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A Fatal Plunge

A Fatal Plunge image
Parent Issue
Day
18
Month
June
Year
1891
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

DOWN TO DEATH. Berlín, June 15. - A fearful accident is reported from Switzerland. A railroad bridge across the Moenichen, a small affluent of the Rhine, at Stein, in the cantón of Basle, not far from Germany, gave way Sunday under the weight of an excursión train, crowded witK throngs of people. The long train was crowded with people on the way to attenda musical tete. Six score of persons were killed outrlght while hundreds were injured. Two engines and the first oar plunged into the rivet and all the passengers in the car were drowned. Two cars remained suspended from the bridge. All the trainmen were killed. Thirteen cars were saved. The musical fete at Moenchenstein was abandonad as soon as the news of the accident arived, and hundreds of villagers hm ried to the scène to assist in rescuing the victims. The bridge was an iron skeleton structure which was con sideíed well built and substantial. The only apparent reason for the colla pse of the bridge is that the train left the rails and threw lts entire weight on on side of the bridge. The gorge was about 30 feet deep and tïie water was deep and swift The engines and car were entirely submerged and none oi the passengers or trainmen were able to escape. The bodies of these victims remained a Ung time in the water béfore being reacneá but finally the car, which was badly crushed and splintwed, was torn apart and the victtius penned within released. Of the remaining cars all were more or less damaged, the forward one being almost suspended over the torrent below, having been thrown off its trucks and lying almost crosswise of the track. All the others were derailed and not a passenger escaped without some in jury. At least a hundred were badly hurt and of these several, it is feared, will die. The dead and vvounded were taken to Stein. The calamity has stricken the psople with horror. Relief trains with Burgeons have been sent to the scène of the accident. Basle, June 16. - The state of terrible excitement into which the inhabitants of this city were plunged Sunday by tnè Moenchenstein railroad disaster continúes. People are still flockingf to the scène, the majority on foot, others in all kinds of vehicles, until it may be almost said that every man and woman of Basle and its neighborhood have visIted the broken bridge. The total number of people who lost their lives is placed at 120, with hundreds more or less injured. The victims are mostly leading citizens of Basle and its neighborhood.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Register