Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-01-08

If every lnd!ylGuai VINO went uOWu WIN tue
;|l.fated railroad train at Ashtabula aud lived
through the experience were to write up his
or her seosatiens and adventures none would
display that eooness and herolsm described by
Johnson B. Orburn anl his wife, who were ou
hair way to Tic Saginaw Valley, Both are
mast forty, and Mr.. Orbarn is ao Ohio farmer,
,vbo lately nurchased iaru, in Saginaw county.
As the train pulled oul from Ashtabula the
farmers vile began eating luncheon. Aod her
husband was trying to read newspaper py 'iie
light of the dim lamp.
He SAYS he iet the first movement when the
bridge gave way. lie FIRST imag'ued that one
of The wheels under his car had become de-
tachcd, as c0roer uf The ear seemed 10 settle
,.,;rn little. lie dropped the paper and sel2'
IA thn back Of the seat 10 front OF hun. 1hcu
,hs wLo!,s car seemed to lift up, and several
womcu shrieked N alarm. There was no sen.
s.,inn ot falling. Du thc contrary, both agree
that they thought tie CAP was running up
steep bill. This would pave thEt tEle rear eno
the bridge gave way till the cars strLc"S tue ice
not more than ten seconds could have clapsHH.
aud yet during that brief Interval the husband
threw one arm around his vile, she grasped
the seat and asked what hah happeued, and
he told hel to secure brace Tor her
feet aud added I'VE are of the track and
runuiny through the fields - The rearcud Of
their car struck first, smashing itself to kidding
wood, the debris being thrown over the passan-
gers 10 front The farmer found himself on
the floor, held down b. mass OF wreck on his
left lee, while his vile was thrown across him,
with the wreck Of two or three seats holllng
her against the side Of the car While thus
held, and before either had Spak"u. one end OF
the car settled little and tho WIFI vas re-
leased.
MARY, are you living % asked the husband,
oeing his first words after the lal. one re-
piled that she was not even hurt, beyond
bruise or two, aud by this time tao shouting
and confusion around them proved that the
train gas off The track, though neither one su'
nncted THAI il was more than tumble into
wavside ditch. 1t was wooderfu how wo-
man could retain her presence of mind under
such exciting circumstances, but Mrs Orburu
didn't even cry out after the shock. Scores OF
other passepgcrs we're shrleklng 10 pain auu
fright AZ the cold water flooded ouc end OF the
car and the flames began 10 eat away at the
other.
The woman cleared herself OF the broken
seats lust as the fire started, and she thcu as
,ertaioed that her husband was pinned fast to
the floor by the wreck OF matter on his leg
which was partially bent around one OF the
IRON standards of seat She worked With all
her might 10 set him free. bit the raging
flames were now only few feet away. and the
smoke and heat were becoming terrible.
MARY, take hold Of my foot, bend my leg
toward you with all your might aud see 1t you
can't break it!' called tho husband, who
thought he could easily free himself ii the leg
was released from It's cramped position. The
vile seized his foot meaning to obey, but at
that moment tho car lurchcd over . little
and her husband released himself When they
left the car her dress was on tlrc, showing that
another minute would have eGVcloped both 10
the flames.
Both we're able to walk to the hotel as soon
as released, having escaped with ony lew
bruises. The heroic wife and mother was not
only ready to obey her husbands orders, but
she had plan Of her own.
'Whcn | saw the flames just upon Us, Sue
said. "and while was sure that my husband
would be burned alive, made up my mind to
put one of the cushions over him, lie down 90
.op OF that, and hope that, while was being
burned up help would come to him tor our chill
!, ren's sake.
" IL was afraid sha wouldat DC s,roug enough
,o weak my eg." added the husband, "and
Ihsn ID would be all up with me. l was gong
to ha eAer get out, and then, rather tnan os
burnc, slisc. l was going to ----~. Wcll, l
had ,bi S big h.uic 10 my right hand pocket.a,uo
nv RIO, # arm vas free to get II and use II -
\. Y IensM.