The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-10-14
4 RAILWAY SKETCH.

4 RAILWAY SKETCH.
Sentinel of the y. Y. Cotrier u En-
qW''cr. relates the following thrilling Incl
dent:
There were in conveyance across the Erie
Railroad some valuable horses.
1t was night of intense cold, and howe,
cr luxurious to cattle. whose experience of
floor and roof is limited. to the attendants.
the crcviceS and openings of the ears let in
entirely more OF the wild northweStcr than
was agreeable. The owner of the horses in
the car near the tender had an apartment ra-
thcr better guarded. and as he understood all
the WAYS of his animals. he was not in the
same fear that others less experienced would
have of being with them Nor is it without
real danger to ride in ear with Il horse. The
sudden start NAV break the halterS. and in
the fright scene of r!unging and tramplina
takes place. in the midst of which. the pres
cncc Of man might. for his own sake. he well
spared
The tram was approaching the lonr seven
miles down the Grade which occurs lust be-
fore entering Dcro>itc from the Westward
" the last station the superintendent hal
deemed it best to have two very heavy bur-
tlcncd ears affixed to thc rear of the train
They greatly augmented ,hc load. and the
engineer dvmnrr"'!. but .he discipline Wa
obevcl. It cave the cn"ine enough 10 do ol,
the Level era,!e. and all it wanted on an As
cent. What precisely il was TO DO. when the
heavy @rt1c was 10 he run down wa not G,lite
clear. The engineer lad nerve. however
and while he doubted The safety. he l!;d no,
!rltcr. Thc cars coupled the slioht bow wa
given to tilr starting bar. and the train was
oil. The cn-inr cave forth is exhaust (a>
the word was quantity plr~>cl Of energies
that know no cxhau>tion) with a v;coro,.-
whistle and over the level the wheels rolled
sharp ani hard in the bitter frost.
The tram was due at ncpo>,c at >uch 4
time as would cause ii 70 meet another whicl
by that time was to BE on the swith - await
ing the passage of the western cattle tram
Ia t,.,v ..:""to,, NY int, ,,"ont :,,nA th.'
the down @ralc had been reached He had
with linn several of his friends who were il
the same business. and who had lc, THEN
cars un comfortable for his plrasantcr one
The tremendous pressure Of The load >oor
bore upon the engine. The stout cattle. III,
heavy and wci.htv cars and 'hc ercrt add
tional hur,hcn which had been added at III
last stat ION. crowded on to the machine fror
which :hc engineer. soon realizing the couli
ton Of his train, had withdrawn the team
- that ii moved hv is own momentum alone
Another and more appalling truth soon ,nln
tested itsclf that with tlr increase Of car
additional hrakcmcn had not been sent. IN,
HAT tE, brake force wa> hcra.Aing powr,l,>s
Powcrl,>S it soon became as velvet .u,lcl
rather than a grasp on the wheels. The ic'
on the rail rrnd red even tie force that va
applied useless. and each instant incrca>ino
that train fast rollc,. then rushed then tor
along: my informant saws he knew no ora
datiOn of speed. From the moment that tlf
down grade was reached it seemed to him an
his companions shut up q 'hcv were in tia
clo>c apartment; with animals whose >trcngt1
would at the fir. terror arouse 20 dr>tru..t ~
to him the sensation was as if the tra;
fell Ii had that peculiar motion. not con
tinuous or REGULAR as in the rapid roll of III
wheels Iut rs if all else bat the train wa
away and it was "onr at the speed of a hrG
mas. falling. and the accliyitv of descent in
crca>u. each second = and ali this trarfl
tl:nc that tram at Dcpositc was to be met :
They knew it was to hc met. Engineer an
fireman. and brakeman and conductor. an
the hardy drovrr> that were the passenger:
knew it. and in their terrific speed they tcal
ed less, if it might be. for themselves tha
for this doomed train. through which and owe
which. amidst dead ard manglcd men. an
crushed fragments, never stopping tor Shrc
or sorrow, their train would 90. The mile.
they were passed over, no man thinking O
their existence. The train tore onwards.-
The men upon ii intensely conscious. and ev
en- the cattle appalled, by new sensation
The engineer stood upon his platform, know
ing that the widest and most appallin. dan
ger was about him. in shape and form IRE
sistible if the thread of safety snapped Tn
speed made leap for life but more rapi,
rush TO death. He could not retreat tn
wheels refused the least adherence to TIT
brake. The ponicrou> trln drove itself
malv on. and in an instant more Deposit
was to hc reached.
! Perhaps every mans experience shows
it is most probable. that on the train comm;
westward there were those who were prov ok
ed at the delay which prevented them fro'
reaching Depo>ite. 1t was. they said. to
bad to be behind time, Gas if time was no
often our shield from Sorrows) The trai,
ought to be at its card place. Indeed. if the,
were the managers OF the road the train
would never be out Of their minutes. Ever,
car usually has on it some of these safe re
formers, who accomplish all imposSibiiitics. i
being 50 safe and easy to thcorizc 1t di,
not arrive TIE rrumblcrs were vet on til,