The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-29

Detroit. Mich. Nov. 29.-when night
fell over the scene OF wednesday even
ans's awful calamity on tho Wabash
railroad, near Seneca. Mich, those who
had been investigating the disaster had
found nothing to alter the estlmate OF
about so lives lost. as a result of the coll
lision Superintendent George NJ. Burns,
Of the division on which the wreck oc-
Cured, insists that the estimates are too
high
II do not consider" said he, That tho
total death list will exessd 20"
Howver. In support OF the larger es-
innate, 1t Is pointed out that IA parssn-
gers are now known to be dead. The
bodies or eight OF these have been re-
covered. and IL is considered that the
fracments OF other bodies now in tho
morgue at Adrian will account for many
more than the ~ dead necessary 10 make
up superintendent Burns estimate OF %.
In addition 10 the comparatively few
fragments which have been recovered and
sent TO the morguc. those who were ear
ly on the scene say many more pieces
were removed which crumhled when
they were being removed.
Superintendent Burns said today that
Engineer strong of train No. was re-
sponsible. Ills orders" said no, "clear-
ly ordered him TO pass train No. 10 at
Seneca fIe evidently forgot them for he
did not stop there and the collision re-
suited
No steps have been taken as yet to-
ward the arrest Of Engineer Strong.
THE SOLE EYE WITNESS
Only one man was found who was AN
eyewitness OF the collision. A. w. Ely.
20 years old. residing at Seneca, stood at
The depot platform and saw the emigrant
train 60 by He watched the train as II
went down the level track 20 destruction.
Ills attention was arrested by crash.
Then stream OF flame and smoke shot
Ioo fret iuto the air. Ely rushed to the
wreck, and was the first outsider on the
ground According 10 his statement the
scene was one OF awful horror
When 7 got there the emigrant cars
were already on FIRE. and the shreks OF
the burned and injured were terrible.
got hold OF one man i'm the collapsed car
and pulled him out. fIe was horribly
crushed and his legs were broken. He
died almost AZ / got him out OF the car.
what I saw made ms wish I had never
gone 10 the wreck"
Tho old man covered his face with his
hands.
IL don't believe more than l5 OF the
Italians got out OF the wrecked cars, for
sew but very few. Those who did get out
rushed around like crazy men, calling 20
Heaven for protection, and weeping and
waiiing IN their horror. Those poor Ital-
ians. Nothing could be done TO save them,
and We were simply compelled 90 let them
burn"
The conductor Of the train did not
know that the engineer had miSunder-
stood the order, and supposed that his
train WAS going on a siding. Finding that
the train was running rapidly. the con
suctor put on the air brakes himself. hut
IL wss too late. The two trains crashed
together. and the cars OH the west si-bound
train were crumpied M ia n heap OF
ruins
FIRE ADDS TO THE HORROR.
The immigrants aud other passengers
on train - were crushed between the
splintered cars. ~ any escaped with
cut injury u viii he considered mira
ole.
To add 10 Tho horror the vreckage
caught on iro Instantly. and in n short
tune the bodies OF the dead aud those
were being burned.
The scene which followed was heart
sending in the extreme. The spot where
the wreck occurred was I'm the open coun-
Try. and facilities for aiding the injured
wore extremely Inadequate.
The immigrant train was made gp of
nnc csrr behind two engines. Some of
t1ese cars were tammed together. The
unfortunate Inmates fought madly in
their attempt 20 crawl out ~ the win
dows ard doors. thus hiudcring each
"iher - that tho most of them we're un-
able 20 escape VERY 80 the vrsckagf
-haEar burning -aeIcelA--slin those -ln-ihn
carr we're SLOWLY roasted to death.
II was q veritablo he'll of IRE. said
Victor g.. Grsrnbauni of New York city.
Who escaped with slight iniuries. Some
pcorie who came hurryin % The
scene from the house in tie Vi
sA<ity stocs about the vreeksse