St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-05-31
HANDSOME MONUMENT IS DEDI-
GATED BY CITIZENS OF
ASHTABULA.
IN MEMORY OF DISASTER
WHEN NINETY-TWO HUMAN BE-
INGS PLUNGED FROM A
BRIDGE TO DEATH.
HE MONUMENT UNVEILED
With Imposing Ceremonies - A
Brief Description of the
Shaft.

ASHTABULA, MAY 90.-A mon
ument to the unknown dead of the
Ashtabula bridge disaster was dedi-
Gated here today with imposing cere-
monies
The following programme was car
ried out: Prayer, unveiling with ap-
propriate remarks by members of the
committee; music by band and male
quartette; introduction of the speaker
by Hon. Henry Fassett, president of
the day; oration by Harry A. Garfield,
son of the late President Garfield;
music by quartette; benediction. The
story of the disaster is still vivid in
the minds of the present generation of
adults. A west-bound passenger
train, on a cold, bleak night in De-
cember, went down into the river, sew
enty feet below, with its precious
load of human beings. All day long
the snow had been falling thick and
fast, and the drifts were large and
many. The people of Ashtabula were
enjoying the evening by their warm
fires, and dreary silence pervaded
everything. The trains had been be-
hind time throughout the entire day,
and the fated west-bound train, which
should have reached Ashtabufa at SIP
p. M, pushed through tAe darkness
and drifted snow at a much later hour
and at 80 o'clock was within mile
of the city. Every coach was filed
with people from all parts of the cOun-
try. All at once there was a quick
stop. Every light was exinguished,
and all the passengers were conscious
knew where The two engines Soc
rates and Columbia, two baggage cars,
two express cars, two passenger
coaches and three sleeepers made up
the train The bridge and all but one
! engine lay mass in the chasm be-
low.
The scene of the disaster is on the
Lake Shore main line, a few rods east
! of the depot, which still remains. The
| length of the bridge was 165 feet, and
it's width 1872. What is known as
+, Ashtabula creek, with it's banks COW
cred with trees, forms the scene be-
! meath it. The bridge was constructed
, of wrought iron in 1865. The ques-
! ton as to the safety of the structure
| was the subject of considerable dis
! cussion. Mr.. Tomlinson, the engi-
| neer of its construction, resigned his
| position because of his convictions re-
garding its safety. Charles Collins,
/ engineer of the entire road, never ap-
! proved of the bridge.
! When the train fell a large number
! of passengers met instant death. The
falling cars and one engine, together
|, with the bridge, smashed into one en-
| CINE together with the bridge, smash
| ed into another as they reached the
| ground and bottom of the creek. The
| top and bottom of each car smashed
in upon them, and the car furniture
| was piled in all directions. The sur
/ vivors, one after another, made their
! escape from the wreck, climbing
| through small openings and badly tear
| ing their flesh. as they emerged
| into the cold snow and darkness of
/ night in an unknown and dreary spot.
! To add to the horrible sight and the
(. distress of the victims, fire broke out
| and the flames glared in the eyes of
the many who were fastened among
/; The debris. Every one who lived in the
vicinity
HEARD THE AWFUL CRASH
and looked out into the black and
stormy night. The whole city in the