Fremont Journal

The dreadful Rail Road Calamity,

The following is the description given by one of the editors of the Chicago Tribune, who visited the scene of the Collision soon after its occurrence.

On the northerly side of the Central track, one first class passenger car was thrown up-on its side, and groans and cries assailed the ears of those who hastened from the rest of the first class cars which retained their position. Those in this car were aided to escape from the confusion, and from the danger of suffocation, and it was found that none were dangerously injured though several received severe bruises.

The scene which presented itself upon the other side of the Central track cannot be fully described, and time will not efface the memory of that terrible and heart rending spectacle, from the mind of the unwilling beholder.

We saw a heap of ruins, from beneath which shrieked out upon the midnight air cries for help mingled in strong discord with the deeper toned groans of the dying. One by one, those who were able, crawled out from the rubbish, while the uninjured were fully employed in rendering assistance to those unable to extricate themselves.

Each moment the scene became, if possible, more heart rending. Here sat a poor woman with a broken limb, and her little daughter stood by her side, weeping and begging for assistance. There lay a young German, dead, his sister by his side, wringing her hands, and crying "mein Bruder mein Bruder !" Here a child crying "O my father." There a woman wailing for the loss of her infant. A woman dead, her mangled features but partly concealed by a cloak, and at her side only a faithful dog.

Three children, from three to ten years of age were taken from the water and placed side by side. At the head of one sat the bereaved father. No one came near to claim the other two.

An infant was picked out the ruins unharmed, but no mother could be found for it.

Those most dangerously injured were conveyed into the unharmed cars, and rendered as comfortable as possible. With some the struggle between life and death seemed uncertain.

In this place was exhibited the kindness of woman's nature, and the sympathy of many a true heart found expression in timely action.

It was the general opinion that from 12 to 15 bodies lay beneath the ruins, though it was impossible to ascertain with any accuracy. Four bodies had been taken out. From 50 to 60 were seriously injured, and some of these cannot recover. The emigrants on the Central road suffered the most.

The ruin of the cars was in itself a terrible sight. Piled up in the water lay an immense heap of wheels, iron railings, splinters, doors, &c." On one side lay the crushed locomotive, still emitting steam as late as 2 o'clock. Perched on the top of all at the height of twelve feet above the water's edge, was the baggage car, sound, not even the end glass broken.— The other end had burst open and a portion of the trunks had rolled down the heap into the water below.

Beneath one edge of the car appeared the bald head and one hand of an old man. The leg of one and the body of another were also visible beneath the car.

To the east of the ruins burned a bright fire kindled from the splinters, whose light flickered across the quiet form of three children, and shone brightly upon the passengers who gathered around it. Another fire was also burning west of the express train.

The engineer on the Southern road was saved by jumping from the locomotive into the water, before the collision took place. The locomotive is a perfect wreck among the mass of other ruins, and had he not jumped, would of course have been smashed in the wreck.