Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-11-20

| !
following facts.
There were two trains Of cars attach
ed to separate engines. The accident
happened to The last iruin. The first en-
gine is the least powerful on the line.
The engineer is positive that SO far from
being in advance of, he was behind his
time. He moreover states that from in
advertence his fse hnd- got down and his
steam was so low as TO render il difficult
10 maintain his proper speed al that point,
as The road there ascends. The commit
tee are satisfied that the orders had not
been materially violated as TO the whole
time Of running the distance.
But il appears that, owing 10 some tri-
Hing arrangement Of the second engine,
the engineer, about three miles before.
had reduced his speed 10 adjust it. Alter
doing SO, he states that to recover his
proper station, he incre ascd his speed.
but not in his opinion exc eedinp his linn.
tied rate. In this he was probably mista-
ken. Blu, before the accident occurred, he
had checked the engine by shutting of a
considerable portion Of the ste am, and is
positive that he was not then running fas-
er than the train in advance. The dec
laralion is strongly corroborated by the
fact, th't one of the agents accompany
ing the line was OIL the top of the car
which upset, and jumped from il to tho
ground without injury, when he discov-
cred that II was going over From the
place where he alighted, to that where
the car rested, after the train was stop
ped, is not quite 81 yards.
The accident has also been attributed
to the heating Of the axle from friction,
for want Of oil. 1t is understood that
some OF the passengers arc under the i'm
preston that they saw smoke from this
cause. This is clearly mistake. Tho
axles were examined at Spottswood, mot
Q miles distant) by tie agent whose duty
II is SO 10 do, aud found perfectly cool
and well supplied with oil. The appear
ance Of the fracture is entirely inconsist-
ent with this idea, and the quantity Of oil
SID adhering to both the journal and box
is conclusive as that would have been en-
tirely consumed by the heat.
These matters have been adverted 10
particularly, because the. accident has
been attributed 10 them, and the COM
m'ttee have felt bound 10 afford eyerv in
formation on the subject. They are con-
v'nced, however, that it is to be traced
to other causes which could neither have
been !orescen nor prevented, g. the firtal
consequences were produced by COM
bmation Of circumstances that have nev-
er before occurred and in all human
probability will never again occur.
Cast iron wheels have been entirely
excluded from the passage cars on the
road. The axles have all been procured
from Boonston the most celebrated works
mthe country, at the exorbitant price Of
Si25 per ton to insure The quality of the
iron. They are more than fifty per cent
stronger than those used for the passage
cars OF the Liverpool and Manchester
road, and for still greater security the
ends were all welded down before thew
were turned Yet with all these pseeau-
tIons It appears by an examination Of the
Broken axle that latent defect existed
in it which caused the accident. There
was a flaw in il leaving not more than
three-eighths Of the strength Of the IRON
to sustain the whole weight, but as tho
defect was in the journal it was effect
sally concealed. This was the primary
cause Of the calamity. But the breaking
OF ths axle would have been harmless an
none OF the passengers ~ that car re-
ceived the slightest injury. h remaine
only to account for the injury to the 9TH
er car.
1t has been supposed that the cor was
thrown from the track ana upset by run
n'ng over tho wheel Of the broken car.
! his is entirely an error. The axle broke,
IN the journal, outside of the wheel, so
that both wheels remained attached to
the axle, which at one end maintained
It's proper position, but at the other, hav-
ing nothing to sustain it, dropped into
the receiver, SO that the spokes add the
hub, which are Of wood, were brought
in collision with the iron on the frame. ana
nearly half Of them splintered 10 pieces
by the revolutions Of the wheel IL ha.
been this which was mistaken bv the
passengers for the smoke Of ne arie.
An agent is always stationed al tha
brake OF the baggage car to keep con-
staDt watch upon aIlthe other cars,aud to
apply the brake and instantly apprise the
engineer if an accident occurs. For
the first time since the line has been in
operation, u spark had lighted on the
baggage car, and ignited bundle Of cot
ton. The agent discovered this, and was
~ The aes Of extinguishing il, when he
discovered the breaking of the axle.
Before be could recover his station and
apply the brake, The car was thrown from