The Washington herald., 1907-01-01

The one theme Of discussion yesterday
throughout Washington was the magni-
tude and horror OF the railroad disaster
at Terra Gotta. It seemed that something
q the grim tragedy Of it all was written
in most faces that one met Men meeting
in the cars, or on the streets, or gath
cred at their places of business would
glance at one another. and instead Of the
customary morning salutauon. one would
say; What Il horror"' and the reply
would be an asserting "hOITible.'
The greatest disaster that has even
came to Washington as a city! That was
the voiced expression of many. and al
though there were some who recalled
scenes OF the war days. when many a
home was bereft. there were none to dis
sent from the fact that this sudden blow
which fell in the blackness Of Sunday
evening was the grimmest and most awful
tragedy Of medsva times in washington
So thoroughly and painstaking had all
the facts been garnered that little was
lett TO speculation. The worst was known.
and no imagination could conjure up
scenes OF sadness and pain and horror
-+-e~t HNtN NN-@E tttfill tAlH AettlA ~ UAltr
Visit MOrEues and Hospitals.
II was not yet daylight before the ex-
odus downtown began. and cars from
every direction as they made their first
morning trips brought with them pale
faced men and weeping women on their
way 20 the various hospitals. OF to the
Districf morgue.
1t was strange TO mark how varying
We're the emotions expressed. Most Of
these early comcrs in a search for sop1e
beloved one had spent q night OF terrible
anxiety, and some OF them showed the
effec.s Of The awful strain. Men in Sareh
of their women feik. or Of little children
stared dumbly at the sodden morning as
the ear took them on their way About
theH they heard men talking about the
y. eek and its horrors. but they took no
pa in such discussion. just stared.
d.nbly, hanging on. perhaps, 70 some last
shred Of hope
~ the hospitals the surgeons and the
Uses worked all night. and by the early
rs ~ vta.srdly snorHs.1Es tise s7onted
discipline had reasserted itself. and there
was something lilze calmness. In the va
rious wards lay many sufferers battling
for life, some SO swathed in bandages as
to be unrccognizable and all. with few ex-
ceptions, were in dull. lethargic stupor
due either to merciful drugs or TO the re-
action after the bitter experiences.
Anxious Ply Question:
Early tie hospital ante-rooms were
thronged with anxious relatives. and nu-
merous attendants were kept busy an
swering questions prompted by keen and
eXcusable anxiety. but often incoherent
and meaningless. When il WAS found 10
be practicable and the inquirer seemed
to have some definite reason for belief
that those he sought might be within. the
silent nurses. tcnderly sympathetic. would
take the visitor into the ward and quietly
point out the bed on which the patient lay
There We're few outward demonstrations
Of grief They were mostly like the
woman, heavily yelled. who called before
! a. clock at the Emergency Hospital. The
description she gave Of the patient she
wanted was a clear one. and she was led
to a bed where a man of about thirty
years. with both legs broken I'm many
places and with internal injuries. from
which ne is doomed to death. lay in a
state Of coma.
She stood by the bedside and gazed at
him. and listened painfully TO his slow
and labored breathing. She threw back
her veil 90 get a clearer view. Half tim
idly she stretched forth her hand and
smoothed the coverlet that lly across his
breast, and she let her fingers rest Il mo-
ment on the rigid, pale hand that hung