The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-12-14

very hot bath. The forward car. next III
engine, was drawn after it, and throw
over, win all. Its passengers. The ne,
plunged INTO 1t, and stove its back in piece.
ANA each car run against its predecessn
III the same manner, making more or les
spllnters, untIi all were brought I'D at resi-
and began to disembogue their occnnant.
each actuated Ivy the impulse of seIf-preser
vation. Soon, however, thew BEGAN TO bol
one another, and to look after the kille,
and wounded. After seeing INV own npnrt
ment cleared of its tenants, ran around il
front OF the circle-(for the wreck nov
made circle,j and the first thing which at
irarted my attention was the dragging on
OF the Engineer, who lay buried under tn,
engIne-the machine having turned bottom
upwards. The moment he was drawn out
ne stood upon his feet, but his face and heaf
frghtfully disfigured with blood and dust
Some one Immediately grasped his hand
anu shook 1t very cordially, congratulatlns
h!!n for his life preserved. He was carried
away, and nave not heard from him since
and therefore cannot tell how much he wa.
injured, Through the exceeding mercy O.
God, no OTHER person was bnrt, worthy o.
notice, so FAR as | have learned. Two OF
three trains soon arrived from opposite di-
rectlons, and we're obliged to STOP, as our
wreck covered the whole way. Men. wo.
men, and children Of tine peasantrv came
pouring in from the adjoining farms. as thew
witnessed our misfortune. And bv the
help of all, we soon threw off from the ways
our disabled cars-founh three of them in a
condition TO be used in our necessities. al
though not sound-horrowed an enrine
which happened along, and having packed
in again, thick enough indeed, proceeded
to Manchester, and arrived only two hours
after the regular time.
What was the occasion of this misfor-
tune, have not learned-nor was it posi-
Bile, In the confusion of the hour, to aseer-
tain. II the engineer should live, he per-
maps, can tell, if his interest will permit
him to be honest. Before this accident oc
CURED, rode upon the railway with a very
comfortable sense of safety. But from that
place to Manchester, | must confess nv
nerves were not sufficiently composed to
enjoy 1.-THE less so, perhaps, from a deep
conviction that our cars, after the shock
and injury they had received, were unfit for
use-especially, that it was exceedingly
presumptuous. The thought of such an
arrest is frightful-even terrible. If the
bank had been high, as in many places it is
thirty and forty feet, and in some instances
far more terrific still, the whole train must
have inevitably plunged full speed, and ev-
cry thing, and all, dashed to pieces below
There would scarcely have been n chance
for single life. AS it was, the bank was
about six feet in elevation, and of easv de-
scent. The engine plunged into the sand,
and was instantly turned bottom up, by the
pressure of the train, and the connection
between. God, in mercy prevented, that it
should be no worse. But for this accci-
dent, could look upon those trains in pro-
gress, with great zest. But the charm to
me is gone. When see them now under
their greatest velocity, | shudder at the
sight. 1t is to be observed, that the veloci
ty OF these trains, in the course of trir
through, IL variable; sometimes quite slow
and then again forward with amazing ra
pldIty as in frolic--or to make up for los
time
The rate of progress for the first class
in order to accomplish their route in the al
lotted time, an hour and half, must aver.
age little more than twenty miles an hour
The extreme rate is often. in the same Zip
more than thirty miles the hour. 1t may be
recol!ected that the whole distance of thir-
ty-two miles has been run in fifty-seven
minutes. That accidents of calamtous
character will sometimes occur, in these
flying voyages, is to be expected. They
are generally, however, hushed up by the
powerful influence of the company-the
presses of Liverpool and Manchester par
llcipating in the local spirit. / am cred;-
bly, informed, that more than thirty lives
have already been sacrificed on this rail.
way. And 1t is understood, that if the ac-
cident of to-day shall be noticed at all by
the papers of Liverpool and Manchester
the world will never know its true charac.
ter 10y that medium. An acquaintance Of
mine has come from Liverpool this after
noon by the rail way, without having heard
any thing of this affair, till | met him.
When Huskisson falls a victim, all the
world knows it; but when poor man per.
ishes, his name is never mentioned.
For myself know not when | shall be
persuaded 10 launch upon a railway agar
in these flying vehicles. To have escaped
from the verge of death, very naturally set:
one upon calculation of the chances o
such exposures. The slightest ohstacle-t
pebble stone, no bigger than hens egg
is adequate to throw an engine from il,
track, when under full speed. The failure
of any part of the complicated machinery
not unfrequent occurrence with steam en-
glnes-is competent, in these locomotives
to the production of frightful disaster
The occasional heedlessness of some ont
Of the many employed upon these ways
may produce the same calamitous results
And we all know, that custom in peril in
spires presumption. And while | do no
withdraw my congratulations for the adj
vantages of steam to the purposes of life,
do yet solemnly declare my opinion, tina
the ordinary police regulations Of these es
Establishments to ensure safety, are criminal
ly defective. Life is constantly perilled t.
II most fearful extent--and may add, prod
igally wasted Between fifteen hundred
and two thousand have persisted in the Unit
ed States by means Of steam, since it ha
been applied to navigation; aad probabl,
more than ten thousand have fallen victims
to the same cause, in the whole history o
tins wonderful agent in its compressed con
dition.
The Liverpool and Manchester railway
however, and after all, is proud and Fri
umphant experimental is notable mon
ument OF human enterprise-it impresse
the human mind with awe in contemplate
OF Its own possible powers. And what wi
he the next Improvement, who can tell !?
BREviTiEs. Drinking, with view to hogh
en- natural good spirits, is like attempting
improve the natural fragrance of the rose /
smearing II with pomatum. 1t is severe ST
tire on mankind to say that prosperity is mo
difficult to bear than adversely. The maxi