The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-08 00:00:00

THE FEARFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT

IN SPAIN.

The Madrid correiponrlint of the Standard gives the follow-
ing particulars of tbe terrible railway accident that recently
occurred in Saln :
The mail train left Barcelona in the morning, as
usual, to meet the express which takes all the letters
from Aragon and Catalonia to Madrid, starting troua
S4l3gossa at nine in the evening. The train included
two first-cla3s, three second-class, and three third-class
carriages, with the mail van and four other luggage
cars. The guard's van and Elevend cars were provided
with powerful breaks, as the line between Barcelona
and Saragossa is one of the most difficult in the north
of Spain. It runtt through a succession of narrow de-
files, and through mountains, where tunnels, curves,
and inclines are very frequent. This line had been sti
often threatened, and even interfered with by the Car-
lists, that the company had never attempted any
serhins repairs during upwards of three years. Bridges,
th i
rails, and enubank
ents were n anything but a good
condition, so much so that the Government engineers
bad repeate,ily called upon the company to put their
lines in better order.
However, to return to the Barcelona mail. We are
told by the passengers that all went on well until they
entered the province of Lerida, and they were dashing
through its lovely scenery of mountains and beautiful
glens, with streams and torrents, while they just
iv
c tught a glimpse of as they psed many a place re-
nowned for the daring raids of Sabana and other
freebooters. At last the train approsciled Tarrega, a
pretty little town not far from Cervira. The line here
takes a sharp curve of 70) metres on an enbankment
17 metres above the valley, at the very foot of an
eminence upon which stands the old castle of Aufegat.
Olive woods extend in every direction, and most
happily a very short distacce cif are the first houses
and the station of Terrega. Down this curve and
incline came the mail train at its full speed,
when suddenly a violent elnck told the pas-
sengers in the first carriages that something had
happened behind. The third class carriage, which
was sixth from the engine, had snapped its
breaks and chairs simultaneously, thereby running
off the line, and drag.ging alter it five others.
Al.-me the mail van and a luggage car remained on the
line. The first carriages, with the engine, went on
rapidly, and reached Tarrega, where an alarm was
raised, and the whole of the inhabitants answered tne
call of the authorities. Everyone rushed to the scene
i
of the accident, and a fearful sight t was, according to
all ti .e eye witnesses. In one shapeless heap lay the
carriages, partly embedded in the embankment, and
from under the wreck came groan 3 and cries of the
poor sufferers. Others had managed to creep from
the smashed carriages, and the unhurt were actively
engaged in rescuing them fellow travellers. Every
one worked with much good will, and, at first, those

who had escaped la i to be prevented frem in-using
the railway officials, who were, however, perfectly inno-
cent of this catastrophe. Many passengers remained
sitting on the gruund as if stupefied, and some women
were almost eistractt d. The authorities ,•isplAyed much
activity, and very soon fourteen dead bodies were taken
from the scene of the accident. The wounded, nine teen
in number, many of them hopelessly injared were taken
to Tarrega. Tnirty five more passengers were more or
leei hart, but V7k•re able to corn iuue their jeurm ys on
the next day. They all agree in saying that much
praise was due to the kindeeee and indefatigable suero y
of the inhabitants of rrarrega, who placed every com-
fort in their power at the dip sal of the poor sufferers.
'releeTams had been sent in every diiection for assist-
ance, end a special train soon came from Leii le. The
civil eoverner and the general, with soldiers and civil
guards, besides a numerous staff of medic ii men and
hospital attendants, came to co-operate,with the solitary
medical man who was endeavouring to succour so
many wounded. One of the passengers in the first
class carriage, whieh was turned literally upside down,
crept out of the window and escaped unkj ired, with
the director of the line and several gentlemen of high
standing in Barcelona. Several accounts have been
published, and all agree in discharging the railway
officials from guilt even of negligence in this disastrous
accident. The carriage which ran off the hue
may have been in an unsafe condition, but nothing can
be ascertained, as it was destroyed entirely. The pas-
sengers who could walk were sent on to their destina-
tion, as were also the slightly wounded. The autho-
rities and the company did everything in their power to
alleviate the condition of the victims, many of whom
are not expected to recover. The civil authorities and
the engineers of the line in Bare ilona at once started
for Tiarrega, and a large number of workmen were
immediately set to repair the line. The traffic was not
long suspended, and the mail trains now daily pass
the spot where the ac .ident took place. The last tele-
gram announc s three more deaths, which increases
the number of victims to seventeen, and the badly
wounded are also seventeen. Subscriptions have been
opened as many of the sufferers belong to pour