Stephen D. Peet
speaker
928 appearances
1 recordings
1 series
first heard Aug 2026
last heard 5 Aug
Stephen D. Peet’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
Trend
recordings per month · last 12 monthsRecordings per month over the last 12 months — 1 in all, peaking in Aug 2026 with 1.
Appearances
a man who had seen two persons still living underneath the wreck comes up and begs that water be thrown but the engines stand idle and the firemen dare not work without orders the more determined of them leave the engines and go down to the wreck to work without them
pails are procured from the stores and with them the firemen work great exertions are made to extinguish the flames in this way desperation has taken possession of the citizens
an hour has passed and it is stated that there are some still living but the engines stand idle there is talk even of disobeying orders and assuming command but the law is quoted and that is prevented
men fly here and there anxious to save the living others assist the wounded some stand on the banks with hands in their pockets and look on unmoved but the fire still burns
a few seize a rope and fasten it to the locomotive and try to lift it off from one poor wretch who lies beneath it but the time passes and the flames are not subdued a line is begun for the purpose of passing water and so putting the fire out but a voice was heard from the top of the abutment saying you don't want water there
don't put any water on the rack a few rushed for the hand engine thinking to take it down the steep
bank to the creek the arrangements are made and the hose is attached but the decision of the foreman is not to take it down still a few persevere with their buckets the flames in one place are put out by this means but no effort is made by the engines and the men stand waiting
horses become restive the captain of the steamer remains at his post the firemen await his command but the order is never sent lives cannot now be saved and the bodies are burning
a woman is seen in the midst of the wreck life is extinct but the body is held by the iron framework high in air her clothes caught fire and she begins to burn like a martyr at the stake the spectators are horror-stricken by the sight
a few form a line and with buckets throw water in that direction until the body falls and lies buried with others the fire at the engine is next attacked after the fireman is rescued the poor dog which has kept up his piteous howl was also taken from the same place
this is the last living creature taken out but the bodies still burn the wind blows cold but the fire burns on the strangest misunderstanding has taken possession of all whatsoever the motive of those in authority the effect was to keep the engines from playing upon the flames
there were tanks on both sides of the track the engines were both on the ground there was hose sufficient but the misunderstanding made everything useless and the department was held back and did nothing
the indignation of the citizens was openly expressed but the fire continued mr stebbins a citizen asked the captain of the steamer why water was not thrown and was answered that the chief would not order it
he exclaimed we had better hang him then but the fire continued to burn until in places it burned itself out and there was nothing more to feed upon nothing was left except the bodies and these were almost consumed
the fumes of the burning flesh filled the air and the horrid consciousness haunted the hearts of the spectators but the fire burned on and the strange suspense held the people chapter seven
chapter eight of the ashtabula disaster care of the survivors an engine-house stood on the bank it was the place where water was pumped from the river to the tank at the depot buildings
it was a little brick building with a stone floor and a large boiler and engine occupying the middle of the room into this building the wounded were taken and were laid on the cold damp floor a ghastly throng
as citizens came they found them there suffering from the cold as well as from the shock and wounds the effort was made to take them to places of more comfort but where to take them was the question no one was there at the time to command
a few men were there to assist some were there to plunder and more had come not knowing for what they came a long weary flight of steps led from the gorge to the track above up this flight the wounded were taken on the other side the access to the wreck was only through the deep snow and down the steep bank
a line of men was formed at last up both sides of the track the wounded are helped passed from hand to hand where they are able to stand others were borne by the citizens and so by degrees with pains and groans and amid the wild excitement the most of them were removed
Showing 221–240 of 928 · page 12 of 47
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