RESCUE WORK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3, 4 September 1913, Page 5

RESCUE WORK.

Th'£ ASSCSL.L COLLISION. DREADFUL EXPFIII FACES. I I 15Y EI.ECTRIO J f.I.ECRAI'H —Copyright] f United Press Association.] London, September 3. The ascent of Wisgill is the highest ; piece o 1 railway line in England. The I gradient is one in a hundred. I The scene of the accident is in the heart of the I’enuines, surrounded by bleak hills with only a few scattered cottages in the, vicinity. Little water was available, and doctors and nurses were unobtainable till some hours after the collision. ! hs railway officials aroused the oceuoants of the sleeping cars and made the passengers alight. Many of the women were only partially dressed. The passengers did not realise the I seriousness of the disaster until a voice j in the darkness cried: “Men are wantj eel to help. No women arc wanted.” I The men running saw a desperate j scene of destruction, and the outbreak i of fire completed the tragedy. Neigh- | boring farmers and shepherds assistj ed the police to rescue the imprisoned i persons until the flames heat back the I res ners. j Many sobbed to sec* hands, waving | to attract attention after the accident. ! Eight passengers tugged at an old- . erly man who wars pinned at the waist, until his clothes were pulled off and his flesh torn. As the flames crept up the man kept crying: “For God’s sake pull me nut!” Every few moments the i rescuers had to draw hack from the | scorching heat. Finally they made a final dash and pulled the man out jus!

ns tho burning woodwork released him at the waist. In another case a clergyman who saw that it was impossible to succor a man pinned in the wreckage, raised bis hat and offered a prayer. ■I Mrs Morrison, returning from a • holiday with her children and mother, i was badly injured. Her baby in arms | was,rescued. Her first words were: | “Don’t bother about me; find the j children.” j There are throe children among the i unidentified dead. Xo list of those i kilied is possible, and in several caso« j even the sex is unknown. In other | cases the only proof is the remains oi j corsets found embedded in the charred - i I. remains. Sir Arthur Douglas was -travelling irom Glasgow to Gloucester. The cri lica) experience which lie underwent while pinned in the burning carriage

I was a terrible ordeal for a man advanj eed in years. He is now: at Carlisb I Infirmary, whither six porters cari ried him suffering from burns on both I feet and bis hands, hack, neck, head ami thigh. I The- lire was apparently caused, by . the illuminating gas escaping from the : tanks beneath the carriages. This 1 ‘ I raises the problem of whether eleei tricity should not he substituted, a 1 ci nest ion that was discussed in coimecI tion with the 1910 disaster. IDKXTIFfC ATTOX OF THE VICTIMS. I (Received S.-10 a.in.) i London, September 0. 1 The charred remains of the victims ] were removed to Kirkby Stephen. The only means of identification are | remnants of clothing, jewellery, etc, 1 (John Patterson, accountant, Lon- ; don, three Morrison children, and two S young ladies have been identified. The inquest opened and adjourned I to the 17th inst. SOME OF THE VICTIMS. (Received 9.0 a.m.) London, September d. Sir Arthur Douglas passed a fair night, but is still in a critical condition. The other victims of the collision are progressing. Xnr.se Fargio was identified by the charred remains of her umbrella handle and her watch. SYMPATHY FROM CONGRESS. (Received 11. Id a.m.) London, September d. The Trades Union Congress condoled with the relatives of the victims in the Aisgill accident. Chander, a delegate for the Railway I Clerks’ Union, remarked : “It is said | that flip lowest percentage of accidents j occurred on Germany’s State-owned railways.” I