Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-10
DIsAsTRR ON THE JACKSON RAILROAD
THRILLING SCENE.
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PR0PERT1
PROBABLE Loss OF LIFE.


PROBABLE Loss OF LIFE.
The New Orleans Picdyms of the 9TH inst, con-
tains an account written by Mr. A. RoUNTREE, U. S.
Mail Agent of the storm and disaster on the Jack
son Railroad. We eondeHse from it the following
At midnight on the LIST October, the mail train
South, on the New Orleans. Jackson and Great
Northern Railroad, with large mail and about two
hundred and fifty passengers, started from Canton
and went to jackson, where we left about one hun
dTed persons when We met the up train. We were
informed by the officers that We could get through
but that we would have right tight time of it.
the track was under water in 3 great many places.
After getting about five miles, we found that the
water was sti | rising We pushed on, but after
going mile we came to dead halt and could get
no further, as the track ahOat and washed up
ahead of us. We were then at Bayou Desert, with
in one hundred and fifty yards of the Lake shore,
and could see the waves rolling in from the Lake.
The water around about seven feet deep, and
covered with large logs, which were driven by the
waves with such force against the track to break
and wash it off all around US. The water was near
ly,up to the bottom of the cars, and large logs two
feet in diameter, forced IN between the cars
and the track We were anchored by the lOcOmo-
tive which held us fast, the weight of the train
alone preserving that portion of the track on which
we stood.
In this dreadful position remained, contempla-
ting a scene of most awful grandeur Above and
around US the tempest rOareu WIFI CeASelesS
torrents of rain continually falling the motion
less train, with violence increased by the force of
fierce wind The dreary sheet of water surround
ing us was covered with fallen timber and pieces of
wreck forced up by the angry waves which came
| necessarily from the lake. making the water rise
higher and higher around US to our imminent peril.
Among this floating timber we could see the cattle
struggling to resist the waves and keep their heads
above water. A thing that many of the poor ami
| mails could not succeed in doing. and washed
| away. We could See but without being able to go
to her relief old negro woman, nearly 20 years
old, floating top of hay stack. She disappeared
in the darkness, and it was only next morning that
we could ascertain her fate. She had got to the old
( embankment and chung to piece of the wreck.
| She was saved and remained with the men at the
| camp.
| The scene on the cars was certainly an exciting
| one. We were in what can be called "bad FIX
thirty miles from New Orleans in the midst of cy-
| press swamp, surrounded by brackish waters with
nothing to eat, and only about half barrel of wa
| ter. for one hundred and fifty persons. The whole
forenoon had passed; it was now past one O'Clock,
p. NJ, and had had nothing to eat since the day
before, at dinner. One gentleman among US had the
| good fortune to have a basket of provisions with
him, and four orphan children under his care; this
| he generously divided among all-the ladies and
children being, of course hrst provided with the
| scsnty ration.
The ladies must here give due credit for the
BILE courage and fOrtitude with which they stood the
terrible trials Of these three days, revealing the
| truth, that wOmans courage rises with danger
| until 1t often reaches herOism.
| Night came, increasing the horror of our condi-
tiOn Mr.. Z. r. Howard, proprietor of the sleeping
car put the fifty beds it contained at the disposal of
| the passengers, declining all remuneration, under
the distressing circumstances. Thanks to this gen.
tlemans Kindness all the ladies and children and as
| many of the mail passengers could be accOmmo-
dated, could ENJOY rest if not sleep for the awful
| ness of the scene kept almost every one awake.
Mr.. Howard had large pots of coffee made and dis
| tributed among the passengers. Fortunately, the
violence of wind had driven away most OF the mos-
| quitOes, though the few that came were enough to
| drive away sleep.
| At last that long night over and morning came
| 1--WE were then the thrd,) to find US weary and
| hungry, and with prospect of change in our
position There happened to be a coop of chickens
| on board. Some of the gentlemen succeeded in Sc
curing large piece of wreck, part Of a roof, be-
lieve, and built fire top of it, an old frying pan
| was discovered on board. and huge pile of
| chicken was passed around. This was all our food
| This meal restored our strength, aDd we looked
around more hopefully. The storm had abated dur
ing the night, and the water seemed to be recedng
| slowly, 1t true, but still receding
When the storm had abated, Mr.. Williams, the
General Superintendent, started from New Orleans
! ION the morning of the 3d. to to relief
and succeeded getting to us after several hours Of
I hard travel having had sometimes to wade swim
in water up to his middle He remained with
only few minutes, and started back on his mission
of salvation. Mr.. Williams energy and self-sacr-
fee on this trying occasion was duly appreciated
! by all the passengers.
Later in the day relief train came down from
the plny woods and succeeded III getting within
| about three miles of US. The water had then re-
| cedCd considerably. number of US got down and
i waded to a distance Of about half mile, where we
had seen a hand car. This we brought back to our
train, and placing three four ladies and children
it time succeeded, after several trips. in get
ting them all safely the relief train. This was
| no easy work for we had to lift the hand
| several gaps in the track, and sometimes to let
| it down a couple of feet, where the track was
broken in two, and end was higher than the
| other. At last, every on the relief train
and in hour and half ut dark by this time)
all landed safely in the plny woods, at the
POntchatoula depot where found three other
trains that had been kept there by the storm.
This made crowd Of about five hundred people,
and the citizens of POnChatOua opened their houses
and did all that lay in their power to provide food
and lodgings for the crowd. We enjoyed the luxury
| of good meal and a comfortable bed, and awoke
early the morning to hear the welcome news that
boat was at Pass Manchac TO take us to New Or
| leans. We got on the cars, and were soon at the
| Pass, where we found the Ariel Our troubles
were now at an end, and we at last landed
! safely in New Orleans.
| The destruction on the lake shore has been very
| great About twenty settlements (all but one on
| the lake shOre) have been entirely destroyed
! Capt. Jacobs wife and two OF his children were
| drowned. His other two children were found after
twelve hours on the railroad embankment, guarded
by dog who would let one approach them ex-
| Cept negro whom he knew. The children must
| have drifted at least half mile. They were prob
| ably saved and dragged on the embankment by the
| faithful animal found watching by their side.
| There are three four other families missing
and unheard of. 1t is possible that they may have
taken skiffS and gone back into the swamp, seeking
| shelter among the timber. The men in the employ
Of the railroad at Bayou Desert twelve in number,
were saved in that way. The water ran into their
houses at the camp, four feet deep. They took to a
! skif and went amongst the timber. where they
| manned until the storm over, when they got
| back safe Their houses washed away.
The damage done to the road is incalculable, and
will take time to repair. The track is not only torn
up and washed away in many places, but in others
Der.