St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1898-09-03
RACE WITH A wATERspouT.
ThriHIing Experience of Passengers
ON a Mexican Train.

ThriHIfng Experience OF Passengers
ON a Mexican Train.
One afternoon recently q race was run
between passenger train on the Inter-
oceanic and waterspout. The race
was declared a draw, as the train es-
capped from the immediate effects of the
waterspout which burst against the
crest Of q mountain, but the immense
volume of water poured down the
mountain side, along the roadbed and
finally caught up with the train and in-
undated it SO that the passengers hadto
be taken off In handcars.
The particulars of this unique raee
are highly interesting. Itwas the daily
passenger train from Puebla to Mexico
city, and a large number Of passengers
were aboard. About 4:3o the sky be-
came suddenly covered with masses of
black clouds. An inky waterspout
culebra, as it is called by reason OF its
resemblance 10 writhing serpent
hung from the heavens and advanced
rapidly In the track of the moving train.
There was great excitement among the
passengers. The people In the third
class coach, who had the best view OF
the phenomenon, went down on their
knees in prayers for deliverance.
One lady had nervous attack and
tainted. When the engineer learned OF
the panic aboard his train he decided 90
show the culebra his heels. Then began
the prettiest race on record, with the
lives OF O load of passengers as the
stakes. Up grade, down grade, around
sharp curves, across bridges and over
the levels flew that passenger train,
with the waterspout just behind and
gaining just little.
The train entered canyon, turned q
curve and at the same moment the chas-
ing culebra came to grief high up on the
mountain side. The water poured down
the slopes In raging torrents, and as the
train emerged from the other side OF
the gorge q vast sheet OF water, bear
ing trees, rocks and all kinds Of debris
on its bosom, threatened to enguh It.
Wider the engineer threw the throttle,
endeayoring to escape this new danger.
And all would have been safe, but an-
other sharp curve intervened and the
engine jumped the track. The engineer
saw the danger and reversed the lever
and applied the brakes. The engine
rolled down the embankment, but the
rest OF the train, including the tender.
remained on the track.
The next moment the mass Of water
struck the now stationary train and
flooded II to the level Of the platforms.
The passengers and crew were helpless
to do more than look out to see what
had become of the engineer and fire.
man, supposing them killed. But they
both scrambled, or, rather, swan, out
of the window of the overturned cab,
and c1ambered back on the train.
Y This happened in the vicinity OF San
Antonio Calpulaipam, state Of Tlax-
Gala. "A relief train was dispatched to
q point as near as 1t could get, and the
passengers and crew OF the ship
wrecked train were transhipped In
hand cars and brought on TO Mexico, ar.
irving here only four and half hours
late, and with an experience which none
Of them will ever live long enough to
forget, and which, had 1t not been Tor
the presence Of mind Of nervy en-
gineer, none OF them would, In all prob
ability, have lived 10 remember.-Mex
lean Herald.