Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-02-04
The Fast Line.

NAtSi Jul lupOt VI luSG WYNN A''-NA .
many of our citizens were seriously alarmed by
loud, shrill and prolonged shrek, remind
ing them of some terrific sound that had salnted
their ears in days gone by-long, long aso-ere
the windows of heaven were opened and the
great snow of 1857 fell upon the earth. 1t was
IN awful noise. and created no little consterna-
ton amongst the people. Grown men started
to their feet, nervous women flew to their cam
phor bottles and little children crouched trem-
blingly at their mothers knees. Persons III
their houses rushed wildly into the streets; all
sorts of business occupations were instantly a.
bandoned, and general excitement and trepl-
dation prevailed throughout the community
For many minutes the mysterious sound-the
terrible -o-o-o-t"-continued until the au-
ditory nerves OF everybody but the unfortunate
@ inmates Of the Asylum for the Deaf ana
Dumb, were temporarily paralyzed and as men
rushed hurriedly to and iro, friend looked I'M
ploringly at friend, and one inquired anXlonsiy
of another, "what awful calamity is at hand Z!
Has Volcanic fire burst forth from one OF oar
mountains also, with an awful sound as AlaS
been the case in an adjoining county! Happily
twas but momentary shock a moments
reflection drove the pallor from their cheeks, and
as memory reverted to the past, the sound grew
more familiar. Then came the dim recollection
of curious noises OF the same sort heard atore-
times in these parts, and people generally began
to breathe freer until deep roaring like the
muttering of distant thunder mingled with the
fearful shrek, when suddenly the wonderful
truth burst upon the minds of all-the mystery
was solyed-the steam-horse was snorting-the
cars had arrived, with eleven days later" intel
ligence from Louisa Court House! Wonderful
achievement! Glorious triumph Of combined
energy and perseverance! Worthy to be an
nounced by such whistle!
Those who had friends on board the train
greeted its arrival with that mingled anxiety
and delight which agitates the bosoms of those
who assemble on the wharyes of our CONNER
cial cities, to watch the approach and await the
anchorage of an ocean steamer, just coming into
port from foreign land. We had friends there
whose situation when last heard from, as detail
ed in our last paper, was frightfully destitute
but we were thankful to find them alive and Us
well to d. as could have been expected of men
who had been reduced to such extremity. An
account of their sufferings during the voyage
will be found in another column and will be pc
rused by our readers generally with melancholy
Interest.
On Wednesday afternoon the mails did actu
ally come to hand. Wesaw thirty bags Of mai
matter delivered at the Post Office with our own
eyes, so that there can be no doubt that thC
mails did get here on Wednesday. In looking
over the huge pile otparers we observed that Col
Fontaine, the President and Mr.. Timherlake The
late Superintendent were still disputIng about
the collision, the timetables, &c. A gentleman
who read the articles informs us that Mr.. I. es
tablishes the fact that Col Fontaine is not fit t.
be President Of the Road, and Col. Fontaint
shows satisfactorily that Mr.. Undertake was
not qualified for the office of Superintendent
We notice that the President has always been al
advocate for a reduction of speed on the road
and it must be confessed that he has succeeded
in his efforts to effect that object most admira
bly,. We are not disposed to require impossible
tiles of the officers OF the company, but atte
making the most reasonable allowances, it doe
seem to us that with proper energy and indus
try. and by systematic operations the whole line
of the Railroad between Staunton and Richmont
might have been swept clean in less than hal
the time that it took to bring the train through
Disposed as we are to exercise the largest char
ity in all such cases, we are forced to concur II
the opinion generally expressed that the Contra
Railroad is not managed as efficiently as it might
be or as it ought to be- Where the fault lies
those more interested in the matter than we are
must find out, if they wish to improve the con-
dition and further the prospects of the line As
things now stand it is absolutely dangerous fol
their cars to be caught out in a brisk gale.