The Shasta courier., 1866-05-12
A Fearful Railroad Ride.

A passenger sends 70 the ST. Louis Repub.
lican the following brief but thrilling account
of merciful escape from terrible fate on
the Pacific Railroad:
The down train from Kansas City did not
arrive at Jefferson City until ten on Wednes.
day night, and the sickness of member of
my family compelled me to leave there that
fearful cold night for St. Louis.
The train consisted Of six cars all we'll
filled with passengers, among whom were
two newly married couples, who started of
from points above when the knots were tied,
On matrimonial excursions. Nothing worthy
of note occurred until we ha6 reached within
about four miles of Hermann, which we did
between twelve and one o'clock Thursday,
and about tn t time an accident occurred,
the recollection of which will, the longest day
l. live, be indelllbly impressed on my memory.
The thermometer must have been several
degrees below zero; the passengers were
crowded around the stove, some lvirg down
endeavorlng to sleep. others standing holding
their feet to get warmed, and others who
could not get near the fires in consequence of
there being no available space to creep in,
were stamping on the floor, endeavoring by
that means to keep the blood in circulation,
and cause some degree of warmth to pervaGe
the inferior members, when all in a second,
and before any one on board had time to
make an exclamation. the cars commenced
jumping to such a fearful pitch that the fires
in the stoves were Knocked about the floor,
the lamps were all blown out, and several of
the passengers Who had been standing around
the fires were either tumbled on to those who
occupied seats in their immediate vicinity. or
C mpelled to hold on with hands and feet to
., 1
The scene could not have lasted over ten
minutes but to the unfortunate passengers in
the cars it was ten of the most terrifcally
momentous minutes that the human mind
could comprehend. The lady passengers
land there were number on board) sat in
their seats with their hands holding on to the
benches before them, and their faces present.
ing the most fearful picture of horror and
despair. When the locomotive was got under
control and came to stand STILL the passen.
gers ran to the doors and looked out and,
merciful Heaven what a sight was presented
to the eyel
The train had been running on the verge
of a.precipice some thirty or forty feet in
depth, at the bottom of which was the
Missouri river, bearing on its bosom ponder.
GUS fakes of ice, nothing to be seen but snow
the wind blowing penetrating breeze
from the north, and the hindmost car
careened considerably to the river side, and
completely off the track. The three foremost
cars had, through the most providential
coincidence, jumped on to the track, and this
circumstance was no doubt the saving of the
lives of all on board, as had the train kent
on even one minute more it would almost
inevitably have gone down the precipice into
the river, and all should have perished.
1t was some moments after the stoppage of
the locomotive that any person on board
could speak, and it was only by degrees, and
after they felt assured that the train was not
yet In motion. that conversation ensued.-
After delay of about half an hour the train
again moved, minus the two above mentioned
cars, and in short time we arrived at
Hermann.