The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1838-02-02

! TO the scene which followed DO pen can eive
description The three cars had bsen crushed Ia
pieces, and all whom they contained, except those
oaiy OF The second COS, we're lying, torn and man.
glsd. on and among the fragments. The cries, Ia
mentations, and prayers Of the less injured, dis
tressing as they were, we're far less appalling
than the ialtsred accents Of the mother who said
"Tell my son 10 CONS 10 me. am dying" She
died that night. Could any thing be more ago
nlzing than the situation Of that poor girl who lay
with her limbs jammed and crushed by the iron
wheels for hours, whilst oil our efforts to relieve
her. 10 the sbssnce Of all means, and far removed
! from all aid, we're in vain. Let Us close this de
tail BY stating that two burden caSs were emptiec
OF their loads, and IN them were placed twelve o
those whose cruel injuries and heart rendIog la.
mentstlons can never be forgotten, and they were
conveyed back 10 the nearest station. The re.
msinder, with the uninjured. we're taken on by
another engine and train, which arrived IN a few
hours al The place Of the accident.
The loss OF life, the wounds and sufierings Of
the MANNED, were not necessary consequences Of
The accident to The engine, but were occasiered by
the excessively reprehenslble custom OF attaching
burden cars behind the passengers cars. IL TIPS
instance The facts and circumstances are as fol
lows:
The road is constructed Of light plate rails, laid
on wooden string pieces and sleepers. The end OF
Of the rails was loose, and stood up; IL struck
The scraper, and threw the engine off the track
nd into the side Of the ditch. when It's further pro-
gress was arrested, the front OF the frame being
buried IN the earth The tender was thrown on
its side, against the back part Of the engine which
lay partly over the track against this opposing
mass, tho light passenger car was stove in, as II
lay upon the pile Of ruins, bv the Momentum Of q
numbtr Of burden cars oaded nth cotton, IN baies,
UhIeh formed Ms rear Of The tram.
1t Is consistent with the laws OF matter and mo.
lion, and many circumstances warrant The belief,
that il the passenger cars had been placed behind
the burden cars IN the train, little or no injury
would have resulted 10 the passengers from The
accident.
A pair Of horses which were 10 a car forming
par, OF The train we're apparently entirely unin-
Iorsd. aud a carriage standing upon an open car
vas scarcely displaced
10 continuance Of h,s journey, with all these
circumstances fresh upon his memory, and ben
the papers had announced The deaths of Two of the
sufferers, the writer entered one OF the cars al
Washington ior Baltimore, and was painfully coin.
pollet IN witness the attachment OF burden cars
behind the train, and this too IN the night, when
cared. When the agent came round to examine.
and collect tickets, the writer made the clrcuH.
stance a subject Of earnest remonsirance. The a.
gent, with honest cantor, acknow lodged that the
cnstem wss extremely reprehensible cited instan.
cts Of nJury from the like causes reg cited that
has femunsirsnees had not beeu ATTENDED 10, and
sold thu, nothing was len To hin bot to oos to his
oNn safety IN case Of accident.
p Ill xltup This Stx he prifar dnes NJ
mean 10 ensure any one he makes 10 charge OF
neelse, or carelessDess; but he believe. that the
paites y no had control were not efficiently a.
ware 81 The CONSEQUENCE of the sudden srresia,on,
land the conssqucn, liability 10 Injury Of every
hing which intervenes) OF such moving mass
as a train o. burden cars at the ordinary ralt OF
railroad progress. lie feels that tins stdement is
an Indispensable dIty 10 his fellow creatures cal
led Tor by circumstances iron which. ptosidCntal.
", he is sufferer only in slight degree.
P#lL,DElFniA, DC y. 1887.