The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-01-24

slx Hundred Passenger " stalled" In =
Train on enc New York Central Near
Hochester.
From the New York world. ]
SYRACUSE, N. r., January THE
great suow-storm which has completely
embargoed the Central Railroad since
Thursday Of last week was the most
terrific and long-continued Known In
the history Of the road. The first pas
senger train which has reached Syracuse
from Buffalo since Thursday arrived to-
night, and will reach New York about
noon Wednesday, bringing an UMPIRE
cedented accumulation Of Western mails.
The amount of snow which fell was not
only unprecedented, but the wind for
days blew perfect hurricane, making
all attempts to open the road futile.
The entire length OF road runs through
a wall of snow piled up from ten TO
twenty-five feet high. Hitherto the
road has always fought snow-storms and
pushed ahead at all hazards, but the
elements proved too powerful during
the past week, and the authorities were
compelled to retire from the contest and
await the cessation Of the storm. The
last train to pass over the road from
Buffalo till this evening, was the St.
Louis express, which left Rochester at
4 80 D. m. Thursday. When 1t left
Rochester 1t consisted Of q snow-plow,
eight Locomotives, ten passenger coaches
and several baggage and express cars.
1t proceeded slowly east in the face Of
the tempest of wind and snow, until
Sand Cut, two miles southwest of Fair
port, was reached. Here the snow
pillow struck q snow-bank so solid that
the pillow and all the eight engines were
thrown from the track. Five engines
plunged down the bank and were COM
pletely wrecked. In the cars were 600
passengers. That great loss Of life did
not accompany the accident was simply
miraculous. Engine No. AIS, the first
to 90 down the bank, had on board
Clark Brundagc, and Mr.. Clough, the
Roadmaster, besides the fireman. The
engineer was killed, and Mr.. Clough
had his leg broken in two places. Con-
ductor John Holmes was also seriously
injured. The six engines were scatter
ed about the tracks in every possible
condition, DR.. j. b. Hamilton, Surgeon
General, U. s., was fortunately on
hand, and he did good work dressing
the wounds of the injured. The storm
ragged all night fiercer than ever, and
the passengers in the wrecked train,
giving up all hopes of relief, passed the
night without sleep. Superintendent
Burrows started from Rochester for the
wreck Friday, with six engines, but all
got off the track few miles east Of
Rochester. The storm continued Fri
day, rendering all attempts to rescue
the imprisoned passengers fu-
tile. In the meantime the farmers
living in the vicinity forced their way to
it Friday morning and supplied the pas
The conductor made his way to Fair
port and succeeded in returning with
scant supply of provisions, which lasted
until Friday night. On Saturday the
conductor again went to Fairport and
returned with q sleigh-load of provi-
sions. The 600 passengers took things
and expressed the high
est gratitude to the farmers who came 20
heir relief even with q scanty supply Of
provisions. On board the train were III.
NJ. Twombly, son-in-law of w. II. Van
ierbilt, and his wife, and ]. III. Rutter,
General Freight Agent Of the New York
Central and Hudson River Railroad.
They had been In Rochester TO attend
The funeral Of George Whitney, a Di-
rector of the Central Road, and were on
heir way home. A number Of friends
in Rochester on Saturday determined to
rescue them at all hazards, and started
in four-horse sleigh, but the roads
were drifted so badly that they were
to strike out across lots, the
farmers assisting them to cut away the
drifts. After herculean efforts the par
~ succeeded in reaching the train. They
found the passengers In pretty good
shape, as help had already reached them
from Fairport.
The dead body Of Engineer Brundage
was in the caboose, the lower part Of his
body being crushed TO . jelly. His fire.
man lay alongside Of him, having suf-
Tered the xmputation OF one leg, besides
having his arm broken. In one of the
were lying Mr. .Clough,
both Of whose legs were broken, Mr..
Holmes, who was badly hurt about the
head, and Engineer Mccarthy, whose
was put out Of joint. All the
women we're made as comfortable as
possible under the circumstances. Hav-
Ing shaken hands all round, the relief
party made preparations to return.
Mrs. Twombly, wrapped In robes and
straw, was placed in the bottom Of one
Of the sleighs with her husband and Mr..
Rutter. The return journey was made
In safety, the Osborn House being reach
ed In time for dinner. Although the
riding was somewhat rough, Mrs.
Twombly said she enjoyed the drive i'm
1t being the most adventurous
sleigh-ride she had ever taken. The
embargoed passengers staid in the cars
till Sunday, when relief came, and the