Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-10-14

road was impossible beyond that point
When the train arrived at Eagle Bridg,
conductor Clark was informed that .
bridge near the station had been under
mined and could not be crossed by tn,
cars. He informed the passengers Of thi.
fact and suggested to them the propriety
of remaining over night at Eagle Bridge
Before, however, any of them had left the
cars, he remembered that his. brother
Robert Clark, was on the opposite side Of
the bridge with the engine "George
Gould" and he proposed that they should
walk over the bridge and take convey
ance upon the engine to the Falls. This
was gladly assented to by all the passen.
gers-only fifteen in number-and as
soon as possible the engine was load.
ed with its precious freight of human.
ity, and started on its way to the
Falls, backing up to the village.
The baggage master Of the train, Frank
Lewis, and the express messenger, III.
w. Benson, sat upon the rear end-now
the front-of the tender, each to avoid ac-
cidents holding lantern which threw a
pickering light upon the track. Mr..
Clark, the engineer, like his brother the
conductor, is one Of the most careful and
prudent men upon the road. He ran the
engine very slowly, and had reached a
point within a mile of the Falls when
Lewis and Benson simultaneously called
upon him to stop. 1t was the work of a
second to reverse the lever but almost
before it was done the engine began to
settle upon the track, and in another mo-
ment it was topping over and plunging
down the embankment, fifty feet or more,
into the dancing, boiling, foaming water
Of the Hoosick river. Conductor Clark says
the sensation experienced during the fall
cnnot be described 1t was simply hor-
rible. He was more fortunate than his COM
panions, for in the descent he was struck
upon the chin by some part of the ma
chinery Of the engine and knocked in
sensible. He did not therefore get the
full benefit of the fall. When he recover
ed his senses he found himself stretched
out from the engine to the shore OF the
river, his hands just touching the muddy
banks of the stream. The situation was
little better than internal. The roar of
the waters was deafening. No lights were
at hand. The screams of the njurcd and
ot those struggling iii the water were APP
Dailing. Save me y Save me !" were the
cries that even above the roar of the
waves, and the fury of the storm pierce d
his ears. Mr. Clark found himself pinio,td
oy "a rail of the track which Law across his
Body. Aiken lay dead by his side With
superhuman exertion he removed the rail
md struggled TO the river bank. OF all
that load of persons upon the eagine
every one went down, save Benson,
the express messenger The engine arg
pears 10 have made a complete summer
sault III its descent of the embank mcut
and plunged down into eight feet of water.
Ryan, tie tiremln. was fastened in the
cab, but managed to release himself
and swan long distance until
finally he reached the trunk Of
tree and gained the shore. A student at
Williams College also swan to the shore.
DR.. Fowler and wife were both drowned,
but young Aiken was killed outright by
the fall. l. NJ Cooley, of Hoosick, was
-cilded and bruised. His face was SO
badly Injured a. to be unrecognzable. .
These, with Rev. DR.. Dwyer, of New
! ork, We're the only ones thrown in the
water, the Others being on the upper side
# the engine. The dead and wounded
We're carried UP the emhaul;tnent and
laid upon the track After the extent Of
he calamity WIS known, conductor /
lark. overcome with excitement and
.he pain of his injuries, as we'll
a. others OF the party, were saw
ID from fainting only by lying down
upon the track and permitting the gener-
,us rainfall to descend upon their faces
hessr- Benson and Webster then walked /
lp to Hoosick Falls, and securing hand /
ar the bodies Of the dead and wounded /
we're removed TO the village All were I
AIKEN out OF she wreck at the time ex-
.ept the body OF Mrs Fowler, which was
'ecovtred yesterday afternoon. Conduc-
or CEIk and engineer Clark did not
meet until the party had regained the
rack l2,ri, @"I-l.,.-oa tho other Loot.
more than IA warm grasp of
lands attended that happy reunion of the
)rNthers. Next morning conductor Clark .
tarted hy hand car for North" Adams,
which place he reached in the AFTERNOON,
laving walked six or seven miles around .
,laces i'll the track which were impassa-
lie. Yesterday he returned to the city
y way of Pittsfeld, and was warmly
congratulated by scores of friends upon
rs narrow escape from death in the terri
he accident OF Monday night.