New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-11-10
THE eREAT RAILROAD ACCIDENT,

Details of the recent dreadful collision on
the Western Railroad. Statements of 7. r. Mea-
CHER, Esq. The Detroit Tribune gives the fol-
lowing additional particulars of the accident on
the Great Western Railroad, caused by passen-
ger train coming in collision with gravel bur-
then train in fog--the account comes from Mr..
T. F. Magher
The train left Chatham OF 4t A. NJ, and reach
ed the fatal spot at 5:l0 A. NJ. Mr. Meagher
had been asleep about twenty minutes when he
was startled by deep, rumbling noise, like the
sound of heavy spent wave as it subsidies. On
coming to clearer consciousness, he distinctly
heard the crashing and ripping of timbers all
around him, mingled with the most fearful
shrieks and groans, and the noise of escaping
steam The floor under him was vibrating
while he was crushed in the seat, the roof fall
ing down Immediately before him, striking him
in the face with a large torn fragment. He
made an instant effort to get clear from the ru-
ms, but found his right foot caught beneath the
seat and the broken floor. Upon making a
second trial he succeeded in drawing out his leg.
leaving the boot in the ruins as if in boot
| jack He succeeded in reaching the door,
| where he stumbled over the body Of John Mar
| tin, the breakman, at that end of the car. He
| had been evidently at the brake at the moment
of the collision, and was flung back into the
doorway of the car. On procuring q lamp, a
little after, he found that Martin had both
| thighs and both arms broken--the latter above
| the elbows. His head, too, appeared to have
been dreadfully bruised, though no wound could
be perceived This noble fellow deserves especial
mention. Upon going to him when the morn.
ing broke and offering to remove him to a com.
| Portable situation, he answered, "Neyer mind
me-help those who are living, for am done
for" Somewhat later, upon bringing him 8
drink Of water, he asked Meagher to turn hin
on his side little more, so that he might die
quietly.
Fires were Immediately kindled by the pas
sengers, which afforded light by which at {
glance the awful wreck and havoc which hat
been made could be seen.
The passenger engine and tender were lying
at the foot of the observation-disclosures twent,
feet high-bottom side upwards, smashed int
fragments, with the smoke stack and iron por
tons embedded in the marsh, which at thi
point, Baptist Creek) stretched away on botl
sides of the road The fire had been completed.
thrown out, and the hot cinders were smoking
in the wet grass The first baggage car wa
perfectly unhnrt but the second one was dashe
into the first second-class car, and with tn
latter formed an immense mass of splinters
0 woodwork, iron work, bones, brains, mangle
flesh, torn clothes, broken rifles, loaves of brea
and Vther eatables, jumbled together as If
mine of gunpowder had blown them into thl
4 enormous heap of rubbish. The last second
class car had been driven right upon the roc
!. of the forward frst-class car more than ha
way in length. The weight of it had crushe
: in the fore part of the car beneath it, leavin
o the rest of it but little injured.
On both sides of the embankment, below Il
cars, were the wounded and dying=-some Of the
flung out violently from the wreck, othel
having crawled down with broken legs, viii
vet others had been carried to the fires by tt
passengers It is shocking even to think OF Il
scene, as it would be utterly siekenlng to d
i, scribe the various wounds and hideous multi
tions inflicted upon the poor sufferers. Lyi1
Immediately under the rear platform OF the 10
ward irst-elass car, he saw the first corpse
8 that of child about three years Of age. II
head was frightfully swollen and discolored.
lifted it up, and found that splinter abo
,, seven inches long, and shaped and sharp
q pointed like an arrow head, had entered benz
ID the rightear and passed through the right che
M and come out by the side Of the nose. He
W deayored to pull out the fragment, but was
,es able to do SO. The child was stone dead.
S old lady with gray hair, whom he assisted
md place on cushions at the foot of the embankme
81 81 had both legs below the knee torn open W
n gashes seven or eight inches in length and
- inch and half in breadth. The bone was CO
.. pletely exposed, and the wounds had all the
: pesranea Of having been given by some he: