The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-02
Passengers on tho Steamer New York While on their Way
From Plymouth TO London Met An Awful Fate. Locomotive
Leaves Rails at Salisbury While Going at Rate Of Seventy
Miles an Hour and tho Whole Train Is Destroyed. Mayor
Mcclellan and wife Saved From Certain Death by Fortunate
Decision 10 Remain on Steamer Until She Reached Cherbou


first shook was felt. and the effect was
sufficient TO keep the last wheels OF this
| car on the rails
OF indescribebie horror. Most OF the
dead and injured were imprisoned I'm the
! general wreck, which formed great
heap 80 feet high; The first danger was
out from the bottom OF the terrible pile.
| where the fires OF the two locomotives
were mixed with the wreckage debris.
II was fortunate that the scene or the
accident was within easy reach OF means
TO combat this danger. Otherwise the
dead and living would have been con-
| sumed In a funeral pyre.
RESCUE AT HAND.
Rescue was at hand with remarkable
promptness. The local fire apparatus and
large force of railway employees were
on tho spot within 10 minutes and the
! ineipient blaze was quickly drowned out.
Then came the more difficult task Of
su Was aerribiy o Slow VINO work. ' Mr I sentei & one
OF the sufferers. who was deep In the
almost inextricable mass, was not
dragged out until after four hours OF
frantic struggle with the twisted bars
and broken timbers.
His wife, son and two daughters lay
dead near him. He was conscious most
| OF the time, and the rescuerers were near
enough 10 give him water before they
were able 10 drag off the last obstacles.
unconscious. He was at once removed
10 a hospital. where he lies at deaths
door.
The others. dead and living, were quick
ly cared for. The dead were laid out
in the waiting room OF the station. A
strong force OF local medical men was
promptly on the ground. They superin-
tended the removal OF the wounded to the
hospital where there are ample facilities
for the treatment of injuries
None OF those taken 20 the hospital
was able at first to give an account OF
his experience. Even those who es-
capped almost unhurt were so dazed by
the fearful shock that they were unable Il,
give clear account OF what happened.
Nearly all were doing or quite asleep
when the crash came.
Mrs. Holsart who reached London later
In the day. was imprisoned for an hour
In the wreckage She kept up splendid
courage, encouraging the rescuerers as
they sawed through the pinioning tim
bers. She and her husband are az the
Hotel Russell, suffering severely from
shock.
AWFUL MUTILATIoNs.
The mulit>~~Dns OF the dead and In
tured were terrible. Part of one body is
gone completely. One girls feet were
cut on above the ankles. The top of a
most pathetic feature OF the disaster
was the death or young Cossitt. who was
graduated from Princeton last month
Four days later he married a daughter
OF Justice Dugro OF New York. charm
Ing girl OF 49, They started on their
honeymoon. intending to tour Europe
until October.
They were favorites on board the New
York and their friends did their utmost
TO persuade them 10 remain on the steam
er until they reached Southampton Mr.
Cossitt. however, being a bad sailor. in
sisted upon landing at Plymouth. He
was instantly killed
Mrs, Cossitt escaped unnjured. but IS
suHering from the frightful shock. She
reached London last night and is stavIns
with friends in Park Lane.
McCLELLAN'S LUCKY ESCAPE
was the merest chance that Mavor
mcoieIlsn OF New York was not on the
wrecked train. He had an apnointman,
TO keep in London today. and aIthough
tne steamer was late arriving at Plyrn-
outh he decided to come direct N Iordo,
instead OF going 10 Cherbourg with Mrs
mcclellan, who was booked through 70
Paris. 0ueh 10
HIS hand baggage had been transferred
10 the tender 10 land at Plymouth and
ne was going on board the tender. when
Mr. Il
Cleilan had been asking 10 urge her bus-
band TO accompany her to Cherbonr,
told the mayor he could still reach on,
aon In time TO keep his appointment ~
ne went on TO Cherbovs and thence to
Southampton "
Just before the tender left the ship,s
SIDE Mayor Mcclellan changed his mind
and the ships steward threw his bag
gage back on board the New York as the
tender was casting OF her lines.
John r. Mcdonald. the New York bo,ss-
man. best known as Jack" Mcdonald
VINO Is among the dead, got the com
partment on the special train which bod
been reserved for Mr.. Mcclellan. and go
the mayors escape was indeed the mar
rowest. Mr.. Mcclellan will remain IN
London week and then will join his
family I'm Paris
Relatives Of Walter Barwick. who wen,
TO Salisbury yesterday morning upon
learning OF the accident. and who re-
turned to London last night. say the scene
at Salisbury upon their arrival there was
one OF indescribable confusion.
TREMENDOUS SPEED.
Their greatest difficulty was in identify.
ing the dead, as the bodies had been
frighthilly mangled. Mr.. Barwick's body
was barely recognizable, being covered
with wounds
II have been accustomed" said George
A. Strachan of Boston. who. with his
aunt. Mrs. J. II. Wilton. was on the
wrecked special, ION the broad-gauge
lines OF America 10 speedy travelling and
know what is a good. swinging pace. BUT
IL seemed 10 me as we sped along last
night that the old country could go us
one better after all.
II cannot remember ever having been
carried along at such rate before The
oscillation and vibration were very no.
ticeable remarked that n must he good
rolling stock and n first rate permanent
way that could stand the strain.
Just then the smash came. Mrs.
Wilton and I were Jerked into n corner
OF the carriage then the car went over
and We were pinned In quite long time.
Through the window, which was above
us, we saw the reflection OF fame. and
feared the carriage was aflre. and that
we were cornered. but as we waited relief
came. and we were extricsted l saw
the flames were being vomited from en-