Year: 1868

Description of the Storm on the Bal


ffnore and Ohio Railroad.


A letter from Washington to the Cincin-
natl Gazette gives the following interesting
description of the recent storm on the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad -..t---.


1t was Friday morning, 5 o'clock and forty
five minutes, when the storm overlook our
train, which was the fast train, due at Bal
timore about o'clock. We had reached
Mount Airy, Md, and were about fifty miles
west from Baltimore. Two black clouds,
one from the east, the other from the west,
met lust over our heads, and in an instant,
quick as thought, deluge fell upon us. 1t
did not rain, it poured in solid volume as if
a lake had fallen in mass upon us. In three
minutes the train ran into the mud which
had washed upon the track, and we we're
completely anchored. This proved our sal
walton, for the flood could not sweep us off.
a The Patapsco was on our right-a small
stream then, which man could easily leap
across. A high range of hills or mountains
rose I'D at our left. The river lay perhaps
twenty feet below us. Soon the track was
completely submerged in water. The floods
poured in torrents from the mountain, rush
ing wildly beneath us, and threatening in
it's frenzy to leap through the windows and
carry us down into the swollen stream.
Such terrific thunderI never before heard
one peal after another, at intervals OF
only few seconds. The whole mountain
side, and all the face of the waste of wa
ters, were ablaze with lightning. Trees and
telegraph poles were shattered to pieces near
us by the electric current. The river had
now expanded into stream mile or more
in width. Houses, barns, hay-stacks, logs,
and cattle were seen floating down the
river. The river had now risen to the
edge of the track upon which our
train stood. Each moment we ex-
pected to be swept down by the fierce
deluge that rushed down upon the track
from the steep side of the mountain. Es-
cape seemed impossible. No living thing
could stem the flood that came down the
mountain. Toleave the car was but to rush
to a watery grave. This all happened in
less time than it takes me to write it. But
as if each wild, embarrassed element of
nature had We'd with the other in their
fierce war upon us, the hail was added to
the lightning, thunder, and rain. Hail
showered down upon the car as thickly as
it could fall, and in blocks of two or three
inches in diameter. AS the nuggets of ice
fell upon the roof of the car they made o
sharp, startling noise like the sound of
musketry near at hand. One could not
Eken the terrifying roar of the elements
now to anything but the noise of
battle, with deafening thunders for
artillery, and the rapid reports of the
falling ice for the rattle of musketry.
1t was now o'clock. The passengers in
the sleeping car had been aroused by the
storm, and the conductor rushed in and
shouted, "For Gods sake, ladies and gen
tlemen, leave the car and 60 forward, or
you will be swept into the river" In a
moment all rushed pell-mell to the forward
car, which had run off the track into deep
mud, and was anchored fast. Some of the
ladies were en- dishabWe, for the night had
been very hot, and many of the gentlemen
were only half-dressed. But now was no
time for ceremony. In the face of death
few care to make toilet. Soon all the
passengers (about sixty were in one car
together. .... .,... ..... .l
The hail was shattering the window-glass
to pieces. Almost all the glass on both
sides of the cars and in the doors at each
end were broken, for we were in whirl-
wind, and the rain dashed in upon us.
Men turned pale, ladies and children cried
with terror. 1t was pitiful scene, but we
were helpless, we were powerless, and the
elements had us in their strong arms. But,
thank God, He who rules the armies OF
Heaven had each raging element in His
mighty and merciful hand.


The scene was now one of unsurpassed
sublimity. The torrents leaping over the
tops of trees, and the red and blue streaks
of lightning robing them in garments of
resplendent fire. the rush of the waters
beneath us madly plunging to the river,
the roar of the thunder and rattle of the
hail, forming altogether scene Of terror
and sublimity beyond all the powers of the
widest imagination. ......... .... ...


For an hour and ten minutes the great
Jumps of ice continued to drop. Water still
descended in flood. Now other trains were
due, going east, on the same track we
were on. Who would 60 out to put up the
red signal No man was strong enough to
successfully wade back across the mountain
torrents, and even if he could do that, the
hail would have killed him. But the trains
had all been stopped. gt


In trying to describe this terrible tornado
l feel that 1 have already wearied the
reader. 1t is impossible to convey full
and correct idea Of it. Eight hours did it
thus storm upon us. No element relaxed
its fearful warfare except the hail, which
quit at ten minutes past 7. AT about 2
o'clock this storm, of such unprecedented
duration and fury, ceased. We were still
all safe in the car. The water was three or
four feet deep upon the track, and the
edge of the river was really flowing under
the car, o.. 3D..


Soon the waters subsided, and once more
we stood upon the earth. Now we could see
the effects of the deluge around us. A COW
and calf lay dead near the train, shattered
to pieces with hail. Small animals lay
thickly around, dead upon the ground.
Fields of corn and oats were swept Oft clean,
and not blade left upon them. Soon we
were dug out of the mud, two engines
hitched to the train, and we were drawn
two miles back to Mount Airy. .... .


IA good deal of exaggeration, but we'll
worded ezaggeration.


!. EATING HORSE FLEsH.-Mr. Bergh has
written the following letter: