Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-26
A CASE OF pRamoHIrIoN.

Here is true story which contains some
interesting features Last Friday morning
the 500 train was on its way from Salem
to Boston at full speed. A man occupied
a left-hand seat near the center of the car,
next to the window. He was, of course,
on that side of the car that would be near
est to any train that might pass ON the
other track. As he sat there, this specu-
lation, without any particular cause, en-
tered his head: Suppose freight train
should pass and a piece of lumber should
break away from itg moorngs, and so far
project out as to come tearing along the
side of the passenger train. How many
passengers between the center and rear end
of the car would have presence of mind
sufficient to jump out of the way on re-
ceiving the warning of the first collision at
the front end of the car? 1t was not
thought inspired by fear or nervousness,
but simply one of those speculations that
will enter mans mind in moment of
idleness, when he was gliding along in COM
fort on, a railroad car The thought passed
away, and the man took up his newspa-
per and began to read with a mind at ease.
No more than five minutes elapsed, and
possibly not three, when a thump and
crash were heard which challenged the at
tention of every person in the car, and
justified the stopping of the train for mo-
ment to see what had happened. 1t was
found that something from passing freight
train had struck the passenger car at ex-
actly the point where the man was sitting
who had been indulging in his speculation
about that kind of an accident The Win
dow where he was sitting was smashed in,
a hole was stove in the side OF the car so
that outside daylight could come in, the
IRON work which supports the seat at the
side of the car was wrenched from its place
and broken, and piece of wood perhaps
two feet in length. five inches in breadth
and half an inch thick or more, from the
passing train, was hurled into the car
either through the window or otherwise,
and fell at the mans feet. In fact, there
was wreck right at the point
where the man was sitting, and
his coat was covered with splinters and
broken glass. But, notwithstanding all
this, he did not experience even a scratch,
and so quickly was the whole thing done
that he is not even conscious of experience
ing any more OF a shock than any other
passenger in the train, or, in fact, of any
shock whatever beyond the noise of the
crash. 1t was really marvellous escape,
and very strange III view of the passing
thought that had entered the persons
mind a few minutes previously. The man
alluded to was the writer of this paragraph,
who was at first inclined to laugh and
joke about the affair with the other passen-
gers, but who, on more deliberate thought,
was inclined to think the circumstances
were sufficiently remarkable to justify this
little narrative, not by way OF fostering
superstitious tendencies, which need no
special cultivation in the human mind,
but to furnish one more of those striking
condolences of thought and event that are
often so curious, and to show how wonder
full may be an escape from death. L Salem
Mass. Gazette.