Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-02-02
A Gosslplng Letter.
PAngERsBURs, WKsF YlRsigIA,
January II, 1865

january : - Aeo9.
Editors Evsasvilie Journal.
When ! left Evansville on the morn.
ing Of the 24lb, reckoned by the usual
timetable for a trip 70 Washington, and
as every railroad is the shortest By fifty
miles, quickest and most direct route,
the distance Is 50 much shortened
before starting. that one almost fam
cies himself feaasing Al Winard's and
listening to Washington gossip How
ever we'll it may look on paper, the
reality is apt to be quite different at this
season Of the year, when frost and ice
give everything but real estate, pe3ro-
ieam aud gold dosenuard tendency.
The 4 & G. X II Is certainly the
safest and best road ! know Of, for one
always feels safe from accident, and
knows il one should occur il is not from
want of prudence and care on the part
Of its genslemanly officers.
On THURSDAY last large number Of
4uswere iolting along together over the O.
4 NJ r. r., and we're really beginning 10
think we should reach Cincinnati safely,
for a wonder, when an accident occurred
which not only upset as but all our cal
eulaiions. About | o'clock at night,
when only q short distance from the
city, the car in which We were seated
was thrown from the track and
pfeeipilatea at least fifty feet down
steep bank, rolling and tam-
/ bling over fence, and finally
stopping 10 level field Fortunately
none are killed. but all more or less in.
/ jured, some severely. There we're al
least forty passengers in the car, and
think every one was surprised that he
escaped alive. | will not say there wa'
gross carelessness on the part Of AM
one, but the following facts can be
clearly substantiated About an hour be
fore The accident = sharp noise wa
i heard under the car, like the breaking
Of an axle, aud several persons, think
ing the car was breaking down, sprang
10 their feet; after that, and until th'
accident, the train was stopped onee II
every i've minutes, and every time II 81
stopped some one with lantern wen
to examine the car wheels and the sid
where the loud noise was heard Thi
car also seemed 10 drag heavily Wit
loud rumbling aud increased shaking
Once the conductor was asked Why th
the trsin was stopped so frequently
and he remarked that it was some {
! the engineers id foolishness' Non
OF the cars before or behind ours wer
thrswn from the track, but she rear ca
! dashed up aud caused quite eollisio
|. with the front cars, so great that th
/. rear car had to be left on the track. Th
Cineinnati C0mmerciaE says the Supe
intenaant and Conductor immediate
adopted every possible measure to co
e duce 10 the comfort Of the injured an
4 discommoded passengers
= III be only measure any one CO.
ureted with the railroad was know
10 /" adopt WAS to curse and swear
c everybody for Hot getting ont OF the Ct
Is before they eoald extricate themselvl
81 from the fragments Of the car. G
;eaching the city, We were obliged
wait IN the omnibus long while, |
:, most freeung, with no care or stteutit
lie paid to any one; and if anybody ask
O The driver 70 hurry, 81 oath was q
/. only reply.
After remaining one day in Cinci
. natl, We took tae cars yesterday NOR
OF ing for this place, bnt owing to anoth
accident we reached the Ohio Riv
about eleven o'clock last night, 70
hours behind time. The river was fll
sn with ice to such an extent that the ferl
IT boat did not cross, so we remained
,is the cars ali night, and crossed d
morning, nearly three hours too d
- for the morning train Tomorr
10 morning We expect to start, but '
ief probably have accidents enough
m. write Book Of Chronicles, even if
:. escape the gusrrillas. You may q
why we took this railroad. Simply
m cause the military authorities $
re- this is the shortest and qulckes
,ed roate TO Washington, and ali deta
i menfs of soldiers are sent this v
@ Crossing the river here is quite a II
iea which one will not care to perform
his second tine The large cakes
of ice nearlv hid the water, 4
caused the boat to careen till We
= lected good pieces of ice to navig
y ourselves But We finally succeeded
1t getting about half way across TO wh
the the ice was 6ru, aad walked the res
az the way. The weather Is colds
ground is covered quite deep with 50
80. - and the air is filed With frost fall
ing ike light snow.
ths This iS called hns city of about 1