The accident has been bad enough, and the decision of the coroner’s jury sufficiently condemning. The action of the State Legislature has also made it a matter of investigation. The letter of Charles Francis Adams also called attention to a demand for a Railroad commission, and the subject has not been left, as the “Nation” intimates that it might, to a coroner’s jury, nor even to a legislative committee, but an enactment of Congress has already passed to bring the subject before the Committee on Railroads. Doubtless the results will be, increased safety of travel, and the holding of railroad corporations to a strict account by the authority of law, for all accidents which may be caused by the want of skillful engineering or proper management. The Westenhouse brake may have caused the projectile force of the whole train to have fallen upon the centre of the defective bridge, but is there not some way of stopping trains from plunging entirely down into these fearful chasms? Increased appliances for stopping trains, proper precautions in putting out fires, the frequent inspection of bridges, some method of keeping a strict account of the numbers on the train will be required. The object of this book, however, has not been to discuss these points. As will be seen by the narrative, the religious lessons of the occasion are made most prominent. The author’s sympathies were early called forth; access to the survivors enlisted all his sensibilities; correspondence also showed how much need of consolation there was; and the book was prepared under the shadow of the great horror; but if the reader shall find the same comfort from a view of the lovely characters and the Christian hopes which span this dark cloud with a bow of promise, the author will consider that his mission has been accomplished. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. Ashtabula 9 CHAPTER II. The River and the Bridge 13 CHAPTER III. The Night and the Storm 18 CHAPTER IV. The Wreck 26 CHAPTER V. The Startling Crash 34 CHAPTER VI. The Alarm in Town 42 CHAPTER VII. The Fire and the Firemen 49 CHAPTER VIII. Care of the Survivor 56 CHAPTER IX. The Robbers 61 CHAPTER X. Midnight at the Wreck 66 CHAPTER XI. The Public Excitement 72 CHAPTER XII. Scenes at the Morgue 81 CHAPTER XIII. The Railroad Officials 89 CHAPTER XIV. The Arrival of Friends 96 CHAPTER XV. The Wave of Sorrow 104 CHAPTER XVI. The Search for Relics 113