58

THE ASHTABULA DISASTER

less, while crowds of curious spectators troopedin and out through the weary hours of the longand dreadful night.

Others fortunate^ were taken to better quar-ters, but even some of these were robbed on theway ot the money which they had in their pocketsby the very persons who pretended to assist themin their helpless state.

Teams were secured. A road was broken.Into the gorge sleds are with difficulty takendown, and into these the badly wounded areplaced. The two little children who had es-caped are also taken in these, badly burned andinsensible, and placed with their father in aprivate house. The mother is moved, and laidin another house, and lies in great agony. Ayoung girl, timid and frightened, whose limbs arebroken, is separated from her aunt, and placedamong strangers. Amid great confusion thosewho are able, walk to the hotel, some of thempursued by those who would rob them. Afather calls out from a stretcher for a daughterwhom strangers are taking in another direction,and becomes almost frantic with excitement