The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-12-09
From the Wilmington Journal.

TERRIBLE RAIL ROAD ACCIDENT
COLLISION OF THE ENGINES-CULPABLE
AND RECKLESS CONDUCT OF THE ENGI-
NEERS.
1t IS our duty, as public journalist, to record
one OF the most culpabe and reckless pieces of
business which has come under our notice for a
long while. At IL o'clock, ON "Wednesday last,
in broad day light, the two trains of cars, the one
going North. and the other coming South, came
In direct collision, thereby endaugerng the lives
OF large number of passengers, in both trains.
Happily, no one was seriously injured This
will appear the most extraordinary part of the
affair when we state the circumstances. 1t is a
rule when the trains meet between two turn
outs, that that one which has crossed the half
way line shall make the other run back to the
station which it has last left. On Wednesday
last, both the up and down trains were rather late
They came in sight of each other at point, some
70 miles from Wilmington, the half way line
nearly equi-distant from each. Both Engineers
crowding on all steam, as the phrase goes, each
endeavoring 10 reach the alfway line first, in
order TO make the other run back. Onward both
OF them flew for the contested point, at terrific
speed. Each thinking, we suppose, that he
would reach there first, and be able to stop his
engine Onward they came, at tho rate of some
twenty five miles an hour, As. they approached
one another, both Engineers gave their engines
the reverse action, but alas! too late The en-
gnes would not recede. An awful collision ensu
ed, by which both engines were almost stove 10
pieces. The Engineers, themselves, and the Mail
Agents, when they saw that the meeting was in
evitabe, jumped overheard and escaped injury
There were large number of passengers on both
trains, and 1t is really miraculous that they were
not seriously injured. The up-going Engine, the
Henry Clay, one of the most powerful owned by
the Company, broke the down coming one, the
New Hanover, almost into pieces. The names
OF these reckless men, who thus rsked the lives
OF their fellow beings, are, John Britt, who had
charge of the Henry Clay, and Thomas Surlee
who conducted the New Hanover. No excuse
can be pleaded in paliation of this reckless con-
duct. These fool hardy men saw each other for
miles, and 1t is no good excuse to say that thew
thought they could back their Engines. They
ought not to have risked such contingency
Luckily there was another Engine some miles
above, which brought the passengers to town
again, when they arrived about o'clock, p. NJ
The mails both ways are thus detained day.
The lives of nearly hundred people have been
placed in imminent peril--two Engines have been
almost destroyed, and all through the unpardona-
BILE recklessness of these two Engineers Britt and
Surlee. We hope that the board of Directors
will adopt the most stringent means in their power
to award them adequate punishment for this
awfully criminal conduct
Since the above was written, we have received
| the following note from one of the Directors
Mr.. FULToN--If you should make any re
marks IN your paper of Tomorrow, of the late &C
cdent our Road, will you be SO kind as Il
state that the Directors of the Road held meet
ing this morning, and discharged both engineer
from the service of the Company
Yours truly.