Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-12
Il STRIKING EXPERIENCE.
an Apparently authentic Case of Fremont.
from the Salem (Mass.) Gazette.l

from the Salem (N1ass) Gazette.l
Here is true story, which contains
some interesting features A 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 nearest to
any train that might pass on the other
track. As he sat there, this speculation,
without any particular cause, entered
his head: "Suppose a freight-train
should pass, anda piece Of lumber should
break away from its moorings, and so
far project 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 receiving the warning of the first col
ision at the front end of the car ?"
1t was not thought inspired by fear
or nervousness, but simply one Of those
speculatons that Will enter mans mind
in moment Of idleness, when he is
gliding along in comfort on railroad
train.
The thought passed away, and the
man took up his newspaper and began
to read with mind at ease. Not more
than five minutes elapsed, and possibly
not three, when thump and crash
were heard which challenged the atten-
ton Of every personin the car, and justi-
fed the stopping of the train for mo-
ment to see what had happened. 1t was
found that something from passing
freight train had struck thepassenger car
at exactly the point where the man was.
sitting who had been indulging in this
speculation about that kind of accident (!
The window where he was sitting was
smashed in, 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
a piece of wood perhaps two feet N
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
a 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 ex-
perience even scratch, and so quickly
was the whole thing done that he was
not even conscious of experiencing any
more Of shock than any other passen-
ger in the train, or, in fact, Of any shock
whatever beyond the noise Of the crash.
It was really marvellous escape, and
very strange in view of the passing
thought that entered the persons mind
a few moments 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 passengers, but who. on more
deliberate thought, was inclined to think
the circumstances were sufficiently re-
markable to justify this little narrative,
not by way Of fostering superstitious ten
denotes, 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 50 curl
Gus, and to show how wonderful may be
an escape from death.