Rev. Stephen D Peet describes the fatal railroad disaster on December 29, 1876 in Ashtabula, Ohio due to a bridge failure. He was a resident of the town and at the scene on the night of the disaster. This book is based upon his work at the crash site, interviews with survivors, information from the press and the coroner's jury, His intent is not to describe the disaster but rather to focus on "the religious lessons of the occasion" and to provide the reader with "comfort from a view of the lovely characters and the Christian hopes which span this dark cloud with a bow of promise". - Summary by mleigh