Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-02-08
An Incident of AshtabuIa.

If every individual who went dowr
with the Inflated railroad train at Ash
tabula and lived through the experience
were to write up his Or her sensations
and adventures none would display thai
GOODNESS and heroism described by John.
son B. Orburn and his wife, who were
on their way to the Saginaw Valley
Both are past forty, and Mr.. Orburn is
an Ohio farmer who lately purchased a
farm in Saginaw county. AS the train
pulled out from Ashtabula the farmers
wife began eating.luncheon, and her hus-
band was trying to read a newspaper by
the light of the dim lamp.
He says he felt the first movement
when the bridge gave way. He first
imagined that org Of the wheels under
his car had become detached, as a cor
ner of the car seemed to settle down a
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
that 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 in
terval the husband threw one arm
around his wife, she grasped the seat
and asked what had happened, and he
told her to secure a brace for her feet,
and added: ''We are off the track and
running through the fields" The rear
end OF their car struck first, smashing
itself into kindling wood, the debris
being thrown over the passengers in
front. The farmer found himself on the
floor, held down by a mass of wreck on
his left leg, while his wife was thrown
across him, 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 ear
settled a little and the wife was released.
MARY, are YOU liying?" asked the
husband, being his first words since the
fall. She replied that she was not
even hurt beyond bruise or two, and
by this time the shouting and confusion
around them proved that the train was
off the track, though neither one sus-
pected that it was more than tumble
into a wayside ditch. 1t was wonder
tul how a woman could retain her
presence Of mind under such exciting
circumstances, but Mrs. Orburn didn't
even cry out after the. shock. Scores. Of
a1Ii;sg pss as the cold waters flooded
one end Of the car and the flames began
10 eat away at the other.
The woman cleared herself of the
broken seats just as the fire started, and
she then ascertained 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 a seat. She worked with
all her might to set him free, but the
raging flames were now only few feet
away. and the smoke and heat were
becoming terrible.
when l saw the flames just upon
us, - she said, land while 1 was sure
that my husband would be burned alive
made up my mind to put one of the
over him, lie down Oh top Of
that, and hoped that while 1 was being
burned up help would come to him for
our childrens' sake.
Il was afraid she wouldn't be strong
enough to break my leg" added the
husband, land then it would be all up
with NE. l was going to have her get
out. and then, rather than be burned
alive. l was going to. Well. L
had this knife i'll my right-hand pocket,
and my right arm was free to get it and
use it."
AZ, IL.