Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-04-11
from the Lexington Ky Press
A Fearful Descent.
EXTRAORDINARY FREAK OF A FREIGHT
TRAIN.


TRAIN.
The workmen ON the Big Sandy Rail
road are supplied with material with
which to carry on the layingof the track
by construction train, which runs at
convenient intervals between the Gov
ington depot, and where the supplies
are received, and the point where the
men were at work. On Saturday, at
about IL o'clock, the train went up the
road, as usual, laden with iron rails and
cross-ties, the cars carrying the iron be-
ing in front of the engine; those bearing
the ties, behind. The iron was taken to
a point as near the workmen as possible,
and the cars detached. The engine then
backed little to afford an opportunity
to unload the cars laden with ties The
men who were unloading the car having
occasion to move the trucks little, did
so, but as there were no brakes attached
they could not stop them, and they went
down the grade, which is forty-fve feet
to the mile, at steadily increasing speed
toward the engine. The engineer, see
ing there was about to be a collision,
backed his engine a little, while the
hands threw rails in the way of the
descending cars to stop them, but with
out effect; they passed over them as if
they were straws, increasing in speed the
while.
The engine still kept backing and in
creasing its speed until the rate augment
ed to twenty miles an hour. Down they
came, engine and cars, laundering across
Main street, the bell ringing and the en-
CINE whistling. Down Branch alley
with tremendous speed the engine
dashed along, the cars leaping along in
the rear, until the market-house was
reached. Crowds of people attending
market, not knowing what was the mat
ter, came out to see. The sight of the
cars drove them off in fright. On the en-
CINE sped, on the cars came, and like a
fash the market-house was passed, the
engine increasing its speed to the switch.
Here it stopped, the brakeman jump
ing off to unlock the switch. He was
too late; before he could change the
switch, which was locked, the cars came
rushing on, and in a moment into the
engine. The iron on the cars smashed
in the Cast-irOn heading of the cylinder,
while the trucks smashed the cOw-catch-
er, breaking iron bars as thick as mans
arm, and throwing engine and cars off
the track.
For moment there was a scene of
utter confusion, but when it was disCOy-
cred that the engine was not so badly
hurt as to he unable to work, confidence
was inspired, and men set to work to
repair the damage and get the engine
and cars back upon the track. This
was accomplished without much loss of
time and without further damage than
that done to the engine. When the
trucks first started there were some four
teen negroes upon them engaged in un-
loading the iron. They stuck to their
positions until the speed became danger
Gus, when they leaped off at points along
the road, turning double sOmersaults in
the attempt One man lcaped off at
Karsner's stable and rolled down an en-
bankment, escaping unhurt. One other
man, more timid or more venturesOme
than the rest, remained until the collision
almost occurred, when he jumped off
Just in time to escape being crushed to
death. The CONSERVATION caused along
the whole route by the terrible speed of
the flying engine and cars was very
great, the rate at one time being reckon
ed at forty miles an hour. Fortunately,
however, there were no lives lost The
damage to the engine has been repaired
and to-day it is at work as usual.