The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-01-27

Sudbury. the division point, late in
the afternoon. 1t was due in this city
at AIS o'clock, but was running hours
behind time. The train was filled with
passengers, T~0Stly bound through to
the 500, Nil neapolis. Duluth and St
Pau.
The Spanish River is a swiftly NOV
ing stream. Its current is fast and il
is deep in spots.
The bridge at Webbweod crosses
the river at the height of thirty-fve
feet. 1t is a single span.
Train Behind Time.
The train was moving at a good
rate of speed, endeaVOring to make
up some OF its lost time. The weather
was bitter cold. The engine and for
ward coaches of the train crossed the
bridge in safety. Then the heavy
diner. which was attached TO the train
just ahead Of the rear passenger coach
"a first-class cOach-left the track
as it was crossing the bridge. II
bumped its way across the ties for
some distance.
The bridge probably had been
weakened by the ice and was not
heavy enough TO withstand the shock
The bridge gave way. Without
warning the happy crowd Of men, wo-
men and children enjoying their eve
ming meal in the diner was plunged
into the river thirty-nve feet below.
The stream was frozen SOldly, but
the heavy Pullman car and the day
coach that followed it cleft the ice as
if 10y a knife. When the two rear
coaches Of the train left the track
they pulled the forward coaches from
the rails.
over a steep embankment these
other day cOatches went. carrying
down their passengers.
Then to add to the horror OF the
scene the battered remains OF the day
coaches that had plunged over the
side OF the bank took fire. The flames
spread rapidly, and they lighted up
the sky FOR miles around.
POwcrlesS TO Assist.
There were no facilities for fighting
fire. There was nothing TO be done
but to let the flames burn. And those
who had escaped with their lives, or
without serious injury, were COMPEL
4 ed TO stand by pOwerless to assist and
see those who had been their fellow
F passengers but a few minutes before
burn To death. AS soon as possible
news of the horror was sent along
the line of the Canadian Pacific. Sud
I bury is the nearest division point to
the scene of the wreck. and that town
with its $500 inhabitants, is forty-twO
miles from Wildwood.
a wrecking train was hastily dis
patched. BY the time it arrived the
/ fire had pretty we'll burned itself out
There was nothing TO be seen but the
charred wreck OF the day coaches.
\ hasty search revealed u number
OF bodies-persOns who had been burn
. ed TO death. y greater problem pre-
scented itself when il came TO the coach
in the river. only the top could be
seen above the ice. How TO get at il
was the question. With the thermom-
"ter near the zero mark. il would have
4 been suicide for anyone 20 have made
. 3D. dive unless equipped with a diver $
outut There was not one 20 be had
' east OF thc Sauit Ste Marie, and the
. outfit was rushed from this city as soon
as possible. The scene OF the accide nt
is abOlt as desOlate as can be mag
lined. The country is vile and rocky.
The tow ns-mcre settlements all of
thcm-arc widely scattered.
There is one doctor in Webbwood
and not another nearer than sudbury
The citizens gave The injured all the
. assistance i'm u.,.t power, but il was
z not much.
The anadian-iacilc Railroad Off
Gals rD .sei TO acrt't for time that
. there ..t been 90 W4,Ck. They tried
= fD suppl cess D., new S. The clglt bod les
covered N..r SO ha llN e.. a-.rd that
.ry We're lu ognizable