The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-11-14 00:00:00

ALARMING AND FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

On Wednesday morning, alarming intelligence was brought
into Newport of a frightful railway collision which, it was
reported, had taken place on the Newport and Pontypool
Railway, with great loss of life. Fortunately, however, the
rumour as to the fatal character of the accident proved to be
erroneous. It appears that some trn empty trucks having
been left on the line at Pontypool, while others were shunted
to a siding, the trucks gradually passed from their position
down the line, there being an inclined gradient at that part of
the railway. The impetus acquired, increased momently, and
at length the trucks were proceeding towards Newport with
frightful velocity. The Hereford, Abergavenny, and
Newport up train, which started at 7.30, and runs on
the same line fqr about eight miles,
was now on its up-
ward journey ; and on reaching Pontrydyrlutu station,
where, however, it was not to stop, and passing round
a small curve there, which had prevented the driver seeing
the train of trucks dashing down, the engine driver at once
saw the impelling collision, shut off his steam, and reversed
instantaneously, and then, with his stoker and the guard,
leaped off. The collision was a most frightful one. The
first truck came in contact with the head of the engine, and
actually leaped up, carrying away the funnel and the dome.
and falling, with the other trucks, upon the tender and
wrecked engine. A backward motion was at the same time
given to the passenger train ; and the shock severely
injured about half a dozen persons, bat no loss of life or
limb occurred. The train receded towards Newport for about
two miles, when it was overtaken by the pilot engine, the
disabled engine and tender being removed, and was con-
veyed to the Pontypool road station, on the Hereford line,
where the company's own engine was attached, the sufferers
removed from the train, and their inj arks attended to at
Pontypool ; and the train proceeded on its journey.
In the afternoon of the same day, intelligence was
brought to Newport, that the down express train, Hereford,
Abergavenny, and Newport, had run off the line between
the two latter places. The express train was due at New-
port at 1.55, but had not reached the station, nor was any
authentic intelligence received for several hours. It was
reported, however, that a goods train had come into colli_
sion with the express, while off the line, and frightful
injuries were spoken of; while it was also said that six
nersons were killed. At a quarter to five o'clock, our
correspondent was at the Newport and Pontypool station,
when the telegraph brought the intelligence that two
persons were killed by the collision. The names of both
were unknown, but it was ascertained that one of the
deceased was a traveller for Mr. Hands, bootmaker, Wolver-
hampton. It was supposed that considerable injuries were
sustained by other parties; but nothina: authentic on the
subject could be learnt. The telegraph brought the news,
however, that the express train would most likely be ab'e
to get on the line again, after the debris was removed, and
proceed to Newport. The latest despatch brought in-
formed our correspondent that the down train left Aber-
gavenny for Newport at a quarter past four, and might be
expected at Newport in three quarters of an hour. It
appears that the express train had run off at Nantyderrin,
on its journey towards Newport; and that, on the goods'
train going up, and arriving there almost at the same
moment, ran into the displaced carriages of the express,
and smashed the sides of the carriages, at the same time
killing the two unfortunate gentlemen alluded to. The
train, which arrived at Newport at half-past five, brought
none of the passengers of the express, but the guard in
formed our correspondent that one of the dead bodies lay at
Nantyderrin, and one was conveyed back to Abergavenny,
as was also a person with a broken leg, and others who
were more or less injured. The double accident, occurring
within but a few miles distance of each other, has caused a
great sensation.

FEARFUL EXPLOSION OF A LOCOMOTIVE

Shortly before dark, on Tuesday evening, a fearful
locomotive explosion took place upon the Blyth and Tyne
Railway, at Percy Main, a short distance from Tynemouth.
A small pilot engine, No. 1, was in steam standing near
to the workshops, and according to the best accounts
that can be gathered, the pressure was at sixty, and the
engine was blowing off steam plentifully. The driver and
fireman had been off' the engine about a quarter of an hour,
and the fireman was in the act of stepping on to the ten-
der, when an explosion took place, and the whole of the
end of the flues of the boiler and tubes rushed through the
fire door, and crushed him against the end of the tender.
He was covered with fire and steam, and when what re-
mained of him was dragrd out from the debris, nearly all
appearance of humanity had been destroyed by the steam
and fire. The shell of the engine was disconnected from
the tender by the explosion,and driven with fearful velocity
down the line. In its flight it came in contact with another
engine, also in steam, and, springing up, drove one of its
wheels into the smoke-box of the engine ; but it fortunately
did not injure the boiler, else another, and probably more
fearful explosion must have taken place. The shell of
the pilot engine then toppled over, and the machinery
seems to be totally destroyed. The engine the shell ran
into is very much injured, and the wheel of the pilot
engine, which was left in its smoke-box, is nearly all
broken to pieces. The name of the unfortunate fireman
was Joseph Percy. He was a young man. The ruins of
the engine had been examined by Mr. Lundy, the manager
of the line, but no cause, so far, can be assigned for the
explosion. The end of the tube plate had come away at
the rivets, but the plate appears to have been sound.

HORRIBLE.---A little child, whose parents reside without
St. Owen's gate, Hereford, was either lying in a cradle
or in bed asleep on Tuesday, when a ferret, which was
kept in a box at the rear of the house, broke loose from
its confinement, and, unnoticed, entered the place where
the child was lying, and destroyed the eyes and a portion
of one cheek of the poor little sufferer.—liereford Journal.
Cheltenham has struck a medal in commemoration of
the visit to that \town of the learned members of the
British Association, which will pleasantly recall in future
years one of the most agreeable meetings of the body, as
well as to suggest to other towns and cities a graceful
form of record. No other place, so far as we know, has
ever honoured itself by such a memorial ; indeed, our
island fancy has been 'somewhat slow to perceive the
beauty and gracefulness of this French and Italian
practice.—Athenceunt.

LYNCH LAW IN VANCOUVER'S ISLAND —The San Fran-
07'seo Herald reports that there has been a dispute at
Vanua'Ter, which occasioned the landing of a force from
the British squadron there, which consists of the Monarch
and the Trincomalee, and the Hudson Bay vessel Otter. It
appears that John Williams, a settler, was too intimate
with a Corwegiau's squaw, and in consequence her husband
shot at and wounded him. Williams complained to
Governor Douglas, who'communicated with Admiral Bruce,
who landed 400 to 500 men, with two field pieces. The
Indians approached the British force in a threatening
manner. Governor Douglas, Captain Houston, Commander 1
Cowley, and Lieutenant Scott then advanced and seized
the culprit, and bore him to the camp, where a court-
martial was held, which sentenced him to death. Accord-
ingly ho was hung from a tree in the afternoon.
MARINE INSURANCE.—At New York there is trouble
among the Marine Insurance Companies. Some have
utterly failed, and their assets are in the hands of a re-
ceiver. A few others are tottering on the verge of bank-
ruptcy, or dragging out a sickly existence amid general
distrust, only patronised by those who can obtain a policy
in no more solvent quarter. A few leading companies,
with large accumulations of former profits, stand strongly
in the public confidence, but can undertake only a portion
of the immense business offering. Meanwhile, there is
much suffering among those who cannot afford to be their
own insurers, and whose property is even now at sea,
either totally uncovered, or under very doubtful protec-
tion. Several of our merchants have paid two or three
yearly premiums already, upon a number of their ships,
since the opening of the current year, and are neither
satisfied with the existing security, or able to obtain a
policy in an undoubted institution. The companies whose
ability is beyond question are crowded with applications
for insurance, only the most desirable of which they will
receive, while the rejected know not where to turn for
relief.—New York Journal of Commerce.
A FREE STATE MAN TIED UP AND WHIPPED.—A most
heartrending outrage was perpetrated upon an American
citizen by a captain in the United States' army. A few
days since, while a company of dragoons were on their way
up to the Nebraska line, they met two Free State men on
foot. These men were stopped by order of Captain Ander-
son, and questioned as to the movements and intentions of
the expected party of emigrants. One of the men became
frightened, and told all he knew about them. The other
refadd to reply to any of the questions put to him. Captain
Anderson became very much incensed in consequence of
this man's refusal to answer impertinent questions, and
ordered him to be tied up to a wheel, and 50 lashes given
him upon his back. This charge against Captain Anderson
can be substantiated by the best of testimony, and an enquiry
into his conduct should at once be made by the proper
authorities, and, if found guilty, the villain should be
severely punished for the infamous deed. But the victim
" was only a Free State man, and probably he deserved the
thrashing, and got it," and because he loves freedom
better than slavery, the outrage upon his person will go
unpunished.—Lawrence Correspondent of the Chigago
Tribune:

AS MANTLES and JACKETS are so
very generally worn this Season,
J. MAC LENNAN, 36, CHURCH-STREET,
(OPPOSITE PARKER-STREET),
Has made arra 7gements to have a Case of Paris MANTLES
and JACKETS, in Vtlvets, Reversible Cloths, and all the
other Fashionable Materials, delivered Every Week for the
next Two Months; therefore, those Ladies desirous of
having the Fashions as soon as they make their appearance
in Paris, combined with moderation in prices, are respect..
fully solicited to inspect the Stock.
JUST RECEIVED, from London, Two Cases contain-
ing' about 700 MANTLES, commencing at the extraord
1 ow i't ice of 4s. I Id. each.
SHAWL AND MANTLE WAREHOUSE,
OPPOSITE PARKER STREET.

MAGDIAR MID
TEACHER OF
NAVIGATION AND NAUTICAL ASTRONOMY,

ABLY ASSISTED,PRACTICALLY. BY

CAPTAIN A. 111 ACN AlfellT AN,
ACADEMY,
and the
LIVERPOOL MASTER MARINERS' ASSOCIATION'S ROOMS,
24, GREAT GBORGR-SQUARE, LIVERPOOL.
*** Inquire for full copy of prospectus at any of the Opticians.