The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-02
TRAIN DISASTER.
Mexican Flyer Train Plunged
Over a Precipice.
More Than a Hundred Killed and a
Like Number Fatally Hurt.

CITY OF MEXICO, March 2.-One Of the
most frightful accidents in the history of
tho Mexican railroads, resulting in the
killing OF 104 persons and tho serious, II
not fatal, injury of nearly 100 others. oc-
CURED on the Interoceanic railroad at a
point about 25 miles from this city.
A few days ago great number OF per-
sons left the capital and towns In the
vicinity to go on a pilgrimage to the
Catholic shriEe mt Sacre Monte. The
Interoceanic road cayried the bulk of the
pilgrims. A long train, aboard of which
there were 1900 passengers, was returning
Thursday afternoon from the place Of tho
pilgrimage.
All went we'll until point On the
line about midway between Temamtla
and Tenango was reached. On this part of
the road there isa steep incline, the line at
one place ON Ii having q sharp curve where
it runs close to the edge of a high precipice.
This Is one of the most dangerous places
on the road, and was rendered more so by
the fact that the line here was not in the
best condition.
AS the train began to run down tho in
cline. the speed gradually increased, and
soon it was running at frightful rate.
The passengers ceased their laughing and
joking and looked at each other with n
strange fear depicted in their faces.
Steadily the momentum of the train,
which was now swaying and bowling
fonrfully, increased, and soon the danger
Gus high curve was struck.
AS the pilot wheels of the engine took
the curve, the locomotive swayed outward
and then back. As the drivers went on
the curve the engine again swayed heavily,
and then either jumped the track or
turned rail It dashed across the scanty
space between the rails and the edge OF
the chasm and then plunged downward.
A Terrible Plunge.
Ono after another, three coaches filled
with passengers dashed after it and piled
up mass of wrcckage at the foot OF the
precipice. The next two coaches also
jumped tho track. bnt most fortunately
did not 90 over the edge OF the precipice.
As tho fifth coach left the metal 10 twisted
aud broke the coupling connecting it with
the coaches behind it. These coaches
kept the rail and passed safely around tho
curve. After running n considerable dis
tance they were stopped.
When the engine and the three coaches
fell Co the bottom OF the ravino there was
n fearful crash, and mingled with it were
the shrieks of the passengers which could
easily be heard above the shrlcking OF tho
escaping steam OF the engine. which was
knocked TO pieces by the fall.
The passengers i'm the two derailcd
coaches at the edge of tho preclpice got
out Of them as quickly rs possible, and
many Of them fell on their knees and
offered thanks for their escape from most
awful death.
In the meantime n number Of tho pas
sengers In the other coaches had returned
to the scene OF the wreck and-got them
selves 90 the rescue Of those imprisoned I'm
tho wreck 40 the foot Of the prccipicc.
The sight here was n most gruesomo one
The carriages were shattered aud ma
jority Of the occupants were lying horribly
manglcd beneath the wrcckagc
Ihe shrioks and means of tho injured