A Sportsman 117 



smashed in and lying in a deep ditch full of water near 

 the track, bottom side up, with their wheels sticking 

 up. One of them was so deep in the water that the 

 water was above the windows. The other cars were 

 lying smashed up at various angles. The injured pas- 

 sengers were giving out groans and piteous cries. All 

 those who were uninjured gave immediate aid, and we 

 stretched out on the track the dead and badly wounded. 

 The upturned car so deep in the water could not be 

 opened otherwise than by breaking in from the bottom, 

 a most difficult and prolonged work which was effected 

 by axes and the broken rail, and in this car a number 

 were drowned. 



This was the most terrible accident it was possible 

 to imagine, and the only one in all my experience I 

 ever witnessed where death occurred from a railroad 

 wreck, and I believe I have travelled by rail during 

 my life a distance equal to that of ten times around 

 the world. In this accident over a hundred persons 

 were killed or wounded. Over thirty were killed out- 

 right. It was a shocking sight to see the dead, dying, 

 and wounded lying along the track. It was some 

 time before an aiding train brought medical attendance 

 and helping hands. The accident occurred the latter 

 part of April near the small town of Oriskany. It was 

 eleven miles to Utica, and it was so long before a train 

 was ready to convey the remaining passengers that I 

 walked the track to that town ; there I caught a train 

 for New York, where I afterward obtained my travel- 

 ling bag. This was the ending of an intended pleasure 

 trip. 



I caught a bad cold, and when I arrived in New 

 York I had a fever and broke out with some boils 



