled about. The loss was very
large, the Pullman being valuable car.
The force of the blow when the engine
struck the Pullman was very great. ''It
drove the train forward" said one man.
Those on the trains only knew that
they felt the blow, and then escaped the
best way they could. Many of the dead
were dreadfully mangled, and many of
the wounded had about given up hope
when they were reached and helped.
Mcleod the dead driver, had been for
years in the employ of the Grand Trunk,
and was a noted driver. He lived at
Richmond, and leading business mau
said this evening: "There must have
been something that threw him quite off
his guard. He was very patient and
cool man, and never gave way to excite
ment. - There will be a strict investiga-
tion.
q A big wrecking train is at work on the
road and the line will be open by the
time the special train from ''the States''
reaches here with more pilgrims. The
local authorities are doing their best and
the Grand Trunk officials acted with the
greatest possible promptness. AS many
as possible Of the wounded have been sent
back to their homes
While the news of the disaster was
wired from Quebec to this city as soon as
the tidings reached the ancient capital.
and orders were asked for, in anticipa-
tion of what they would be, a rescue and
wrecking train was made up and leading
physicians and clergymen notified to be
ready to go to Craig's Road station. No
time was lost there or here and orders
were sent to do Everything possible for
the wounded.
A train man who saw the accident saws
it occurred like flash, and that the next
instant the cries of the wounded and
frightened people on the train were some