Litchfield enquirer., 1858-07-29

LITCHFIELD, ! THE ERIE RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
 The following graphic account of the late disaster on the Erie road is from the pen of Rev. B. D. G. Prime, one of the editors of the New York Obserrer. It is in letter to his brother, dated 7
 PORT JERv1s, Thursday, July 18th.
 Dear Brother.-The telegraph will inform you of the terrible accident our train met with last evening near this place. We left New York in the five o'clock P. M. train, came on safely ard pleasantly until about half past eight o'clock when descending the heavy grade on the west side of the Shawangupk Mountaiass1 perceived that we were moving at such fear full rate that 1 started once or with apprehen- sion, knowing that we were on heavily descen- ding grade Within two or three minutes af ter my fears became thus excited, Ifelt a con- cussion, as if we were running over aslight ob- stpuction. Some little commotion eusued in our car, which was the fourth from the rear.- A signal was made to the engineer as soon as possible, but we had run mile or more before the train was stopped. We soon found that two cars had been detached from the train.- We ran back with great apprehension, and our worst fears were more than realized. The last two cars had been hurled down an em- bankment forty feet, and were completely de molished. The groans and screams of the ill., jured broke fearfully upon our ears in the still ness of the evening. They were under the wreck, and strewed around the scene of the dis aster in awful confusion. The moon was shin ing feebly, and by it's light and that of large fire which was soon kindIed, the wreck of the cars was removed, and all that We're living were rescued Three hours were spent in get ting the suffering from beneath the ruins of the cars and mp the embankment, when, with seven dead and about forty more or less seriously in jured, the melancholy train moved on to it's place. An engine had been previously sent to Port Jervis, which returned to the scene of the disaster with surgeons and other aid. All the injured were taken to the two hotels-the Delaware and the Fowler House-and to-day they are generally doing we'll.
 Among the injured, are Prof. J. l.. Peet, Vice-Plincipal of the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, his wife and child, his wife's sister and several deaf mutes Mrs. Peet and Miss Barry, deaf mute, were quite seriously injured, but they are now doing we'll, are out of all danger. One of the most heart rendering incidents connected with this melaE- choly occurrence was the screaming of the deaf mutes, which could be heard at a long distance, and which greatly aggravated the horror of the scene. .
 To detail its incidents would be as impossi- ble as to rehearse horrible dream.' When l reached the car heard familiar voice, and making my way towards it, stepped in :he dark ness upon dead man. I soon reached Prof. Peet, and found him supporting his wife's hand. Both were ignorant of what had become of their babe, or any other member of their party of ten. heard child's voice on the other side of the car, and rushing around towards 1t, asked enc who had taken it up whose child it was. The mother frantically exclaimed, 1t is my child," and pressed it to hereheart as if afra I was about to claim it. soon found the child of my friend, in the arms of person who was carrying it up the embankment The babe was only slightly injured. It was asleep on the seat when the cars were thrown off the track, and no one could tell where it was found. One deaf mute was reported to be dead, and l went, at the request of a gentleman, to identi- fly him, but he revived, and is doing we'll.
 During all the long hours that we were toll ing to get the sufferers from under the ruins, and up the embankment to the cars, parents were calling frantically for their children, and children for their parents. One mother had her dead child brought to her, another receiv- ed her living babe with ecstatic joy. Another beautiful young mother, uninjured, saw, by the light of lamp, holding tenderly in her arms the mang'ed form of what was just be- fore beautiful child. One gentleman who was with me, who had labored without falter- ing from the first, gave away at this sight and and was overcome. He had helped to carry the dead and the wounded up the embaukment, but this was too much for the strong heart of man to endure.
 Directly in front of the seat which had occupied sat refined and delicate yonng lady, who, I afterwards learned, was on a trip to the Falls. As the helpless but still breathing form of the only injured 'coiored person was brought up the embankmept, she went to her side, bathed her head and famed her brow, and spoke words of encouragement and sympa- thy to her until her ear became insensiEle. She died in our car soon after we left the scene of the disaster
 The uninjured passengers manifested the ut most readiness to relieve the distressed, and to do everything ln their power for their comfort. Little comfort could be afforded them until we reached this place, where the hotels were thrown open, at which the citizens of the place were already. All night long they have been devoted to the care of the sufferers, and through their attentions nearly all are now very com fortable. It is hoped all will recover, through the blessing of a kind Providence.
 
 Brigham Young, in one of his late sermons gives a curious account of his travelling four hundred miles by stage, in 1889, starting with only SIS 50 in his pocket. He states that at every point where he had expenses to pay he found his pocket, on put ting his hand into it. mysteriously and mraculousy replenished. It has been suggested that Brigham practice much in vogue now, and practised with great adfoitness even as far back as 1889.
 A dranken father undertook to chastise an undu-