Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-12-07
ACCIDENT ON A RAIL ROAD.


left Liverpool this morning at Z ociocG' a,
with friend and fellow passenger OF the snip
very charming Young man from Pawtuckef,
Mass. for Lon,lon,via Manchester& birmingham,
the distance to London being 20S m'les-by the
Railway to Manchester, Of course. For who could
pass by that?-I had walked up to the Liverpool
end Of the Railway before, and saw that part
of this stupendus aud proud work. had seen
the trains Of cars. both Of passengers and those
for Transportation, come IN aud go out, led by
the little, proud. quick and spieful engne-a
truly sublime sight No one who has not witness
ed the reality, can have an adequate idea OF the
scene. have several times stood upon bridge,
thrown over the Railway, about one mile from
the place of stopping, and seen tram approach
in the distance. rapidly nearing, anu dart uhder
me with such velocity, that when the engine had
met the perpendicular line under my ieet with
train Of cars behind 90 rods IN length, have
sprung with all possible agility tn the opposite side
Of bridge 90 feet in breadth, and before could
reach it. The whole train had passed from under
me, and seemed flying to its goal-leavins the
impression, that no power could possibly arrest
| it's momentum. and that it must inevitably
plunge into the town. be dashed against its walls
tearing every thing away which could be torn;-
and vet the next moment, it is seen easing and
easing away, aud then at rest. now speak OF
some views have had to-day i'll the vicinity OF
| Manchester, which were better 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 passen-
gers, and then drawn by a stationary engine
through dark tunnel of 500 to 400 feet into a
deep rectangular basin, itself open TO the heavens,
but sunk about so feet into the same solid rock,
topped aud enclosed, with artificial battements
of heavy masonry, and erecting at the front an
gles above the whole, two chinnes OF 90 feet or
more IN elevation-each ornamental. and making
a show not unlike the ashngton monument OF
Baltimore. This immense artificial chasm is a
beautiful, as we'll as stupendous work. The
deep cut in the rock continues, with gradual de-
crease. large moety of mile. The basin
above described is the starting and arriving point
or the goal Here the locomotive engine is at
tached, and away it goes at the precise moment,
and soon the passenger feels himself on wings
1.-The looks at the nearest objects he feels himself
dizzy in an instant. He cannot endure it. And
for relief, he throws out his eye upon the iieds,
and trees and country around. The motion of
the car. in ITS rapid flight is so much like that
of coach running swiftly over smooth ground,
itself being a close carriage, and the twltchng 50
exactly similar to that of horses on a full jump,
that in spite of the evidences to the contrary
around me to day, as was Whirled along. Sc
veral times imagined fully for moment, that our
horses were running to destruction with loose rein
and startled at the thought.
There are two separate trains for passengers,
one Of the first class, the other OF the second
each making three trips day to and iro. The
first is a close carriage-or train OF coaches,
each accommodating 8 passengers in three sePa-
rate MISUNDERSTANDING through. distance OF
lse miles. in one hour and thirty minutes The
seconq class 30 UU".rU-uL - oPon cars--runs
through in two hours-fare three shilipss and
sixpence sterling. Fare for the first class five
shiIlings. These trains often carry from 200 to
500 passengers. The average number of passen-
gers per day, between Liverpool and Manches-
ter, for the last two weeks, has been Q, 200.
started this morning in the first class, with
six coaches i'm train. and about one hundred pas.
sengers. And little did think, that had cross
ed the Atlantic so mercifully, to be wrecked on
the Railway. 1t is evident. however, fr m my
present occupation, that got off with life. and
without serious injury. But give me my cleo
ton, and had rather 20 upon a rock in a ship
| under full sail-provided it be in the day time,
with tolerable chance of escape-than run the
chance Of wreck Oh the Rail way.
The first half way we passed in fine style, and
high spirits not dreaming of the peril that await
ed us After having replenshed the water for the
engine, we were soon under full speed again. -
| had frequently put my head out of the coach to
look backward and forward, and abroad-to
make such observations as curiosity, and the no.
vel interest of the scene, prompted. Sometimes
a train, coming from the opposite direction,
might be seen ahead, and soon it would brush by
US, at distance of three feet, with such veoci-
ty, that pent up as we we're, we could no more
count the number Of coaches. than the spDkes in
woman's spinning wheel, when buzzing in its
sw'fles. turn. I speak as matter of fact: not
that we could not see them, but their speed add
ed to ours, each going in opposite directions, rem
dered it absolutely impossible to count the coach
es, as they passed our window. The rear pre-.
sented 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-sometmes twenty, and sometimes twenty
five. | should judge we were running at the
rate of twenty five mies--or more rather than
less-wben looked out at the window forward,
and instantly excIa'ned, as my friend says thrice,
Though do not myself recoect n.y. I'VE are
gone! we ase gone! we are gone!' And surely