The Express.
London, England, 1847-05-26 00:00:00

SHOCKING RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

We yesterday announced the occurrence of a
catastrophe on the Shrewsbury and Cl ',ter milieu, by
the falling of a bridge over the Dee while a train was passing
along it. We derive the following particulars from a s crowd
edition of the Lireepool Mlles
The scene of the accident was the noble bridge ever the
river Dee,dose to the racecourse. The river was there crossed
by an iron-bridge of three spans, each 100 feet in width,
composed of massive iron girders; supported by atone
of the most firm and durable construction. There are
tear of these grin in each span, one oa each side of the up
and down lines of rails. Strong wooden beams were fixed
across the girders, and along these the lines were laid. The
girders themselves were firmed of two pieces of iron firmly
rivetted in the centre, and seemed well adapted to sustain an
immense weight.
Th.: train which left Chester at 61 on Monday evening,
consisted of one first clam carriage, two second class carriages,
and • luggage van • there were not more than two duxes
ressrogers. It had already crossed two of the arches, and
was in the act of crossing the third, when, without one mo-
meet's warning, all the carriages were precipitated into the
river, • depth of about 120 feet ; the engine and tender,
which had crossed the bridge, pursuing their course along
the line. The consternation of the passengers at this time
must have been frightful; and some individuals, who wit-
nessed the accident from the Roodee, describe their shrieks
as being of the most heart-rending descrip:ion. But even
this terror was merely momentary; fur the sudden shock and
concussion rendered almost all the persons in the carriages
totally insensible of their situation. Orte man, indeed,
named Proud. recovered himself almost immediately ; be
found himself in a carriage turned upside down in the river,
and, being fully sensible of the horrors of his situation,
exerted himself to the utmost, and succeeded in getting
through the carriage window,whence he precipitated himself
into the river, and swam ashore. The crash was heard at
a great distance, and arristance was promptly on the spot.
Mr. Jones, the house-surgeon of the infirmary, was very
active in rendering every aid to the unfortunate sufft ren.
In • brief space of time four dead bodies were taken out of
the river, and 12 or 13 of the passengers, who were more or
/en wounded, were extricated from their perilous situation,
and cooth)ed to the infirmary.
As soon as the agitation consequent upon such a dreadful
occurrence had subsided, attention was d:rected to the fallen
arch ; but strange to ray, only one of the girders, that on the
outside, had given way, while the other remained perfectly
firm and entire. Of COWSe the weight of the carriages
bore down the rails and the horizontal beams, which with
the girder, now broken into several pieces, fell into the
river. It also tare with it a portion of the stone work in
which it was fixed on the Welsh side of the raver. Very
fortunately, however, nothing seemed to have fallen upon
the carriages, and though they were crushed one against the
other, they did not appear so completely smashed as would
have been the case had the arch been built of stone. Any
conjecture as to the eau.e of the accident would be
misplaced; but doubtless that will be sufficiently investigated
be:ore the coroner.
The following is a correct list of the parties killed and in.
jived by this shocking catastrophe, as far as we have been
able to ascertain the particulars by personal application at
the Chester Royal Infirmary, shortly before fire o'clock yes-
terday morning.
KILLISD.-1. John Matthews, a coachman on one of the
Welsh mail coaches between Chester and some part of
Wales. He was a passenger to Raa's on or Wrexham, in the
second clan amage. 2. Knyvett, also a coach driver,
and a passenger to Wrexham. 3. George Roberts, guard of
the truth, who met an instantaneous death, having been
precipitated from the top of the cortege on to the bank of
the river, amid the falling ruins. 4. The stoker, a young
man, whose name we have not been able to ascertain. The
bodies of these unfortunate individuals, with the exception
of that of the guard, which was conveyed to the Infirmary,
now lie at the Chester Workhouse, awaiting the coroner's
inquest.
Isitthno.-1 and 2. Mr. and Miss Town, of Wrexham
(brother and sister). The injuries which Mr. Town has re-
ceived are of a very serious character. He has sustained a
severe concussion of the brain, and it is ai prehended his
skull is also fractured, though this has not been definitely
sacertaiued. However, he is in such a condition at present
that his rec 'very is considered a matter of very great un-
certainty. Miss Town has had a more fortunate escape, the
injuries which sho has sustained being comparatively slight.
—3. Mrs. EN iloll' a middle-sged lady, trom the neigh-
bourhood of Ruabon and Wrexham. Her injuries are very
Poore, consisting of a fracture of the hip-bone, the nature
or extent of which has not been accurately ascertained.—
4. Mr. Isaac Jones, of Wrexham, said to be • tailor and
draper, has had his skull severely fractured, sod lies now in
an exceedingly critical state.—o. Mr. John Jones, from the
neighbourhood of Wrexham, a severe contusion about the
heal, which is not, however, reckoned eminently dangerous.
—6. Mrs. Elizabeth Jones (wife of the above) has had tier
thigh (recto/el-7. Ann Evans, servant to Capt. Hopkins,
who resides near Ruabon. This young woman has suffered
to a greater degree then perhaps any other of the unfortunate
individuals who were injured. Her thigh is fractured, and
she has likewise sustained • serious fracture of the collar
bone, and • number of internal injuries.-8. Mr. David
Evans, of Wrexham, or the immediate neighbourhood, had
his thigh fractured.-9. Mrs. Evans, his wife, received a
number of bruises, none of which are of • serious character.
They were proothdingtoWrexham when the accident occurred.
—lO. A boy named Stevens, the son of one of the station-
keepers on the line, and himself employed on the line, was
dreadfully injured. It is supposed he has sustained concur
'ion of the brain, though it was impossible to say whether
that really was the case.-11. Mr. John Bruce Ford, of Man•
charter, received a cut on the head, and other slight injuries,
none of which are considered at all serious.-12. A married
female, name unknown, severe coneusaion of the brain. She
has not spoken since her admission tq the infirmary-13. A
boy or man, connected with some of the offices, named
IsPOregor, had his skull fractured, but was nevertheless
quite sensible, and conversed with the house surgeon.
Of those who escaped unhurt—comparatively few, consi-
dering the number in the train—the following are the only
names we have yet learned, and we believe it comprises all,
with one or two exceptions:—Mr. Walinaley, of Liverpool,
who was proceeding to Llangollen. A young man named
Proud, connected with one of the railway offices. Lloyd
Wynne, Esq. of Mount Zion, near Oeweetry, and his son,
also escaped almost without • bruise. When the accident
happened Mr. Grote and Mr. Tomkinion were in the front
compartment of the first-clam carriage, which hap-
pened to be next to the engine. This carriage
was very nearly over the bridge; It did not fall into the
river, but on the rock at the side. Dreadful as was the
oath with which the carriage struck, both Mr. Grote and
Mr. Tomkinson felt that they had received no serious injury.
A young lady, Miss Maria Worthington, of Chester, who
was riding in the next compartment, also escaped without
any injury. There seems to be one rasa stall miring, for a
hat has been found, marked with the name of Ashelford,
for which there is no owner, but We h supposed to be the
only body that has net bewareerffleseL
Mr. Jones, the hows smiled to think the heads
of must of the sufferers eine ineamtaet with the stone
wall, as the wounds were Mei will end ; but this might
be caused by the quantity et red which would be disturbed
as the carriages fell.
We have spoken to one or two gentlemen who heard the
crash of the falling mass, which was heard at a great distance,
and who were on the spot immediately alter the accident,
but the relief of the wounded absorbed their whole attention,
sod they were almost unable to form the slightest idea of the

cause of this dreadful calamity. It was stated that the en-
Omer was so horrified at the occurrence, that he went on
his engine in an almost insensible state fur • distance of
about two miles. One of the coachmen who was killed, had
1601. in his pocket, which was taken charge of by Mr. Hill,
the superintendent of police.
The line has only been opened a month (since the Monday
before Chester races); and it is supposed either that the piers
had not been sufficiently consolidated, the stone-work defec-
tive, or t►at the iron bearings had become warped by the
heavy trains, consisting of iron from Rualion, which so fre-
quently pies over them. Another cause of the insecurity of
the bridge may have been tle difficulty always said to be
experienced in getting a foundation in the bed of the
Dve. Inquests will immediately bo held on the bldies, when
full explanations respecting the defective construction of the
bridge, and details of the accident, will doubtless be elicited.

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 26, 1847.