Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-09-24

THE SARATOGA EXCURsIoS,-We find
in the Whitehall Chronicle the following
description Of the recent accident on the
Saratoga Railroad, and some incidents
connected with our Rutland friends;
The railroad has not sustained such
damage since its construction. Ihe
floods pouring off from the mountains
swept away the earth, leaving the track
and ties in mid air, Tho night mail
train from tho South, Saturday evening,
struck one Of those places between Fort
Ann and Comstoek's. The engine sank
down, the smoke stack only rising 10
about level with the track. The rest OF
the train became detached from il, and
the ears were plunging about, each ON its
own hook, The two baggage cars and
the first four passenger cars were all
shattered and splintered 10 pieces, One
baggage car sank down on end beside the
track, leaving only a small portion out OF
the water, The other one lay at right
angles across the track. The passenger
ears were detached from their trucks and
swung around on the side of the track as
it happened, How il was that no one was
killed is beyond explanation. The two rear
ears were filled with company OF excur-
sionis,s from Rutland, and were not in
jured, After the alarm created by the
plunging about Of the train had subsidized,
worse panic was created by the appear
anoe of a man with lantern coming to-
wards the train, which was mistaken for
an engine, which it was thought would
rush into them from the rear. A leading
gentleman Of the excursion seized his wife
and rushed frantioslly through the car
followed by all the people in the car wild
with fear. One lady jumped overheard.
Fortunately she jumped off the side to-
wards the rocks; had she jumped on the
ON the other side she would inevitably
have been drowned. This created great
excitement, and the eNcursionists sitting
in the darkness, hearing the roaring OF
the swelling floods and the rushing of the
descending torrents were filed with anx-
! iety and terror. A Methodist minister
named Bailey being on the train, was in
vited 10 offer prayer, which he did in SO
fervent and etteotual a manner that all
/ the terror and anxiety subsidized, and a
deep peace seemed - pervade all hearts,
inspired by the sense of the protection OF
Providence. We heard several who were
on the excursion allude 10 the wonderful
effect Of that prayer. Quiet was restored,
conversation was carried on in subdued
undcrtones, and finally all settled down
into repose. In the morning meeting
was held ON the rocks, in which devout
thanks were returned Tor preservation dur
/ ing the night. Then commenced the
march for Comstock's. They marched
along the road some three miles until they
came TO train which had been sent for
/ them. This was drawn part of the time
by locomotive, and part Of the time was
I pushed along by men walking on ties
floating ON the water. At some places
the cars were separated from each other,
and a platform made of boards, over
which the passengers walked until they
reached place above the waters, when
I the train would be again made up and
/ start on It's way. In this manner, rid
[ ing, pushing, wading, almost swimming,
| they journcyed to Comstock's, where they
were entertained in as handsome man
ncr as possible by the citizens. The wa
| ter had flowed into the hotel kitchen, so
no cooking could be done there, which, of
course, interfercd with the entertainment.
Sunday night they arrived iii this place,
and the hospitality with which they were
received is sufficiently apparent from the
acknowledgements which are elsewhere
| expressed. On Monday, at | o'clock, the
eastern road was sufficiently repaired to
enable the passage of a train with safety,
aud they were sent on their way rejoic-
! ing.