Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-01-18
rANAsHTABULA INCIDENT.
Love Tried By Fire-Ten seconds
at OfDOubt am Age Of Agony-A
Farmer and His Wife DE.
4 - scribe Their Sensations
In the Failing Cars. 94
From the New York Herald.

from the New 1 Ork Herald. -rfft efr
DETROIT, Jan. ALI every individ-
ual W ho went down with the ill-fated
railroad train at Ashtabula and lived
through the experiences were 10 write
up his or her sensations. and adyen-
|tufes, none wonld display that GOODNESS
snd heroism described by Johnson 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, v ho lately purchased q farEn in
Saginaw county. As the train pulled
out from Ashtsbula tie farmers wife
began eating luncheon, and her hus-
band WAS trying to read q newspaper
by the light Of the dim lamp. 80
He says he felt the first movement
when the bridge gave way. He first
'iG Hgined that one one of the wheels
under his ear had become detached, as
corner of the car seemed to settle
down 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 fall
ing. On the contrary, both agree that
they thought the Car WAS running up a
rear end of their tar settled down first.
FROM the t me 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 happe Led, and he told her TO
secure 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 to
wood, the debris being thrown
over the passengers in front. The
found himself on the floor, held
down by 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 ear settled lit
tie and the wife was released.
"Mary, are you living ?'' asked the
husband, being his first words after the
fall. She replied that she was not even
burt 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 a tumble
into the way-side ditch. 1t was won-
derful how a woman cOEid retain her
presence of mind under such exciting
but Mrs. Orburn didn't
even cry out after the shock Scores
Df other passengers were shrieking in
pain and fright as the cold waters Hood
ed ono end Of the car and the flames
began TO eat away at the other.
The woman cleared herself OF the
broken seats just as the fire started, and
The then ascertained thai her husband
was pinned fast to the floor by the
wreck of the matter on his leg, which
vas partially bent around one Of the
ron standards of seat. She worked
With all her might to set him free, but
he raging flames were now only q few
eet away, and the smoke and heat
we're becoming terrible. szs7Gl f5I1
"Mary, take hold of my foot, bend
ny leg toward You with all your
night, and see if yeu can't break itr'
allied the husband, who thought he
ouId easily free himself IL the leg was
eleased from its ersmped position.
The wife seized his foot, meaning to
bey,. but at that moment the car
VI CllCu VtCi q iIkttC, uhA AtOA h1ooolo
eleased himself. When they left the
ar her dress was on fire, showing that
neither minute would have enveloped
9th In the flames. sf...d sl-,i,.i7E
Both were able to walk to the hotel
9 soon as released, having escaped
nth only q few bruises. The heroic
iiie and mother was not only ready to
hey her husband Is orders, tut she had
plan of her own. -,
"When saw the flames Just upon
&, ~ she said, sand while was sure
nat my husband would be burned
live, made up my mind TO put one
the cushions over him, lie down on
,p of that, and hope that, while was
eing burned up, help would come to
i'm for our chiluren's sake"
81 was afraid she wouldn't be strong
nough- TO break my leg," added the
usband, "and then it would be all up
Iith me. was going to have her get
ut, and then, rather than be burned
i've, / was going towel, 1 had this
ig knife in my right pot ket, and my
ght arm was free to get it and use
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