The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1860-01-11
Railroad Accident-Tll riilinE
scene and Wonderful i Escape.

We have already briefly ment toned That
at one clock on Thur day morni ny last an
accident happened to passenge tram on
the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne an ID Chicago
railroad, beyond Enon, by VIII ich several
passengers were injured, but fortunately
none killed. The wild ow of the Late Senator
Linn, of No., and daughter, Judge Delateld
of Memphis, and dozen others, who were
in the sleeping car, were thrown down an
embankment Of 80 feet, the car turning oveE
stake and rider fence. 1t took fire and
burned up. A passenger furnishes the Pitts
burg Chronicle with the following account
of the accident +:
After stating that the accident was occa-
stoned by broken rail, and that the loco
motive and baggage car passed over safely,
he says "The passenger car first meets the
obstruction, and is thrown of the track -
With its load of human life, it is hurled
over and over down steep embankment On
an adjacent fence. Its inmates scramble out
the fallen stoves set it on lire, and aban-
doned to its tate, it is beacon light to what
follows. its flames throw over the ice and
snow lurid glare. That car is consumed, ,
and the fence itself is on flames; but in Gods
Providence, not a single lie was lost; and,
save with a few bruises only the passengers
escaped uniniured. The sleeping car, last
on the train, was by severe wrench, sever
ed from the passenger car. Carried on with
terrible velocity, ii struck the sleepers on
| which the track is laid. 1t wavered a mo-
| ment or two, and suddenly leaning over, its
| impulses carried it forward onward and on
| ward, and over the precipice. Down the
| precipice it turned; leap tier leap it took;
crash came broken glass, falling like
rain, among it's occupants, until jumping
over the fence, the car stopped with all its
| inmates, sixty feet from the fence, within
field. Crash was only succeeded by a terror.
"Help p was cried, but who was there to
help ? Those who had escaped the burning
car short distance in front, had gone to the
shelter of the baggage car, still on the
track, with few exceptions. One OF them
not to be invidious-was Mr. George
George, of Cincinnati. He and some Others
not known, returned to assist the terrified
passengers.
Picture TO your minds eye that sleeping
car fallen on its side, at that moment-all
prostratel The lamps extinguished, the
smoke of the over sthtown stoves filling and
sitting the car, adding to its gloom dlstrac-
ton and danger. The cry of fire was raised,
and followed by the most terrible confusion,
in the midst of which a lady was heard to
cry, "Help! my mother will be burned"
| The car was now filled with smoke, while all
around was so dark that nothing whatever
couldibe distinguished. The passengers knew
not where they were, or the extent OF their
danger. At length the door was found, and
| general rush for the open air was made.
Some few, however, remained behind, and
assisted in rescuiAg the lady before referred
| to, and her noble ard courageous daughter,
| from their perilous position.
| In the meantime other cries tor assistance
were heard. A youHg lad, named Eugene
| Service, only twelve years old, travelling
with his widowed mother, finds her under
the heated stove badly injured, land threaten
ed with immediate death. Calmly, but
promptly, he drew his coat sleeve over his
hand, and raising the fallen stove, rescued
his frightened parent from death. Well
NAV she be proud of that boy. She was
helped out of the car, badly burned, and her
| teeth Knocked out. Another young lady was
| carried out with her collar bone broken.
mattress was spread upon the snow, on which
she was laid, and she was protected from the
then extreme cold by coverlets hastily
thrown out of the car. A gentleman of
| Springfield, Ill.,, S S Whitehurst, Esq, was
among the most active in doing good. He
was everywhere, helping every one. when
the excitement subsidized, he lound himself
with dislocated shoulder, and otherwise
sevaay injured, and other passengers also
suffered much. The lady whose collar bone
was broken was Miss Lonsdale, an actress
No one was killed need only add that the
injured lady, first spoken of,was the respect
ed widow OF Senator Linn, Of Missouri, and
that noble hearted girl, her daughter, Mary
Il Barr.