Fearful Catastrophe.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 3, Issue 81, 12 March 1883, Page 2

Fearful Catastrophe.

TEKRiBLE RAILWAY J)ISAISTER. A RUNAWAY TRAIN CATCHES FIRE. SEVENTY-FIVE LIVES LOST, [By Telegraph from Auck!anrJ.] (Post Correspondent.) San Francisco, Jan. 20. At Tehacbapi Summit, 362 miles south of San Francisco, on the road to Los Anaelos, at 2,30 this morning, while south-bound, a train was standing on the trrck without an engine, which had gone to the turn-table. A high wind started the train down the grade. The brakesman was off the train,: and ir ran about three miles, when two sleep* ing cars, eight baggage and express cars left the track, and instantly took; fire. Five cars were burned entirely. This dreadful occurrence took place 10 miles above the commencement of the.famouß " loop" at Tehachapi Pass, just at the summit of.the mountains where thero is an exceedingly steep grade, and the ' train,'once started, must have pushed down with frightful velocity^ This, is the worst and-most horrifying railroad accident which has ever occurred m California. The situation must have been terrible m the extreme. A reporter of the Post says that the train went flying down the grade at lightning -speed. The mnaway created the greatest terror among the passengers, who knew not what tha end would be. QnJ and on the train sped, until a- terrible was attained. When a distance ,of four miles had been made the tyro "sleeping oars, baggage, mail, and ex« press cars jumped off the track, and were hurled broadside, throwing the -terror-stricken passengers against.the. - seats out of their berths. The cats so badly wrecked, to add to the horror of the scene, caught fire from the over** turned stoves, and soon the whole train was m flames. When the crash came, many passengers.were badly bruised and injured, so that they could nofc' get away from the wreck, and with others. ' 'whoT were jammed m between the heavy debris were .burned to death; The. shrieks of the wounded and the agonies of the dy'ng were fearful. Tho3e uninV jured hastened to relieve the victims-arid as far as possible to rescue those still m the cars; from, a fearful, death. • Seventyfive persons were killed.