Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-10-02
SELECT READING.
THRILLING ADVENTURE ON MOUNT VASE
INGToN.

INGToN.
The White Mountain railway, which
is about three miles long, with grades
as steep as two thousand feet to the
mile, would be just. the place for a
frightful accident, but until last week
none of any consequence has happened
upon it. AS party was ascending the
mountain during a storm last Tuesday
night, in order to witness the sunrise
from the top next morning, an incident
occurred which is thus related in the
Springfield Republican by one who was
there: je
! "And now we begin the fearful as.
cent of Jacobs ladder. The little car,
brought nearer to a perpendicular by
the acute inclination of the road, seems
ready to fall backwards upon the engine
and hull itself into the abyss below
Poised in mid air, thousands of feet
from the bottom of the mountain, in the
very clouds themselves, storm rag
ing without, covered with a perfect sea
of darkness, our only shelter a frail
bark, which, for all we knew, the Sigh
test mishap may cause to be dashed in
to atoms on the rock below, and who
will wender that the stoutest hearts
feel just little of fear? But onward
we went steadily onward and upward,
when, just as We. were congratulating
ourselves that tie worst Of the Journey
must be over, there came, without
warning or premonition, loud crash
like thunder-bolt shot from cloud
less sky, so sndden and unexpected was
it. Then there was an instantaneous
stoppage of machinery, palpable and
terrifying lifting, or upward movement
of the car, accompanied by violent
surge down hill, as though striving 10
break away and leap from the track
into the depths. below. then a sudden
settling to place again, and then-all
was still Was there panic? No.
Did anybody scream, or faint, OF try to
jump overheard! No, far from it. 1t
was all SO sudden, 50 appalling, SO ov
empowering, that the effect was quiet
the reverse. ~
''The main eccentric shaft of the en-
CINE was broken short off, deranging
all the machinery, and rendering further
progress by rail, either up or down the
mountain, utterly impossible. Of
course there was hurried and anxious
consultation as to what had better be
done, but there was one thing settled
on the instant, and that was to leave
the car, whatsoever might come next.
Nothing on earth could have, kept us
there any longer. 1t was raining in
torrents, blowing a gale, and blacker
than Egyptian darkness, but that was
nothing to the dread uncertainty of
what possibly might happen if we re-
manned where we were, and so gather
ing up such light baggage as was at
hand, out we went into the rain. into
the gale, into the night, aid chung to
the timbers, to the car, and whatever
else could be laid hold of, as best we
o uld, like SO many drowning rats.
"When lights were brought and our
position determined, it was found that
the accident had occurred within few
feet Of the upper end of the first Sec
ticn of the Ladder, where the great
trestlework tapers away and rests upon
sort Of abutment formed by the pro-
jecting ledge, very, much as a bridge
rests upon its entertainments at either
end. The road was just as steep here
as elsewhere, but our height above the
rocks was much less, being, SO to speak
nearer the shore, which rendered land
ing possible; whereas, had the disaster
occurred few rods either below or
above, we must have remained all night
in the car or clinging to the trestle-
work. As it was, we reached the
ground with no little difficulty and
danger. Once landed, it was one Of
three things: To remain where we
were, or 60 down the mountain to the
station, or to go up the. mountain to
the Summit House. The first position
meant being chilled though and though
and perishing without exertion; and ,oi
the other two W. chose the last. And
SO we started. Meantime the brake.
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