Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1877-01-18
A BRAVE WOMAN.

An Incident of the Ashtabula Horror
A Farmers Wife Who Would Not De.
sert Her Husband.
A Detroit correspondent of the New
York Herald relates the adventures OF
johnson B. Orburn and wife, who were
on the Inflated train that went down
with the bridge at Ashtabula- They
were on the way to Saginaw valley. Both
are past 40, and Mr.. Orburn is an Ohio
farmer, who lately purchased farm in
Saginaw county. As the train pulled
ont from Ashtabula the farmers wife
began eating luncheon, and her husband
was trying to read newspaper by the
light of the lamp. ~ 81
He says he felt the first movement
when the bridge gave way. He fret
imagined that one Of the wheels under
his car had become detached, as q cor
ner OF the car seemed to settle down q
little. He dropped the paper and seized
the back of the seat in front of him.
Then the whole car seemed to lift up,
and several women shrieked in alarm.
There was no sensation of falling. On
the contrary, both agree they thought
the car was running up steep hill.
This would prove that the rear end of
their car settled down first. From the
time the bridge gave way till the cars
struck the ice not more than ten seconds
could have elapsed, and yet during that
brief interval the husband threw one arm
around his wife, she grasped the seat
and asked what had happened, and he
told her to secure brace for her feet,
and added: "We are off the track and
running through the fields I" The rear
end of their car struck first, smashing
itself to kindling wood, the debris being
over the passengers In front.
The farmer found himself on the floor,
held down by q mass of wreck on his
left leg, while his wife was thrown across
him, with the wreck of two or three
seats holding her against the side OF the
car. While thus held, and before either
had spoken, one end of the car settled o
little, and tho wife was released. ,.i
" Mary, are you livingT' asked the
husband, being his first words after the
fall. She replied that she was not even
hurt, beyond bruise or two, and by
his time the shouting and confusion
around them proved that the train was
,ff the track, though neither one sus-
oected that il was more than tumble
nto wayside ditch. 1t was wonderful
low a woman could retain her presence
If mind under such exciting circum-
stances, but Mrs. Orburn didn't even cry !
,ut after the shock. Scores Of other
passengers were shrieking in pain and |
right as the cold waters flooded one end 1
II the car and the flames began to eat !
way at the other. -
The woman cleared herself of the
,roken seats just as the fire started, and
he then ascertained that her husband |
vas pinned fast to the floor by the |
vreck of matter ON his leg, which was |
'artially bent around one OF the iron |
tandards of seat. She worked with |
II her might to set him free, but the |
aging. flames were now only few feet |
way, and the smoke and heat were be- !
oming terrible
MARY, take hold of my foot bend |
ay leg toward you with all your might,
nd see If you can't break itf" called |
be husband, who thought he could |
asily free himself if the leg was re-
sased from its cramped position. The
71fe seized his foot, meaning to obey,
ut at that moment the car lurched over |
little and her husband released him.
elf. When they left the car. her dress
Tas on fire, showing that another min
tie would have enveloped both in the
lanes. $40 .g ~ff -tf
Both were able to walk to the hotel as
oon as released, having escaped with
My few bruises. The heroic sife and
Mother was not only ready to obey her
orders, but she had plan of
ler own.
"When saw the flames just upon
Is" she said, "and while was sure that
ny husband would be burned alive,
made up my mind to put one of the
over him, lie down on top of
hat, and hope that while / was being
burned up help would come to him for
'ur children's sake"
was afraid she wouldn't be strong
nough to break my leg" added the
"and then il would be all up
nth me. was going to have her get
ut, and then, rather than be burned
live, / was going to- Well, had the
ig knife in my right-hand pocket, and
Nv right arm was free to get it and use
Il"