Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-24
From the Troy Times, October Z.

MY keeI INTO the SsfssEe---Ihf1l'
sing Description OF the HOOsIcA
rails Disaster.
From the Troy Times, October :.
The recent railroad accident at Hoosiek
Falls, by which DR.. Fowler and wife of that
place. and Mr.. Aiken of Sandlake, lost
their lives, and other parties were seriously
injured. was a tragic and heart-rending af-
fair. When the train arrived at Eagle
Bridge, Conductor Clark was informed that
q bridge near the station had been under
mined, and could not be crossed by the
ears lie informed the passengers of this
fact and suggested to them the propriety
of remaining over night at Eagle Ridge
Before however, any of them had left the
cars, he remembered that his brother, Rob
en- Clark, was on the opposite side of the
bridge, with the engine George Gould, and
lac proposed that they should walk over the
bridge and take conveyance upon the en-
cine 10 the Falls
Tins was gladly assented to by all the
Vasaenge 10 in number-and as
soon as possible the engine was loaded
with lis precious freight of humanity, and
started on its way to the Falls, backing up
To- the village The baggage master of the
train, Frank Lewis, and the Express mes
seuger, H. W Benson. sat upon the rear
end-now the front-of the tender, each,
iD avoid accidents, holding lantern, which
ihrew a fiickcring light upon the track
Mr. Clark, the engineer, ran the engine
very slowly. and had reached point with
lu a mile OF the Falls, when Lewis and Ben
SON simultaneously called upon himto stop.
u was lLe work of "A second to reverse the
lever. hut almost before 1t was done the
,u"ln, began 10 settle upon the track, and
ln another moment II was topping over
ami pmumug down the embankment, 80
.lHci nT more. into the dancing, boiling
lp.mius water of the Hoosac river
The roar of the water was deafening. No
% hats were If hand. The screams of the
injured and OF those siruggingin the water
oaF appalling Save me-" Save me-"
y the cries than even above the roar of
the waves and The fury of the storm pierced
ms ears Mr. Clark found himself pni0ned
Hv 90 rail-of the track. which lay across his
body. Aiken lay dead by his side With
auperhumln eXertlon he removed the rail
and struggled TO the river bank. OF all
1int load ofpersons upon the engine every
one went down save Benson, the express
messenger. The engine appears to have
made complete sOmersault IN its descent
O. lhe embanBment, and plunged down into
eight feet of water
Ryan, the fireman, was fastened in the
cab, but managed to release himseE, and
swam a long distance, until finally he
reached the trunk of tree and gained the
-hara A student of Williams College also
SWAIN 10 the shore. DR.. Fowler and wife
we've both drowned. but young Aiken was
killed outright 10y the fall l.. NJ. Cooley
81 Hoosick. was scalded and bruised His
',rn was SO badly injured as 10 be uIrecog-
uilahl, These. with the Rev. Or, Dwyra
- y s lorll. were The only ones thrown in
rhe ,.4lrr. the Others being ON thf upper
-.da IS the ougne. The deadand wounded
Rsve carried up the embankment md laid
~ ih- track After the eXteIt Of the
riJmitv was known Conductor Ciak, over
come with excitement and the pan Of ms
iuiurie,. as wen as others of the party,
we're saved from fainting only by lying
.ior.u upon the track and permitting the
urnrvars rainfall to descend upon their
.lres. EIfssrs Benson and Webster then
walked up tn HoosicB Falls, andSecurlug
. hand car iho bodies Of the dead and
wounded were removed to the Village.