The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-12-24
A Remarkabre Experience.

A Remarkable Experience.
A correspondent Of the Hartford Times
writes the following; and as It appears in
the Providence Journal, we conclude that
Mr.. Hilton Is a man OF good character and
| standing: - .reff *, EW.@i
met Mr. William d. Hilton, OF Proyi-
dence. the other. day. He used to be super
intendent Of the Providence and Worcester
railroad, and he told me some rather odd
experiences OF his own, which he gave me
| free permission to publish. ] hardly re-
member how the conversation drifted from
business TO spiritualism, but so it itbanpened; /;
| and with some considerable animation Mr..
Hilton advocated bis personal beliefs and
opinions, founded, as he declares, upon the
te.timony OF bis own ears and eyes, Be-
Ieving that any stories of thc phenomena
OF spritualism which are authentic, go far
as the undmbted veracity Of the narrator
is concerned. will prove interesting to your
readers. give you, as exactly as is possible,
transcript OF this rather extraordinary
conversation &c think the most remarka-
bic instance OF supernatural interference
for the benefit OF humanity which / have
personal knowledge Of" said Mr.. Hilton,
+" occurred when was in the freight depart
ment of the Providence and Worcester rail-
road. As the tracks entered the depot here,
some few rods up The road, there was a
combination OF switches, which, IL covered
by standing train, could not be rear
ranged, so that down train would, unless
| signaIled TO stop, inevitably rush directly
on to whatever stood in the way, One night
the freight train, which always arrived in
time to make its changes and get out OF the
way before the Shore Line express should
arrive, was late. -
"There were but twenty-five minutes TO
make all arrangements and clear the track.
This was no unusual occurrence; and as
the signal red-light at the masthead was up
and brightly burning there was no apEa-
rent danger. or anything TO produce the
slightest nervousness. The DELAYS very
frequently occurred, and were thus pro-
rided for by the signal. / remember very
distinctly, however, that on this occasion
walked out to the very end Of the depot
platform. and That suddenly heard in my
ear these words twice repeated, and with
impressive distlnctness:
"HiIton, the light will 60 out! Hilton,
the light will go out!'"
"The sound was so positive, and struck
me with such strange power, that instantly
looked at my watch, saw that the Shore
Line express was due in three minutes,
grabbed the red lantern on :be last Car OF the
freight train, and ran up the track with all
the speed OF which | was capable. Along
fairly flew, impcIled by some strange intu;-
ton that there was danger, and never quc:-
tioning for an instant as / ran why was
running or what | was to do. Arrived /; t
the first end OF the curve near the CorllSs
Engine Works, stopped, and for an instant
turned and looked back at the red light. 1t
was burning, but in second it fluttercd a
little, and suddenly went out. A world OF
emotions then seemed to rush through my
mind, for the light OF the Incoming express
already illuminated the rails. swung my
lantern round and round, shouted and
danced up and down in my terrible anxiety.
1t seemed thousand years before / heard
the whistle for down breaks The fate
OF that crowded train, The horrible telescop'
ing Of the cars as they would inevitably
crush into that solid freight train, seemed
TO rise like vision OF Uades before me.
But at last the engine was stopped. With
out indicating to him his previous danger,
| informed the engineer that the signal had
gone out, and that was stationed to warn
him, and started back to the deI ct. When
| got 10 the switch found the switchman
running round and round it. almost mad
with terror, for he could not light the
treachcrOus lantern, and had anticipated
most horrible disaster. When he saw me
and heard that all was safe, he put his arms
about my neck and hc-we-well, he cried
like child, and I believe I.o0ered mp
prayer OF praise aad Thanksgiving. / im-
mediately established a series Of three
lights as signals. so that nothing OF the
kind could possibly occur again.
1--WE examined the light, and could see
no possible reason why i. should have gone
out. 1t was full o: oil, with Il perfect wick,
and there was no wind blowing; although
il there had been it should have remained.
burning, as it had before through many I
storm. Now, what was it that spoke IN my
ear? What was it that forced me to save
that train? There were ordinarily but two
passenger-cars on the express, and this night
there were seven, all full"