The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-12-14
ACCIDENT ON A RAIL ROAD.

iclt Li'CIpool tHts tUDrHIU1 AT Ocl0c X
by the Railway to Manchester, of course
For who could pass by that ?-I had walk.
ed up to the Liverpool end of the Railway
before, and saw that part of this stuoen-
dous and proud work. had seen the trains
of cars, both of passengers and those for
transportation, come in and 90 out, led by
the little, proud, quick, and spiteful engine
"a truly sublime sight. No one, who has
not witnessed the reality, can have an ade
quate idea of the scene. | have several
times stood upon a bridge, thrown over the
Railway about one mile from the place of
stopping, and seen train approach in the
distance, rapidly nearing, and dart under
me with such velocity, that when the en-.
CINE had met the perpendicular line under
my feet with train of cars behind of TWEEN
ty rods in length, have sprung with all
possible agility to the opposite side of n
bridge Of twenty feet in breadth, and he
fore l could reach it, the whole train had
passed from under me, and seemed flvinp
to its goal-leaving the impressions that no
power could possibly arrest its momentum
and that it must inevitably plunge into the
town, be dashed against its walls, TEARING
every thing away, which could be torn =
and yet the next moment, it is seen easing
and easing away. and then at rest. / now
speak of some views have had to-day in
the vicinity of Manchester, which were bet
ter than those had at the other end,
The Liverpool end is in front of hill of
free stone rock, where the cars are laden
with passengers, and then drawn by sta
tlonary engine through a dark tunnel of
800 to 400 feet into deep rectangular ba-
sin, itself open 10 the heavens. but sunk
about so feet in the same solid rock, TONED
and enclosed with artificial battlements of
heavy masonry, and erecting. at the front
angles above the whole, two chimnies of 60
feet, or more in elevation-each ornamen
tai, and making show not unlike the
Washington monument at Baltimore. This
immense artificial chasm is beautiful. as
well as a stupendous work. The deep cut
in the rock continues, with gradual de-
crease, large moiety of mile. The ba-.
sin above described is the starting and the
arriving pointer the goal. Here the loco
motive engine is attached, and away it goes
at the precise moment, and soon the pas
senger feels himself on wings If he looks
at the nearest objects, he is dizzy in an in
slant. He cannot endure it. And for re-
lief, he throws out his eye upon the fields,
and trees, and country around. The mo-
ton ofthe car, in its rapid flight, is so much
like that of coach running swiftly over
smooth ground, itself being close car
riage, and the twitching so exactly similar
to that of horses on full jump, that in
spite of the evidences to the contrary
around me to-day, as was whirled along,
several times imagined fully for a mo
ment that our horses were running to de-
struction with loose remand startled at
the thought.
There are two separate trains for passen-
gers, one of the first class, the other of the
second--each making three trips day 10
and fro. The first is close carria ge-or
train of coaches, each accommodating
10 passengers in three separate apartments
running through, a distance of 80 miles.
in one hour and thirty minutes. The sec
ond class is composed of open cars-runs
through in two hours-fare three sh;llinus
and slxpence sterling. Fare for the first
class five shillings. These trains often car
ny from 200 to 300 passengers. The aver
age number of passengers per day, be-
tween Liverpool and Manchester, for the
last two weeks, has been 1900.
! started this morning in the first class,
with six coaches in train, and about one
hundred passengers And little did thin k.
that had crossed the Atlantic so merciful-
ly, to be wrecked on the Railway. It is
evident however. from my present occun.-
ton, that got off with life. and witbo d
serious injury. But give me my election,
and had rather go upon a rock in shin
under full sail-provided it be in the day
time, with a tolerable chance of escape
than run the chance of wreck on the
Railway.
The first half way we passed in fine
style, and high spirits, not dreaming of the
peril that awaited us. After having re-
plenlshed the water for the engine, were
soon under full speed again. had RE
quently put my head ont of the coac h 10
look backward and forward, and abro sd-
to make such observations us curiosity AMI
the novel interest of the scene, prom, med.
Sometimes ii train, coming from the ppO-
site direction, might be seen ahead. and
soon it would brush by us, at ,liatance, Of
three feet, with such velocity, that, pent up
as we were, we could no more count the
number of coaches, than the spokes IN a
womans spinning wheel, when buzzing in
It's swiftest turn. speak as matter of fact:
not that we could not see them, but their
speed added to ours, each going in oppo.
site directions, rendered it absolutely i'm.
possible to count the coaches, as thew pass
ed our window. The rear presented itself
almost the same instant with the front. All
we could perceive was-It is here, it is
gone Sometimes we ran fifteen miles the
hour-sometimes twenty-and sometimes
twenty-five. should Judge we were run
ming at the rate Of twenty five niles-or
more rather than less-when | looked out
of the window forward, and instantly ex-
claimed, as my friend says, thrice, Though
| do not myself recollect it,) awe are
gone! we are gone we are gone !" And
surely had good reason to make the in
ference. For at that instant saw the en-.
CINE deserving her proper track, and stag
gerlng and plunging headlong down the
Enthusiastically indeed, as if conscious
OF its charge and responsibility And what
could the train do but follow ?-I had no
sooner uttered these words, than crash |!
crash went the whole train. And instant
ly the engine lay bottom upwards, directly
abreast of our ear, the fourth in the train,
discharging its steam directly in our faces.
BY this time all was at rest, a heap of ruins.
The tremendous crash, by which we
we're brought up may in part be estimated,
when it is considered, that although we
were running at such rate, we did not
make Roadway o: more than two rods,
after the engine plunged from the railroad
But you will be in pain 10 see us ont Of the
steam. "Open the opposite door % said
-" open the opposite doorw My friend
being nearest, made the attempt, but, moi
succeeding, jumped through the window.
There were two ladies'. gentleman. and