The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-10-16
NARROW ESCAPE.
A Train Stops on the Brink of the River,

Train Stops on the Brink of the River,
From the Chicago Tribunel
What might have proved frightfuI
calamity was averted by the merest ac-
cident Wednesday evening, and the
snatching OF large number of persons
from the very jaws of death should
prove a timely warning. The tug
Trad was just about to pass through
the west draw of the railroad bridge at
hlnzie street on her way up the North
Branch, light, at few minutes before
Z o'clock, the necessary signals having
been given to the bridge. tender to
swing the bridge. and that individual
also put up the signal-ight, warning
approaching trains on the Northwestern
railway that the draw was open. The
Traid got close to the structure. and the
bridge-tender began to swing it. and II
had been moved about eight or fen
feet from its usual position, when the
accommodation train due at Wells
Street depot at 7 p. m. suddenly an
peared from around the curve on the
West Side and came booming along at
a pretty rapid certainly as fast as
the law allows trains to run in the CITY.
Nearer and nearer the iron horse came
laundering to the brink of the murky
river, drawing seven coaches filed with
passengers, and the scene became of
the most thrilling and alarming charac-
ter, Tor the bridge was moving, the
Iriad's bow had reached point oppo-
site the abutment, the bridge men were
powerless to signal any more than thew
mad, and the locomotive engineer and
fireman did not seem to observe the
danger-signal, according to the state.
ments of those who saw the occur
renee. 1t seemed impossible for the
engineer to check up in time to prevent
the train or portion of it from being
hurled into the river and burying be-
meath it the tug and all on board, and
perhaps knocking the bridge of the
center-pler and mingling it with the
common wreck. The few witnesses TO
this most exciting scene were almost
GREATNESS with suspense and feared the
most calamitous results. Cries were
uttered from the men on the bridge
and the ting, and the Captain of tie
Triad became alarmed for the safe
ty of his crew and himself and
the boat, and signaled quickly to the
engineer to reverse the motion of the
engine and back the tug out. On sped
the locomotive with it's human freight.
numbering fully 800 souls, who were
not thinking of the alarming situation
into which they were about to plunge.
1t was quite dark at the time, and the
engineer and fireman could scarcely
see the situation they were in, but the
former was equal to the emergency and
put down the air-brakes and reversed
his engine. Not moment too soon.
however, for the forward wheels of the
englne-truck went off the approach, and
the sudden storpage of the heavy train
kept it from going over. The passen-
gers on the cars were shaken up little,
but were not for some time aware of
the serious situation they had been
placed in. The train, including the To-
connective, was backed off, and the bridge
was soon swung in place again, and the
train passed on to Wells Street depot.
on the opposite side of the river.
The accident gave a startling warn
ing of the necessity of placing better
safeguards at the railroad bridges. and
1t is quite probable that it will be profit
ed by ...,