The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-17
RAILROAD ACCI,
DENT.
An intoxicated switchinan rails 10
do His Duty. WHO'S to Biainci

an intoxicated Switchman rails 10
do His Duty.-WhO's TO Biamc,
A terrible railroad accident occurred ut
Albany at an carly hour Sunday evening.
The Saratoga special train due in that city
Mt Z :42 p. M, started Mt the usual time, and
was composed of the following; Engine
James NJ. Cook, No. 10, Engineer, John
Ahesn, fireman, j. Salters, the baggage car
and two passenger coaches, drawing-room
car and passenger car. There was on board
large number of passengers, the two cars
being nearly filled, and the baggage ear CON
tanning n large amount of freight and trunks.
The train proceeded at the usual rate OF
speed until after passing the tunnel under
the Troy road when as usual on entering
the outskirts of the city ii Stacked up CON
sidcrably. The Albany f,gus adds that:
Just opposite the old Van Rensselaer,
skating park grounds the double tracks con-
verge into one, and at this point switch is
placed. Almost opposite, the Patroon's
creek flows along the culvcrt, and, proceed
ing along tho west side Of the track for n
short distance. crosses the cmbankmCnt,
over which a bridge is placed and com,uu-
nicates with the canal
On approaching nearer, however, the en-
ginocr glanced along the track, cleaning
brightly in the rays of the headlight, and
looking along he was terrified and almost
paralyzcd to see the rails terminate most
abruptly. Then suddenly flashed across
his mind the fact that the switch was mis-
placed. With ono hand on the throttle
valve, and the other on the whistle he stood
to duty. terrific shrek proclaimed clown
brakes" the lever was reversed, and n, the
hrakcmen sprang to their posts all that hui
man hands could do to avert the fearful
catastrophe was done. 1t was too late,
however. On dashed the train and rush.
ing over the ends of the rails ard over the
'lcepcrs for a few feet.
rLvSGrp uENpLoNG powN rmE LMr,Nk-
NEST
and was u wreck. The bank being quite
steep, the engine topplcd over, and bottom
upward lay crushed and broken in the wa
TER below. The train followed, the bag
gage car being drawn completely off the
track, inclined at an angle of forty-tivc de-
grecs, and supported only by the tank of
the engine from following and drawing the
remainder of the train and its precious
freight of human lives to death and dcstruc
ton b low. The passenger coaches re-
manned entirely on the track. excepting the
which were drawn cfi the track several
feet to the west. and remained perfectly
upright. How the whole train escaped
ioppling over into the gully below Is II mir
aclr
Immediately, those in charge began to
look about to discover the extent OF the ac-
cident. To their intense horror, buried
beneath the debris of the wrecked engine
was discovered the body of the fireman.
James Salt rs. The engineer was found TO
be alive and uniniurcd, excepting a few
bruises about the lower part Of the BODY.
and Immediately proceeded home. So far
as we have been able to learn, the passcn-
gers were entirely uniniured, and Justly
considered themselves fortunate in cscnp-
ing with their lives.
The fireman, the only victim of the ac-
cident, was Just previous out upon the for
ward portion of the engine oilng, as is
customary before reaching the depot, the
piston and valves. Just as the engine near
ed the switch and the whistle bowed, he
was about crossing to the other side of the
engine, and as he looked back and his ewes
met those of the engineer, as he felt the en-
CINE bound from the rails, and the whole
pondcrous mass topping over, he must for
an instant have realized his awful position