The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-15
Mrs. W. K. vanderbiIt's Narrow Escape.

n
Especial 10 THE Observation-Disclosures Dispatch I
New YORK, Oct 1.-THE Journal pub
fishes an exclusive story this Wednesday
morning, which bears the semblance of
truth. 1t is to the effect that Mrs. William
Il, Vanderbilt and her son George w. had
narrow escape from death on the 9Th of
this month. 1t appears Mrs. Vanderbilt
and her son have been passing the summer
at Vanderbilt's magnificent summer resi-
lence at Bar Harbor, and early this month
began preparations for passing the re-
mAinder Of the autumn and portion of the
coming winter months at Belement, near
Asheville, n. c., where Mr.. Vanderbilt
has winter home. On the 9th
instant the party, which left Bar
Harbor on q special car, the Swansno.
was occupied by MIR. and Mrs. Vanderbilt.
and by Mrs. Vanderbilts French maid and
MIR. Vanderbilt's valet and by three other
servants. The journey to Boston was made
without incident, and upon arriving at Bos-
ton, about p. m, the special engine and
car were switched around the city from
the Boston Il Maine railroad station to that
Of the Boston & Albany depot When the
special train reached the latter point word
was received by Mr.. Vanderbilt that
OHAus W ur6 Ll6n raging
In Boston, the fire department of that CITY
was forced to string hose across a por-
tion of the Boston 81 Albany tracks running
Into that city and therefore the special
train would be forced to wait for several
hours until the blockade was raised The
car was backed into the feight yard and
MIR. Vanderbilt decided to have dinner
served IN the car, rather than to take car
riages and drive to the nearest hotel. Din
ner had just been served when the acct
dent which might have proved fatal to MIR.
and Mrs. Vanderbilt occurred. Both were
seated at q table in the center of the car.
which circumstances probably saved their
hyes, Suddenly suddenly M there was a
MIR. Vanderbilt forward Violently.
his head striking against the edge
OF the table, severely cuttingit. Mrs. Van
derbllt was also thrown violently back
ward, but managed to save herself from a
disastrous fall by grasping the arms of the
reclining chair in which she was seated.
The air was filed with flying glass and
splintered wood, and one end of the car was
thrown around with gigantic force. hurting
All movable articles in it hIther and thither.
Mr.. Vanderbilt managed to free himself
from quantity of debris that had fallen
upon him, and hurried to the aid of mis-
mother. She was uniniured excepting a
lew minor scratches on her face, but the
liz udu COApIclely uuO0rVGQ her.
Mr.. Vanderbilt hurried out of the car. AS
he picked his way to the rear of the car he
heard screams issuing from the servants,
apartment. When he tried to open the
door leading TO that part OF the car in which
the servants were housed, he found the
shock had so warped the door that II was
impossible to open il. The trainmen broke
open the door and liberated the imprisoned
people, who were uninjured excepting DIR.
Vanderbilts valet, who had received severe
Commissions about the head.
BE ACCIDENT WAS DUE
TO q ispiaced switch. An engine
had been backing train of FIVE loaded
freight cars from one end of the Boston &
Albany freight yard to the other. and )
careless switchman had thrown open the
swith that shunted the freight train upon
the tracks where the Swanano was stand
ing. The result was that one of the
freight cara crashed into the rear