FIRST AID IN ACCIDENTS FIFTY YEARS AGO.

In February, 1849, after the railroad had been opened to Binghamton, two passenger trains came into collision. near Narrowsburg, N. Y. Both locomotives were disabled. It was necessary to have other locomotives before the trains could be moved. The work was of course simple, and there was as yet no telegraph. There was no locomotive nearer than Port Jervis, thirty-five miles away. W. H. Sidell, who had charge of affairs on that part of the railroad, at once had a horse saddled, and summoning his chief and only clerk and general assistant, Charles J. Sackett, despatched him to Port Jervis over the mountains of Sullivan County, N. Y., with orders for the immediate forwarding of two locomotives to the scene of the accident. Six hours later the locomotives arrived, and the trains were enabled to resume their trips.

At another time the engine of a freight train was disabled between Narrowsburg and Cochecton. This blocked the track and it became necessary that the train should be got back to Narrowsburg and placed on the switch in order that the passenger train, which would be due in the course of three hours, might pass. A man was sent back to Narrowsburg on foot through the snow, to have all the teams he could procure sent to the scene of the blockade. The teams hauled the train back in sections, and the passenger train was detained only an hour.