Year: 1871

From the Portland (Oregon) Bulletin.l


Yesterday there occurred on the Ore
gon and California railroad, between this
city and Salem, one of the most thrilling
railroad incidents we ever heard of, which
while it demonstrates the foolhardiness of
some people, also shows how near there
came to being a terrible railroad accident.
The following particulars, furnished to
our reporter by an eye witness, may be
relied upon as true When the down
train came near one of the stations on the
road it was running at full speed , in order
to make up time, as it was few minutes
behind. The road at this point runs
through cut something more than mile
in length, and in entering it the road
makes curve SO that the engineer cannot
see entirely through it. So. as he thun-
dered along yesterday, he little thought
what stirring times were upon him. He
had nearly gotten into the cut before he
saw woman riding leisurely through it,
and with perft ct nonchalance using the
center of the track. She was not more
than half way through the cut, and barely
quarter of mile ahead of him. He i'm
mediately whistled "down breaks,n and
then sounded the warning


The woman, hearing the peculiar death
whistle of the locomotive, looked over
her shoulder and saw the train rushing at
her. She did not shrek, nor faint, nor
give up all hope, but like true Webfoot,
her courage rose equal to the emergency,
and without moments hesitation she
commenced swinging her riding whip
from one shoulder of her steed to the 9TH
er, thereby urging him to exert his utmost
speed. The whip and perhaps the Shrek
ing of the steam whistle, caused the ami
NAL ridden by the lady to put in his best
licks. and he made about as rapid time as
any animal ever seen in Oregon; but each
instant the iron horse gained upon the one
composed of blood and muscle.


The shrieking of the locomotives whist
lie caused the passengers to look out of the
windows, and upon their discovering what
was the matter the widest excitement
cnsued. Several jumped forward and
seized the bell-rope and commenced pull
ing on it as if they could stop the train by
that means. The brakemen were exerting
all their strength on the brakes and the
engineer had cut off the connection and
was doing all that he knew to stop the
train, while the woman was doing her
level best to make that bit of horsefiesh
rise to the speed of a "Helmbold;" but all
III vain INT ioCOiHOtlNe kept Rdlnlng on
the horse and its rider, and there was
hardly a person on the train who did not
expect that both the woman and horse
would be killed.


There were perhaps thirty feet interven-
ing between the cow-catcher and the
horses heels, when fortunately for the
woman, she observed place which was
Il little wider than usual, and with steady
rein she guided the fleeing horse from the
track and endeavored to press him against
the wall of the cut, in order that the train
might pass by without injury. In doing
this the woman was encouraged by Mr..
Sam Winans, the conductor, who had run
forward and got out on the locomotive. A
few seconds only passed by when the fiery
monster poked its nose past the rump Of
the horse. At this moment Mr.. Winans
threw his whole force against the animal
and held him until the train stopped, and
then rousing cheer of qualification and
joy at the escape of the woman from a
terrible death was given.