The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-08-15
m A Can.
The Importance Off Youns Woman In the
Recent Disaster Near Amsrhsrst,F Va.
Condensed from the Augusta (GA) Chronicle.

condensed from the augusta (dA) Chronicle.
The following extracts are from 8
a letter by Miss Fannie W. NJ. Plat,
now in Lynchburg, to her father in this
city; We left Washington on Saturday
night on time. was alonein my berth,
mother and Annie were together across
the aisle and only a little while before
we struck the bridge I awoke, sat up
and found to my relief it was day, but
noticed that we were tearing like mad
yer the road, swinging 80 from side
to side that ] lay back on my pillow
again. In a moment / felt great Jerks,
jumps and q fearful turn Of the car to
n side, back again to the other, and
l saw through my curtains, which,
through Gods mercy, had remained
nearly closed, that mother and Annie
had been thrown out Of their berth ON
the floor. I saw things falling at the
forward end Of the car, nnd as we be-
gan to go down, down, down, I thought
great God! it has come at last, and I tore
back my curtains. Not seeing mother or
Annie anywhere commenced calling and
begging to know if they were hurt, but
could hear nothing from them. ThensI
reached back for my crutches, which
were in my berth next to the window,
thinking I must get to mother and An
ME somehow. The car settled easily
and in some way my window shade went
up and / saw that We were in water and
that men were standing on some floating
logs. But not for one instant did I re-
alize where we were or I would have
died then. ! turned to spring out Of my
berth and to my Joy saw mother stand
ing there, but with q wild, dazed look
in her face that to my dying day I will
never forget. Iasked, where is Annie?
Are you hnrt?' Annie stepped to my
side and mother said, Something struck
my head" Annie said, tThe water is
coming in" Some man said climb to
the upper berth. Mother and Annie
caught my hands aud began to drag me-
up. We chung to the curtain rods and
stood on the lower berth while the water
rose nearly to our shoulders.
The car seemed to have settled, for
the water came no higher, and q feeling
that we would be saved came oyer me,
but how I could not tell, as the yenti-l
lators in the car-top weret the only OPEN
ings that remained above water. They
are little frames Of glass in front Of
them, and he twisted the frame from its
hinges, making for them, however
small, an openingto the beautiful world
outside. Annie broke our glass, hut
her weak little hands were not equal to
the task Of twisting the hinges; q what
use, anyway, when the outside was COW
cred with a stout wire network that i'm
prisoned usstil; but our hearts bounded
with JOY as we heard the voices Of mon
in boats outside. We quietly begged
them mol. TO q eus.a.sl were assured
we would be saved. Mrs. Farden handed
her baby out through the yentilator and
the next thing we saw she was going ont
of the seven.inch hole in the quickest
possible time. I could scarcely believe
my eyes when her husband followed.
apparently without any effort, and then
a sickening feeling came over me when
i saw that we were alone in the car-all
had gone. Do not think / mean to
blame anyone. Oh, no; God forbid,
for q truer, drawer set Of gentlemen
never lived. Some one called for8san
axe and told us we would be saved; thern,
came the first stroke ON the roof,
with q dull axe that q man brought
from the shore in the first boat that
came.
Annie very quietly directed them
where to cut 30 as not to strike her
head. I do not think this quietness
came from u not being frightenedso
much as it did from q kind Of despair.
Every stroke of the axe rebounded like
q mallet and we. wondered how long
we must wait, how long we could wait.
for our suffering from the cold wes very
great, and it was 80 hard TO liavestO
stand and see the agony in each others
face, yet level dare 70 say 8 tender
word, fearing it would unnerve them
and all would be over. We heard them;
say: HOh, what dull . CAM ron
get . hetchet or something better r.
At last there was 4 crash and tho.
blessed light shone through more emit
ting and waiting while tho lamp Maa
was being torn ont and the dCeEng mAtt
-tresses and curtains banded ont ~ An
ME, that We might paas 70 the hole.
Then one after the other Annie, myself
and mother, just ~ No stood, weEs
lifted from our horrible prison by
noble q br ss.s msns W had worked 6