The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-25
CHRISTMAS TRIP
WHICH PROVED VERY EXCITING TO
A THEdTRICIL MAN.
n Difficulties and Trials He Had 10 En-
counter TO Reach His Destination-Th
Performance About Fifteen Minutes.

The most e%ventful Christmas I ever pass
cd was just one year ago. We had played
In Utica Christmas Eve and were to leave
On an early morIing train for Poushkeep-
Sic. The company caught the train all
right, but 1t was frightfully cold and a
blizzard was raging. I decided to walt
for a later train. which would reach POUCH
kcepsle about > O'Clock. Instead CT clear
ing UP, however, the storm grew worse,
and the train that i waited FOR never came.
It was stalled in a drift up the road some-
where. I began TO realize then that 1t was
q cold day for me In more enses thaD one.
/ tried 10 hire an engine, but didn't sue
coed. for there were none. I finally gave
It up in despair and went back to the hotel.
George Appleton, my new manager, was
made Of sterner stuff than /. however, ana
in about two hours had organized a party
OF stOrmbound passengers and persuaded
another railroad TO make UP a mixed train
and try 10 get us through TO the uncom-
pleted bridge ~ ~POughkeepsie. We would
be landed On the opposite side OF the river,
they said, but we could get across to the
town by the ferry. The depot was about
three miles outside Of Utica, and 1t took
- AlAtI nuns anu a. NANAN'%
There was no fire IA the cars we secured
and mighty little in the engine. At 8
o'clock Christmas night we were dumped
out at the landing opposite Pcughkeepsie.
The river was full Of Jagged masses OF
fee. and the ferryboats had been com
PEELED to stop running az q O'Clock. There
was no possible way Of crossing except by
the half finished railroad bridge, and that
was guarded at either end by watchmen,
who had orders TO allow no one TO pass.
Moreover. there was no approach TO the
bridge. whose icc-clad buttrcss arose abrupt
" from the rivers edge to n height Of a
hundred feet or more. The other passen-
gers stopped right there and sought shell
ter I'm a neighboring hotel. / wanted to
follow their good example. but Appleton
wouldn't let me. He said we had gone too
far TO turn back then. and besides a sturdy
small boy at the hotel had offered 20 show
us how to climb TO the bridge. lie was
rewarded In advance, and then we set out
10 battle with fate. The small boy took
the lead. Appleton followed him, ! made a
close third. and my valet. Jack, formed a
kind Of rear guard 10 look after my re-
mains in case of accident. Our small guide
led US straight to the huge buttress OF the
bridge, which was built of massive blocks
Of stone arranged in terrace form, from
its broad base 20 its narrow apex. These
terraces were about hitcen feet hlgh ana
covered with ice and snow. II was i'm
possible for a man 10 climb them unaided.
but the boy was equal TO the emergency.
After prowling about for q few minutes
be found a ladder, which had been used 10y
the workmen. l can't begin to describe
the difficulties and dangers Of that climb.
But at last we scrambled &c the top, with
clothes torn and hands bruised and bleed
ing. Fortunately the Waterman was walk
ing toward the middle OF the bridge, and we
had a chance for a good start before he
could stop us. After a short breathing
spell Appleton, Jack and ! began our peril
Gus journey along the narrow footpath
that stretched across the ghasly looking