Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-08-05
tWhe IL 70 IRlame ]
THE ACCIDENT ON THE RUTLAND AND BURLINGTON
RAILROAD ON SATURDAY.

all the elements tor the most terrible tragedy that
ever happened in New England. if not in the
United States. They were these: We were going
thirty-fye miles an hour ON a down grade round a
sharp curve, with misplaced swift n, and 200 feet
from that bridge crossing a .ayue of rough
rocks so feet below the track laid on his bridge.
To cap the climax, locomotive was following
us, and was cominSemadly down the grade, not
knowing but the track WIS clear, as the engineer
cannot see the switch util within about forty
yards of it.
The engine on our train was fine one-the
Chester the care of Edward Foss, one OF
the best engineers IN the road. On rounding
the curve, he saw the open switch and instantly
reversed his engine and whstled for brakes, but
the momentum was so great that the whole train
ran on the sleepers till the bridge reached,
and then the engine took slight turn toward
one side but being under such Roadway, 1t
crossed the bridge, and plunged headlong down
the embankment on the opposite side. turning
nearly over, and with the driving wheels furious
ly revolving, as the engineer hal not shut of the
steam
The tender was w.enched from the engine and
baggage car, ard lay some distance down the
bank, while poised at an angie of forty-tiye deg.
within 70 of the edge of the bridge, stood thu
smoking aud first passenger cars one foot more
and the train, with its one hundred or more men
women and children, would have bsen dashed Oh
those aid, gray rocks, eighty feet below. The
passengers, when they realized their condition
were silent with horror. 1t would hardly have
been possible for TO have escaped if the car
had gone over the awful brink. The engineer
was badly cut and bruised, but was abe to wall,
to house some eighty rods distant, wll4re medl-
cal aid was sent, and it was found that though
badly hurt, no bones were broken, ana it wa.
thought that he would be able to be conveyed te
his home in Rutland that evening.
He stuck bravely to his engine III the face o.
almost certain death. The fireman and the de-
pot IN aster of Chester (who on the enginel es-
capped with only few bruises The baggage was
scattered about among the trees and bushes and
one trunk rolled down into the stream and float
ed about until the secured by the baggage
ter.
With wonderful presence OF mine, the baggage
IN ister rushed back with flag and stopped the
coming locomotive, Just III season to prevent an
additional catastrophe OF no ordinary character
and yet was told, that although the Chester
carried flag; our conductor dIi not know il, and
that II our baggage-master had been killed, theIt
no one on the train to attend to checking Ia,
much as a scratch, and the passenger weIt
not fnjur in the least. And it VIII be
asked, '.Who was to blame ~ l walked bacl, tc
the switch and found the lock lying on the ground
and the switch wide open L asked, Who tend,
this ~ ''No one, SIR; the Company do no. alow
US to have a key the conductor of the freight
train has the key, and they took from TIN.
side track this morning, apd, suppose, LEFT TIE
ba,@ Il, -
The hand of the track repairer stood within
ten yards Of the switch, and why he did not SCI
the danger no one can tell Word was rent I,
Bellows Falls, and a with help was sent up
ana after two hours delay we started f1r believe
Falls. Il after 1 p. m and We had had
nothing 10 eat since morning, ana | thought II
would have been common courtesy for the con-
ductor Of our train, the Assistant Supcrintend-
ent, who was there, to have told us would have
ample time to stop and eat before going forward
as we must wait for the up train not then due
but not ona word sala, e.ss.l, ,
were told that we were going right or Aftel
a delay of three-q quarters of an hour We started
and got to Fitohburg about $50 p. m, and found
the depot closed, and were told that there was 10
engine ready to take Us to Boston.
No one seemed to know or care anything about
us, but after delay of half an hour, an engineer
accidentally went into the engine-housc, and wa
told that he must take us TO Boston. With re-
Iuctance he consented, and started out. It va
then after Q p. m, and the train not expected
along the route. l chose, with gentleman anC
wife OF my acquaintance, to stop III Fitchburl
until morning, and take the milk train, a. 81
o'clock lay morning.
Lynn, Monday, July 20, 1869.
THE OLDEST LIVING GRADUATE Oh
DARTMoUTH-The Middlebury Rse1stel
contains the following notice OF the ven
cradle Samuel Swift, of Middlebury, who
it seems, is the Oldest graduate Of Dart
mouth. Mr.. Job Lyman is probably tn,
next oldest These two well-known anC
honored citizens have been spared 10 sc,
the day of the centennial of their 1Ht1
Mater, both Of whom in extreme old ag'
are vigorous both in mind aud body:
In the Boston Journal of the 25d inst.
in a communication from Hanover, \. II.
in regard to the centennial celebration o
Dartmouth College. we find the follow
ing:
The next speaker Hon. job Lyman. 0
Woodstock, VT, s. years Of age member Of tn
class of 1901, and the oldest livirg graduate o
the college lie was quite feeble, but pie lsantl
referred 10 his college life, and expressed the erea
pleasure it afforded him to be present.
By reference to the trienninl of Dart
mouth college, it will be seen that Hon
Samuel Swift, of Middlebury, was gradu
ated in 1900. four years previous to tn
graduation of Hon. job Lyman, o
| Woodstock We have seen letter di
rected 10 Judge Swift, from Rev DR.
Chapman, of Newburyport. Mass autho
of Sketches of the Alumni OF Dartmouth
College" in which he says: Il should b
highly fattered by the patronage of th
first unstarred graduate of Dartmouth.
Judge Swift has been a resident Of Mid
lcbury since 1901, been freqently honore'
by the citizens of his town and county
is about 81 years of age, and still hal
and hearty, vigorous in mind and body.
GOING TO CHURCH.-Many years age
when Daniel Webster stood at the sum
NIT of his commanding influence, upon
certain Sabbath he entered small Metho
dist church i'll the vicinity of Washing
ton. The number of persons in attend
ance was few, and the house and furnitur
were of an inferior description. Th
preacher was plain, unlettered man
who had never enjoyed any advantages o
education, but who did possess hear
warmed by the glow and excellence o
the Gospel.
At the close of the services, a. MI
Webster was leaving the house, clerk o
one of the departments, who had BEEF
present, accosted Mr.. Webster and ex
pressed regre. that man of his eminenc
and extensive information should hav
been compelled to listen to so plain dis
course. you mistake" replied Mr. Web
ster Il have been interested and move,
by the sermon. As You say. the preache
has no learning from books, but he ha
evidently been instructed by the highes
of teachers-the Spirit Of God. We g
to church, sir, not merely to have on
minds enlightened, but to have the emo
tions Of our hearts awakened and excitet
toward divine things. This ignorant man