Title: Bliss and tragedy
Description: The 1876 accident at Ashtabula had all the elements of a classic tragedy: cold, snowy weather that lent eeriness to the dark of night; height, as in the 70 feet from bridge to river; modern technology in an experimental iron bridge; mechanical power in locomotives; human beings fighting for their lives; fire, water, and ice all at once; the evil of robbers preying on the injured and dying; the good in heroes and heroines who risked their lives to rescue the needy; the event striking the unknown and the world famous, such as P.P. Bliss. It is difficult to imagine a worse happening to a little village of 2,500 citizens. - Back cover.
Subjects: Death and burial, Railroad accidents, History, Bridge failures
Places: Ohio, Ashtabula, Ashtabula (Ohio)
People: P. P. Bliss (1838-1876)
Time periods: 19th century