Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-15
TERRIBLE NIGHT EXPERT.
ENCE
A Man and His Family, With a Team,
Walking Over the kiuzua Viaduct.
Correspondence New York Times.

n NAN and His Family, With a Team,
Walking Over the kinzua viaduct.
Correspondence New York Times
BRADFORD, PA, Sept. IA resident of Buff
falo. named William Patterson, who has been
looking after business interests OF his in the
kinzua district of the Mexican county Oil region,
gives the particulars of a most extraordinary
adventure which he and his wife and two child
rem had in the kinzua wilderness few nights
ago, the entire family being saved from most
horrible death through the merest accident.
The party left Bradfordin the evening to drive to
an isolated settlement known as Howard Hill.
where Mr.. Patterson has property. The road
leading to the place runs for the most Of the
distance through the deep forests of the region,
aud is high among the mountains After leav-
ing the village of Alton the way is especially
wild and intricate, and. after driving long time
through the woods MIR. Patterson found that
he had lost his way and all his efforts to find q
thOroughfare cut of the wilderness seemed to
serve only to plunge him deeper into it. Dark
ness came on and Patterson soon discovered
that his horse had wandered Off of even the
semhlance of a 70 al he had been following and
was picking an aimiesS course through the
woods. The night was very cold. and Mrs. Bat
tersOn and the children began to suffer from the
Chilly air. as they were not clad with the eXpec-
tatiOn of being out long after nighta Mr..
DatttlSOu IOuiiu all Oiu IdITOdu lantern Ill Tile.
carriage and, lighting it, he prOSpected through
the woods in the hope of finding road that
would lead them out Of the woods. There was
none to be found.
About hundred yards ahead of where he
left the carriage he came out upon a railroad
track. This was the track of the Erie railways
Bradford branch or JOhnsOnburg extension.
Feeling that neither his wife nor children could
stand night of exposure in the mountains, he
resolved to drive along the railroad track, not
~ t,ctop tb.. hot l,1
such course in the hope of coming to some
road crossing the track or some station near
by. He did not know what railroad. twas. nor
what the chances We're of trains coming along
before he might reach place of safety His
wife was willing to take the risk with him. and
he led the horse out upon the track. He then
walked ahead with the light. and his wife drove
the horse along over the ties after him. On
either side were the woods and high banks.
There was no way to escape should train APP
pear. They had proceeded nearly mile with
out finding any crossing or place where they
might turn out. Then Mr. PATTERSON took his
wife and children from the carriage, SO that they
might climb the bank or get into the woods
away from danger if train was heard APP
preaching. He led the horse and they fol-
lowed on foot at the side of the track. After
proceeding in this way for a hundred yards or
SO, they came to a bridge. on one side of which
was narrow plank walk. the railroad track Oc-
cupying the remainder of the bridge. This was
the great kinZua Viaduct. which spans a ravine
at the bolt ON of which flows the kinZua creek.
This bridge is the highest railroad bridge in the
world. being 500 feet above the creek. 1t is
nearly half mile long. Mr.. PATTERSON and his
family were now in a situation the peril of
which was too apparent. and the uncertainty
of which filled them with terror They were
entirely ignorant as to where the bridge would
lead them If they ventured to cross it, but knew
it was madness to remain where they were.
Mr.. Patterson at last determined to attempt the
crossing, trusting to Providence for the result.
He succeeded in getting his horse on the foot
path. The wheel on one side OF the carriage
extended over on to the track and bumped over
hetieS Mr.. Patterson at first suggested abandon
ing the horse and carriage. but his wife would
not hear of it, taking the ground that their
presence on the track might lead to disaster
on the railroad. The horse was led slowly for
ward on the bridge, and Mrs. Patterson and the
children followed close behind the carriage.
high wind was blowing down the valley. and it
was with difficulty that they could keep their
feet. They had proceeded on their way only a
short distance when sudden gust of wind eX-
tinguished the lantern. 1t was impossible to
relight it in the gale that was blowing, and they
were compelled to group their way onward in
the darkness. They crossed the bridge in safety,
and, if they had known it, really placed them
selves in greater peril. for trains pass over the
bridge at very slow rate of speed, and can be
stopped almost Immediately. When Mr..
Patterson and his family lett the bridge
they entered a deep cut made for the
track, and were wrapped in still greater dark
ness. A train coming upon them in the cut
would have crushed them all to DEATH for there
could have been no escape. That they were not
ground to pieces in that way was owing only to
the fact that the coal train which was due at the
cut at the very time Patterson and his family
were stumbling and feeling their way through
it was detained mile below by hot journal
The party emerged from the cut and discovered
the light at Palen's Switch. small station a
short distance below. just as the coal train whis
tied for the station. The horse and carriage
We're turned from the track into the road lead
ing alongside of it to the station. and Mrs. Bat
terson and her children had reached place Of
safety just as the train rushed by and Numbered
into the cut. A delay of one minute in making
their way through the passage would have been
fatal to the entire party. When the full force of
the peril to which they had been exposed and
the narrow escape they had made broke upon
her. Mrs. Patterson tainted away. Mr. Batter
son himself was SO unnerved that it was some
time before he could summon aid. They found
shelter at Sweets clearinghouse, at the sta
ton, where all were soon revived. They ascer-
tanned that Towards Hill was only four miles
from the station. In spite of the terrible expe-
rience through which they had passed and the
lateness Of tile hour. Mrs. Patterson was anx-
iOus to proceed to their destination, which they
did. reaching the settlement safely about mid
night