Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-06-29
Curious Railroad Adventure.

A correspondent of the Pittsfield Sun re-
lates the following singular story of " hap
pvn gentleman who attempted to use the
Housatonic Railroad track as a highway:
When the night train from New York
WINS within three quarters Of mile of the
Falls Village Depot, Canaan, Conn.,, an OBJ
struction was felt by MIR. Bridgeman, con-
ductor, who, upon questioning the engineer,
fouud that he had discovered an object on
the track, but was too close upon It, and un-
der such headway as to be unable to escape
il. On examining the catcher, on the arrl-
val at the depot, the intcrstices were iound
filled with the fragments OF a wagon oody'
presenting the appearance OF crows nest,
With much anxiety the conductor, win at
tendants and lights, passed back over the
track. Some eighty rods from the depot,
broken Jug was found, which sustained the
observation of one Of the temperance hands
Immediately previous, that "there was rum
somewhere" Some dozen rods further,
they discovered shirt, without owner and
without blood, Soon the broken spokes
and hubs, and tires wrenched and broken,
brought them TO the scene of the disaster,
In deep excavation adjacent was found
q valuable horse, lying upon his bnck, sun,
and with faint signs Of life In the meantime
no human iorns were discovered, until the
| loud call of the conductor was heard when
the unsteady voice of an equally unsteady
man was heard in the thicket, near ut hand,
who soon clambered down the bank, as di-
recty as circumstances would admit lie
was accompanied by two interesting little
boys, one of four and the other of six or
eight years of age. To the question of MIR.
Bridgeman, "What are you doing on the
track of the railroad z" the answer returned
was in the memorable style OF the army in
Flanders, of which Uncle Toby spoke some
time ago. II seemed that the poor man had
no conception that he had been rode down
by the iron horse, or that hc was on any 9TH
er than shocking bad public road, of which
fact alone he seemed TO be fully sensible, foI
the smallest boy remarked that papa said, a,
they icere coming aieag, that he should mol rid
over the road again IN they had repaired il.
The upshot of the matter is this. The
man was engaged in looking up farm fol
purchase. A gentleman in neighborina
town had lent him valuable family horse
with which he had made a journey TO hi,
former residence. lie wns on his RETURN
lie had drank something stronger than wat
er, which so confused either his eyesight o
his judgment, that when the public roaC
CIosSeu ule falIroau, lnStead oil passing dl
recty on, hc turned upon the track, the ties
of which, good portion of the way, pro
truded from TO 9 inches above level and
passed no less than five "cattle guards" one
or two of which were of double width
The horse, with the buggy and jugs, &c.
safely leaped them all, unaccountable as il
may seem. The noise Of his own convey
ance was such as to conceal the approach
of the locomotive in his rear, which demol-
ished the buggy, threw the horse into the
ditch, aud safely depositipg the interesting
stranger" and his fine boys, upon higl
bank, some Ia feet in ascent.
| What is remarkable is this--the man af
| firmed the horse had run away and SMASHED
the buggy; the horse was turned over an,
helped to rise, and not bone or .e,cn th
skin was found broken. The persons of tn
man and two boys were unmulilated-n
other marks were received than a fine Goa
stripped in the back from waist to collar an
a somewhat comical expression given to til
rear of his hat A pretty good commentar
this upon temperate drinking. We ought {
add, further, that another jug was found il
the road safe and sound, and fill, which wa
duly smashed hy those in attendance, to tn
no small chagrin Of its owner.