Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-11-05

date, peremptory attachment laws
TuE HunsoN RIVER RAILROAD Ac-
CIpENr.-Thc New York Herald gives
these particulars Of the terrible railroad
accident on the Hudson River railroad,
near Albany, Friday night Three Sc
rious accidents have thus occurred on
Commodore Vanderbilt's New York Cen
trail and Hudson River roads, within a
week. for which his railroad officials are
| Justly held accountable.
The.train. was due at Albany at pre-
cisely II o'clock The speed of the loco
motive is variously estimated, some al
/ frming that it was proceeding at the rate
Of 35 miles an hour. and others that il
was barely going p miles. At all events,
| the engine driver was not moving more
RAPIDLY than the time set down, for had
/ the train reached Albany he would have
only arrived at u o'clock 1t is general
/ " affirmed that the engine driver acted
| with much co0lness and courage during
| the great crisis that was at hand. Ap-
/ preaching the fatal spot the engine passed
over what Is believed TO have been a bro
ken rail. or perhaps some obstruction on
the road bed The train was drawn by
the "Poughkeepsie. With eommenda-
ble acuteuess, if true, the engine driver
at once understanding the imminent
peril, at once opened the throttle valve,
increasing the speed intending to take
the whole train in safety over the spot.
Other versions state, however, that once
knowiny that the rail was broken, he
blew breaks down." which, from all the
circumstances, appear to have been the
most judcious course. The engine, bag
gage and express ears passed over the par
ted rail without sustaining any injury
but meanwhile the rail had been disloca.
ted. and the smoking car, which was next
in order. containing soae fifteen or TWEEN
ty men, snapped the coupling and rushed
down the cnbankment to the right. and
bounding in the air, turned upside down
in an instant, sinking somewhat in the
soft clay. Maryelously, but. a few were
injured, for the men clutched with the
grip Of death, and beyond few compara-
lively Slight bruises nearly all escaped
| !, ut the sad scenes were close at hand
J.rL ed with tremendous power, the pas
senper coaches and one sleeping car fol
lowed su.'t and, whirling in the air, jump
ed violently into the bank and dashed
down the little precipice like an avalanche
amid the most heart-rending shrieks anG
i aoonizinp screams. Most of the women
we're without male protectors, and the
shrill cries of the poor creatures rent thu
i night air. The second and third cars
made two complete revolutions, finally
laundering down against the earth with 9
tremendous crash, smashing in their end'
and settling down pitiful wreck. The
second car crushed the roof and fell upor
the person of Mrs Sarah A. Ross, resi-
dent of Pennsylvania and millinel
by occupation, who was returning home
from New York, after a purchase o
goods. Her skull was fractured ant
! her face horribly disfgured, the nos'
5 being tiattened and her ribs broken in 81
that death must have been instantaneous
The scene was appalling; not in twos o.
threes, but in tens and twenties, human
beings struggled in every posture. l
: was but moment, and every one awak
grasped at something to cling to dear life
CrasN went tne sHlohluS Cai, bHc tSieSIhpl
post in the way swapping like twig
then swerving from the course came tn
5 others, bounding and jumping like empt.
l ban dboxes. Nearly all the passengers il
the sleeping cars slumbered more or less
the first idea Of the awful situation bein
sugges .ed to them by the terrific cras
and thu1 against them of some fellow pa,
$ senger, o. being thrown headlong on tn
n floor. Four sleeping cars remained on tn
o track, and The only inconvenience suffere
by the inmates was the terrible shock e,
:, perienced by them. Passengers who ha
= escaped uninjured stood pallid with e,
u citement, and barely comprehended tn
le position of affairs. In the passenge
3 coaches men were hurried up and dow,
- and frenziedly clutched at everythin,
The cars that ran off were smashed
- atoms, and how so many escaped is
N wonder to those who have witnessed Il
m debris. The subsequent scenes are said
IL have been most painful and affectin
Subdued means were heard on all side
- while friends sought friends in blank di
y may. One lady had three children wi
o. her, the Oldest not more than six years