The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-30 00:00:00

THE WEATHERAND THE PARKS.

The continuance of the extreme cold of Tuesday, during
the night, when the temperature stood for several hours as
low as 26 Fahrenheit, with a sharp and strong N.N.V.
wind, had the effect of greatly increasing the thickness and
security of the ice, which was on Tuesday thin and exceed-
ingly brittle.
THE SERPEI•ITINE.—Yesterday morning the Humane
Society's men, under the inspection of Mr. Williams, the
supsrintendent, made an inspection of the ice, and lines
were drawn across so as to mark the open space which would
be comparatively safe, men being placed on duty with ropes
and sledge ladders to be in readiness in case of accident.
There conld not have been less than five thousand persons
at one time assembled on the ice, the banks being lined
by several thousand well-dressed spectators, principally
ladies, who appeared to enjoy the sight of the sport. The
tent of the Royal Skating Society was erected above the
bridge, and a large number of the members were present,
the snow havi.zg been cleared to render the skating easy.
If the weather continues, the ice will be in first-rate condi-
tion. During the day upwards of twenty persons were so
severely cut and bruised by the falls that medical relief was
administered to them at the receiving house. From half
past ten o'clock to half-past two o'clock six immersions took
place in a depth of water varying from six to eight feet.
They were placed in warm baths, and after receiving other
attentions, were eventually enabled to proceed home.
KENSINGTON GARDENS.—On the long water and round
pond there were, during the day, 2,500 skaters and sliders,
including several members of the skating club, but no acci-
dent occurred, although the ice is described as only two
inches thick and dangerous.
RnoExx's Etax.—The number of skaters and sliders
amounted to many thousand persons, the ice being in the
morning in a very good condition. The tent of the Royal
Skating Club was also erected here, and several of the prin-
cipal members of the club were present. In the course of
the day, however, the ice, from some cause, parted in several
places and became very dangerous. During the day a great
many persons were cut and bruised by falls. In one instance,
the *shock produced a succession of strong fits, which were
eventually mastered by the attention of Dr. Hodding, in
the marquee. About three o'clock in the afternoon a gentle-
man while skating was suddenly left upon an island of ice'
from which he was long unable to reach the shore • but,
Under the directions of Mr. Superintendent Williams, a
hand line was swept up to him, and a breaker and ordinary
ladder so thrown seeress the fissure as to admit of his wal k-
ing' to the shore without his even being wetted, and he was
received by his friends and the spectators with loud cheers.
Sr. JAMES'S PARK.—Yesterday there could not have been
leas than 4,000 or 5,000 persons on the ornamental waters,
11Pwards of 2,000 skaters and sliders being on the ice at one
time. The skating was confined to the open space in the
Centre, the icemen keeping the crowd off from the east and
West ends of the water, which are at present unsafe.
Between eleven and half: past twelve the ice gave way in
three places, and caused the immersion of nearly 20 per-
sons in about six feet of water. The whole were rescued
hy deputy superintendent Parsons, and icemen Cook, Collins,
Marshall, Knapp, Bally, and Terry. The names of those
who received warm baths, stimulants, &c., at the marquee,
were Philip Whormsley, Henry rilton, John Skelton,
-Kenry Light, Charles Abbey, Joseph Cantle, James Long-
.4l?-rtil, Charles Frew, Alfred Ward, Samuel Mader, and
ured Fowler. All were perfectly recovered before the
teloeing of the gates, which, by the exertions of the park-
keepers and the police, was effected as early as half-past
rvo o'clock.—Landon Paper.

DREADFUL AND FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE
LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY,
YESTERDAY, NEAR MANCHESTER.

LOSS OF ONE LIFE, AND PROBABLE LOSS OF OTHERS.

A frightful accident took place yesterday (Thursday) fore-
noon, on the Lancashire and Yorkshire line of railway, and
within two miles and a-half of Manchester. We regret to
say that the accident has led to the death of one of the pas-
sengers, to the probable death of two or three others, and to
the severe personal injury of several. This accident, like a
great many others of a similar character, arises, as we are
informed, from that negligence on the part of railway officials
which has been so frequently reprehended.
It appears that there is a train usually known as the
Rochdale train, (but which runs as far as Todmorden), which
leaves the Victoria station of the Lancashire and Yorkshire
railway at Manchester, at 9-40, a.m. This train is, in the
ordinary course, required to stop at a new station, called
the 'ewt o n Heath station, and it did so. The next train is
dispatched from Manchester almost immediately following
the train in question, and leaves the Victoria station at a
quarter of an hour later; or at 9-45, a.m., and it proceeds to
Oldham only, being a train belonging to one of the branch
lines of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway company.
We may as well observe that what is called the Newton
Heath station is au outlet from the main line of railway be-
longing to the Lancashire and Yorkshire company, to two thriv:
big manufacturing villages, Newton Heath and Failsworth,
the only means of communication between which and Man:
chester, the great centre of manufactures, were formerly
omnibuses and cabs. The opening of the new station hag
long been a desideratum, and the accomplishment of the
object desired has been much approved of, as proving of
mense advantage to a large number of persons frequenting
the Manchester markets on Tuesday, Thursday, and Satur-i
day. The distance between the Victoria station, Manchester,
and the temporary or shed station, erected at Newton Heath,
is about two miles and a-half.

Yesterday morning, about, or very shortly after, the usual
time, the 0, 40 train for Rochdale left the Victoria station
on its way to Rochdale and Todmorden. All went well until
the train, which consisted of three or four carriages, reached:
the new station, that of Newton Heath. It is the rule for
this train to Stop at the newly-opened station, and it is also
well known that the following train, that which diverges
from the main Lancashire and Yorkshire line to Oldham, at
the Middleton junction, some miles from Rochdale. The
Rochdale train was still standing at the Newton Heath sta-
tion. when the express train for Oldham came in sight. The
morning was extremely foggy, and in consequence of that it
was exceedingly difficult to perceive objects in the distance.
One person tcld us at the Newton Heath station, that objects
beyond the distance of twenty yards could not be perceived ;
while another said he could not see farther than three yards.
Probably both were right, and only differed as to the times
when they directed their attention to distant objects. At
the time the train from Manchester to Oldham was approach-
ing, we should think it was possible to catch a view of
objects at a distance of twenty yards, or even considerably
further off. There is no question, however, that the morn-
ing was very foggy, and probably but fur that, in spite of
alleged negligence, the accident might have been prevented.
The Rochdale train, which left Manchester at 9.40 a.m.,
had for its driver George Hughes ; and the Rochdale train,
which left at 9.45 a m., had for its driver John Worthington.
According to the information communicated to us, on
inquiry at the scene of the accident, the train for Rochdale
arrived at the Newton station somewhere about ten o'clock
in the morning, and, as usual, it stopped at that station.
This train, as we have already noticed, only goes as far as
Todmorden; but at Todmorden passengers meet trains for
Burnley and Bradford, which caused a larger number of
people to be present than might otherwise have been the •
case. Shortly before it was intended to give notice to the
Rochdale train to start, a notice was given to the station-
master at Newton Heath (Mr. William Whittaker),- to the
guard of the Rochdale train (Mr. Tidy, residing in Lamb-
lane, Newton Heath), that a train was coming up, and that
he was in great danger. When Tidy saw the train within
twenty yards of the station, and knowing that it did not stop
at that place, he called out to the guard of the Rochdale
train, " Tidy, you will be killed;" but the guard did not
hear him. Immediately. afterwards the train from Man-
chester to Oldham, consisting of seven or eight carriages,
came up, and ran into the Roachdale train, which had
not yet left the station. As soon as he saw the inevitable
colliston;the station master jumped over the rails, covering
the line of railway down an embankment, and had a narrow
escape of being killed. The frightful collision then oc-
curred. The first portion of the Oldham ran into the latter
portion of the Rochdale train, which was impelled from the
point where the collision-took place, nearly opposite the tem-
porary wooden station, to a distance of 150 yards. The last
carriage of the Rochdale train which was a mixed carriage,
consisting partly of compartments for passengers, and a box
for the guard, was completely destroyed, being smashed to
pieces. The guard in that carriage, Mr. Henry Tidy, was
thrown from it, and when found on the platform. after the
accident, was insensible for a quarter of an hour. The sta-
tion master immediately sent for assistance, and through his
instrumentality, those who were injured were immediately
attended to by Mr. John Pegge, surgeon, Newton Heath ;
Mr. Gomel], surgeon, Newton Heath, and Mr. Morgan,
assistant to Messrs. Harrison and Cooke, surgeons, Picca-
dilly, Manchester, surgeons to the company for that portion
of the line. Amongst the ruins of the chrriage that was de-
stroyed was found,. lying insensible, a young girl, aged 14
years, belonging to Preston, and who was travelling' home-
ward (though by mistake they had taken the wrong train)
with her grandmother. She was immediately conveyed to
the station house, where medical aid was promptly in atten-
dance, but she survived the accident only about quarter of
an hour, when she died. The body with then removed to the
Duke of York inn, Newton Heath, where it will remain un-
til a coroner's inquest has been held upon it. The grand-
mother of the young woman, Mrs. Lord, wife of Mr. Richard
Lord, Sykeshill, Preston, was seriously injured, and removed
shortly after the accident, to the Manchester royal
infirmary, •by the next train from Yorkshire, which
reached y the Newton Heath station. We are glad to
report that late last night she was going on favorably,
though not considered out of danger. She is a lady 69 years
of age, and has suffered much from contusions, and being
squeezed in the collision. The guard of the Rochdale
train, "Tidy," who has been severely injured about the
head, is not yet out of danger. Among the other sufferers
were Mr. Maurice Michaels, 11, Halliwell-street, Millgate,
Manchester, who received contusions on the right side and
spine, and is under the care of Messrs. Harrison and Cooke,
surgeons, Piccadilly : William Byrom, 74, Edward-street,
Chorlton-upon-Medlock, who has received slight bruises of
the head ; John Parker, Lawrence-street, Ardwick, who
bad a small cut on the temple ; John Rowland,- Richmond-
grove, Longsight, who met with a small cut on the fore-
head; John Morton, Foundry-street, Rochdale, who was
very moth shaken ; John Liddell, 79, Moreton-street,
Strangeways, somewhat bruised; A young man named
Rose, traveller to Messrs. Sidney and Human grocers,
Market-street, Manchester, bruised in the left wrist;
Joseph Turner, 2, Upton-street, Everton-road, slightly
injured; Patrick Crinan, hawker, Minshull• street, Man-
chester, injury in the spine. Some other persons were
more or less injured, but those we have not mentioned were
able to return to Manchester, or proceed to their places of
destination by the next train.

Of course the line of rails from Yorkshire to Manchester
was impeded by the wreck, consequent upon the collision at
the Newton Heath station, for besides the carriage,
in which the guard had his van, which was destroyed, others
were considerably injured, and two or three were thrown off
tlfe line upon the occurrence of the collision. A considerable
number of men were immediately procured from the neigh-
bourhood, signals in the meantime having been had recourse
to, in order to prevent further calamities from the unwary
approach of other trains ; and within two hours from the
occurrence of the accident the line was cleared of all obsttuc-
don.

Dr. Harrison, in the course of the day, visited the patients,
some of whom are now under his immediate care and super-
vision.

As to the cause of the accident, in the absence of those
data, which must come before a coroner's jury, we do not
wish to say anything. But we may be permitted to remark
that those high in authority under the company blame the
guard of the Oldham train, for not obeying the signals given
to him by the pointsmau at Miles Platting station, which is
about half a mile from the scene of the accident. The signal
indicated that he should go cautiously, but to that, it is said,
he paid no attention. Again, we have heard by intelligent
people, that they think it very strange that an express train
for Oldham, not stopping at stations. should be permitted to
leave Manchester within a quarter of an hour )f the depar-
ture of a train for Rochdale, stopping at stations. But no
doubt these matters will form the subject of careful inquiry and
serious consideration before the coroner and the jury.

BRISTOL, DEC. 28.—About nine o'clock last night, a fatal
accident occurred on the Bristol and Gloucester line, near
the Fishponds station, about three miles from this city. It
appears thnt owing to the heavy fall of snow last evening,
the trains were much impeded in their course, the line being
so blocked up that it was necessary in many cases to clear
the rails before the train could proceed, Owing to this
cause, and being delayed at Birmingham fir the train from
Derby, the train which should have arrived in this city at
6.25 p.m. did not reach here till 9.15. The deceased, who
was a switohman at the Fishponds station, went on duty
about half Test eight, and was told by his comrade, whom
he had relieved, that the down train ha,f not arrived. He
replied " All right," and was left at his pest; .it about nine
o'clock, whilst signalling the up train, the down train ap-
proached, and before the deceased was aware of its coming,
he was struck on the back by the buffer of the engine and
killed on the spot. No blame can be attached to any one
but the deceased himself, who, notwithstanding the caution
he received as to the train being after time, must have stood
on the down rails to signal the up train, and it is supposed
the thick layer of snow prevented him hearing-the approach
of the down train behind him till too Late to get out of the

way. When found the body was lying midway between the
down rails, and not in the least mutilated. The deceased,
whose name was William Lee, was a steady, sober man, and
had been in the company's service upwards of nine years;
he has left a wife and family to mourn his untimely death.
The • trains on the Great Western, and Bristol and. Exeter
lines were also detained last evening from the heavy fall of
snow.

TERRIFIC RAILWAY Aocmuyr.—The Taff Vale railway
has a branch from Merthyr to Dowlais. More than a mile
of this is an inclined plane, rising 400 feet in that distance.
This is worked by a stationary engine. The officials yester-
day. neglected to attach the rope to the midday passenger
train before starting it. It consequently dashed down the
incline with prodigiously increasing velocity as it neared the
bottom. The guard leapt off the break soon after the car-
riages commenced their descent, and was uninjured. None
of the passengers were, however, enabled thus to escape, as
they were all locked in the compartments, and their shrieks
while passing along the bridges over the roads near the town
were most appalling. The branch joins on to the main line
at the bottom of the incline by a sharp curve. The train
abandoned the rails at this spot, leapt clear up into the air
a great height, the carriages separating into shreds, the pas-
sengers being thrown out, and, with the debris of the train,
falling like a shower into the Taff river, and on the adjoin-
ing cinder tips. Notwithstanding this extraordinary violence,
some of the passengers were enabled to walk away compara-
tively.unhurt ; others are much injured, and two women are
dying—one having her back broken, and the other a fracture
of the skull, besides which they are frightfully lacerated and
torn almcst to pieces. Had the train been worked with a
proper break, it could have been brought to a stand, or, at all
events, its speed down the incline would have been so reduced
as to avoid the fearful results of the catastrophe.

IRELAND.

[FROM OUR OIVN COB.RESPONDENT.]

DUBLIN, DEC. 2U

Ma. SMITH our younger days we
read, it may have been in Banim, or in Galt, of a
gentleman who was bles.sed with "two left legs."
Of course he was. the beau ideal of awkwardness,
and in a political sense Mr. Smith O'Brien was his
other half, if not his " better." The whole empire.
, had felt satisfaction at the assumed escape of a
gentleman who was probably. well intentioned, al-
though his" course was no. less eccentric than
:injurious and incompatible with law. We find
now from the Freeman's Journal that he remains
still a prisoner :—" We regret to learn that there is.
every reason to believe that the rumoured escape
of Mr. Smith O'Brien is not correct. We received
this morning a letter from a personal friend of
Mr. O'Brien's, whO yesterday received a letter from
that gentleman. Our correspondent thus ex-
presses his doubts O'Brien's escape was'
stated; to have taken . place on the 15th of Septem-
ber; his letter to .me .was dated the' 18th of Sep-
tember. The dates!. therefore, 'would indicate the
great -,improbability of the event having taken
place "
FRIGHTFUL MURDER NEAR :ENNIScORTIIY,—The
murdered parties were a man of the name of
ThonalW Ball, and his wife. who lived on the side
of the public road leading from Newtonbany. to
Enniscorthy, in a small cabin,,chiefly supporting
himself by jobbing in orchards, and sometimes in
sheep; some of the latter, report says. he had lately
.sold, and it is supposed that the murder was com-
mitted in order to steal the money, which the wife
usually carried round hor neck,' in a small bag.
The night of the 23rd was the time of the crime.
Ball and his wife were, as far as I can learn, alive at.
nine o'clock at night. She, poor woman, had
plucked a goose for their- Christmas dinner, and
had laid it on the table. She had her cap off, and
he his shoes, evidently preparing for bed; the
fatal deed . was accomplished by a spade, Ball's
skull being opened at a blow, and the wife's wounds
are also on the head. The appearance of both,
and the bespattered blood about the cabin, as
everything remained untouched, was, indeed, a
sickening sight. This fearful crime was not dis-
covered until the afternoon of Saturday, when the
wife's brother, who had an appointment to meet
them in the market of _Newtonbarry; 'not seeing
either of them, went to the house, and found the
door locked. The police, of course, are in charge
ever since, until the coroner holds an inquest. I
hear two are in custody. However, this part of it
I will not dwell on until justice examines into the
cold-blooded murder. It has been remarked about
twenty eight years ago a murder took place within
a very short, distance of the present one. I give
you my name as a guarantee that the matter is
true.- —Advocate. [A reward of £lOO has been
offered by the government for the apprehension of
the perpetrators of the murder of Thomas and
Elizabeth Ball, at Ryland, near Newtonbarry, on
the night of the 23rd inst].
Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL.—This gentleman has ad.
dressed a missive to his constituents at Clonmel,
to whom he thus details the motives which caused
his retirement from public life, and those with
which he re-enters it :

" Retired from public life in 1851, because I could not go
with a policy of what I feared were injudicious extremes,
I am aptly recalled by you just at this moment, when the
first natural heat of the popular mind at a wanton and dis-
graceful insult seems to have passed away, and the old
policy of the' country is once more recognised as the true
means of obtaining reparation, and going on to new
achievements. In retiring, I obtained for the country and
for our faith the advantage of numbering among Irish re-
presentatives the good and high-minded Lord Arundel, just
at the time that his unworthy father forced him from his
English seat, as he could not force him from his religion.
By your fa7or I have been enabled, at this juncture, to be
again of use. I have stepped into the vacancy that other-
wise might have been attempted by a creature, or a co-
conspirator of the newspaper-triumvirate of Dublin, who
have taken upon themselves to rule the country, and lecture
prelates, priests, and people upon their duties."
The " Triumvirate he thus " touches up : "
" This ominous and heterogeneous conjunction of a
Protestant advocate of high Catholicity, (Dr. Gray)--an
English teacher and expounder of Irish rights and. Irish
feelings, Mr. Lucas, and a Catholic plagiarist Mr. Duffy,
from the wild and half-heathen Carlyle, and panegyrist of
the anti-Catholic Kossuth, the anti-Cmistian Mazzini, and
their Red Republican and murderous abettors, decided that
you, who were ever true to Ireland and her religion, required
to be lectured upon your duty. Accordingly, they invaded
your town to spread, as is their wont, and to the utmost of
their deplorable ability, dissension, calumny, bitterness, and
confusion !
"You meet them nobly, and nobly rejected their pre-
sumptuous interferences—telling the first to be steady in his
own course, and not for ever shifting it, ere he preached
steadfastnc,s to others—reminding the second, that for cen-
turies nothing but woe has resulted to us from English
intermeddlings in our domestic concerns ; and that even
his talent and powers of usefulness may be misdirected to
our grievous injury—and finally, charging the third with
the evil glory of Laving broken up the once mighty popular
organisation, and brought contempt upon the country, and
especial disaster upon his own dupes and coadjutors.'
Of Mr. Moore he speaks in complimentary terms,
threatening to be a " follower" of his one of those
days. And of his future policy he says :
"Of course I will join them when they will oppose bad
measures, from whatever party proceeding. I trust they will
not refuse to join me in supporting good measures, oven
though emanating from an anti-Tory government."
There is no question that his return to parlia-
ment is a great blow to what is called the " indepen-
dent opposition."