Carson Daily Appeal

A DREADFUL RAILROAD DISASTER.

Under date of Cleveland, Dec. 29, we have the following account of a dreadful railroad accident:

An accident is reported at Ashtabula, Ohio, on the Lake Shore railroad by which seven coaches and all the baggage and express cars were burned, and about one out of every five persons killed, at 10 o'clock, this evening. The scene of the accident is a few rods east of the depot iron bridge, which spans Ashtabula creek seventy-five feet above the water. On both sides are high banks. Snow has been falling almost constantly for the past 48 hours, and now a driving storm is raging, making it very difficult to get news from the wrecked and burning train. Conductor Henn left Erie for Cleveland an hour late, and neared the bridge at Ashtabula about 8 o'clock. Very few particulars can be learned at this hour but assurances are given that the citizens of Ashtabula, with a competent corps of physicians, are doing everything possible for the sufferers. Following is a partial list of the wounded: George W. Waite, wife and son of Ashtabula, badly hurt; J. W. Martin, wife and mother, thought to be from East Doon, New York, fatally injured; J. M. Murray, Hartford, Connecticut, injured; W. H. Vosburg, of Buffalo, New York, injured; H. W. Shepherd of Brooklyn, New York, leg broken; Bernard Sawyer of White Hall, New York; Thomas C. Wright of Nashville, Tenn.; H. L. Brewster of West Chester, New York; Mrs. Lew of Delaware, Ohio-all slightly hurt; Robert Monroe of Rutland, Massachusetts, badly hurt; Edward Truworthy of Oakland, California, badly hurt. Many other names are here given, but their repetition is not needed here. A later dispatch says: Of the one hundred and sixty-five persons on the train less than sixty are known to have been saved. The lost are so totally destroyed by fire that it is impossible to identify them; but a few burnt stumps of the limbs remain. The following is just received from Ashtabula: General Superintendent Payne is here, and says there is no prospect at present of ascertaining the names of the killed and wounded. The railroad folks are doing what they can to get the names, but it will be late before anything is known. On the arrival of the Cleveland train the surgeon of the road organized a corps of assistants and made a tour of the various hotels where the wounded were attended to. Such help has been given to each as was possible. All that human skill could do to save life was done. The scenes among the wounded parties were as suggestive almost as the wreck in the valley. The two hotels nearest the station contained a majority of these, and they were scattered about on temporary beds on the floors of the dining rooms, parlors and offices. Toward morning the cold increased, and the wind blew a fearful gale, which, with the snow, which had drifted waist deep at points along the line, made all work extremely difficult. At 6 o'clock the beds in the sleeping car of the special train were made up, and such of the wounded as could be moved were transferred thereto. The bridge was a Howe truss, built entirely of iron, and 11 years old. It was 85 feet above the water, and had an arch 150 feet long, the whole length of the bridge being 157 feet. It has been tested with six locomotives, and at the time of the disaster was considered as being in perfect condition. The iron of the bridge is twisted in endless confusion with that of the cars, while the locomotive is a wreck in every part.