The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-22 00:00:00

THE ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT EASTERN
RAILWAY.

BRADFIELD ESSEX, THIMSDAY.
The county coroner (Mr. Codd) and the jury
empanoelled to inquire into the death of James Wright,
stoker of the oontioental train from Harwich, which ran
off the line at this place on the 13th inst., re-assembled
. . .

The Coroner remarked to the jury that besiles the evi.
deuce of the guard, and be behaved of one or two pas.
Beggars, Colonel Yolked, who was engaged in examining
the scene of the accident, would be in attendance, so that
he hoped they should be able in some degree to solve the
mystery which certainly at present surrounded the occur-
mere.

Mr. Hughes. front the office of Messrs. Crowder and
Maynard, solicitors to the company, was @gain in attendance ;
together with Mr. Robertson. general superintendent ; Mr.
Davis, assistant engineer, and other officials.
. . .

Joseph Wright, The head guard of the train, deposed that
on the day in question he left Harwich at nine minutes to
three, considerably beyond the proper time, inconsequence
of the boat from Rotterdam being late. As near as he
could judge, the eagioe appeared to travel the distance be-
tween Harwich and Bradfield at about 30 mile. an hour. He
noticed no unusual oscillation of the train until it suddenly
left the line, about tbree-iparters of a mile before it reached
Bradfield station. Captain Formby, who happened to be
driving past at 'betake, afterwards drew his attention to
several keys that were loose, one, indeed, was decayed alto-
gether. He could not form an opinion whether two coo-
secutive keys being out in one length of metal, would throw
• train off ; the engine did not appear to jump, but ran off
the metals.

To the Foreman—Such an accident might cause the keys
to be displaced further on.
Mr. James Clarence, agent to the Crest Eastern Railway
Company, who was travelling by the train at the time, said
he noticed the time at which the train started from Har-
wich and when the accident occurred, and the time occupied
in the journey was exactly 17) minutes. The engine ap-
peared to travel at the rate of from 2.5 to 30 miles au hour
He noticed DO particular oscillation of the carriage in which
he was, and he was satisfied that the rate at which they
travelled was not an unusual one. He had no idea what
was the cause of the accident.

A juryman inquired if the wheels of the engine had been
ramrod since the accident.
The driver of the train (Carr) said he had done so, and
found both them, the axles, and springs in perfect order.
He did not gauge the rails to Nee if they were correct, be-
cause when be went on to them, after leaving his engine,
the platelayers had already got to work.
James Fisher, foreman of platelayer, said he had charge
of three mdee of the Harwich branch, including the spot
where the accident happened. His duty was to go over it
every morning, to aro that it was of the proper gauge and in
good order. H. had examined it on the day in question
before the traffic began. It was • common Minis in dry ,
weather to find the keys of some of the chairs lore, and now
and then one would be quite out. He could not say whether
he found any out that day, but very likely he did. One or
even two keys might be out and no miachief occur, if (those
at the joints were all right. Most of the Harwich branch
had been reeleepered since April, and seven sleepers put to
an 18-feet rail instead of five. All the sleepers were
moved, and where they Deeded it the chairs were festered
with iron spikes instead of treenail@ (wood), Did not see
the spot until after the line had been put right. Since the
increase of traffic there had been • much larger number of
men employed upon the line. The distance of the spot from
Harwich la about wren and a quarter riles.
John Adcock, platelayer, in reply to Colonel Yolland,
mid the rail twisted into the shape of an S was Dewar to
Bradfield ; two rails before that bad been torn up ; they
were beet, but not so as to be unsafe : he out them down
again for that night's traffic, but changed them next day, as
he thought straight ones would look better ; only the rails
on the left band side were injured.
Woad, Yolland said in en accident of this kind the oppo-
site side rails were generally bulged as well.
Witness said that was sot the case here. All the sleepers
were serviceable ones ; what appeared to be • rotten sleeper
had been crushed by the weight of the arias.
In reply to the Cormier, Colossi Yolland rid he was not
prepared to give his riders) to-day. He should wish to
examine the engine and tender after they should have been
got up again and brought to Stratford; of course they
were the first to leave the metals.
Mr. Kitson said they would be ready by Tneeday ; and
eventually the inquiry was again adjourned to Friday next.

The pedigree wheat at Mr. Page's Hill Nursery,
mar Southampton. is pow ripe, and will be rut in a day or
two ; 48 ears bane been counted oo one pleat, and 63 grates
were rubbed from OM ear. Thus one met prodtioad a
bundle of straw seven feet long, and about 3,000 grains.
The seeds were sown nine inches apart, and twelve *aches
between each raw.