Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1854-11-04
DREADFUL ACCIDENT.

giving oil dCCOunt vi tlllS uTeauIui ACCIDENT
and this morning we are enabled TO lay
before our readers the full particulars to-
gether with the list OF IL killed. We
copy from the Detroit Free Press, of the
2Sih of October, the following -
One of the most dreadful railroad acci.
dents that ever occurred took place yester-
day morning, about thirty miles from this
city. The passenger train on the Great
Western Railroad, due here at IL 20 P.
NJ. on Thursday, came in collision at five
minutes past5 A. NJ, on Friday, with
gravel train,a short distance east of Baptist
Greek. The loss Of life tina; ensued was
very great.
Inc passenger train-of which Mr. G.
r. Nuiter was conductor, and Thomas
Smith, engineer--left the Suspension
Bridge at the usual time on Thursday af-
ternoon. The train consisted of four first
class two second'.class, and two baggage
cars and had or board large number OF
passengers. At S.. George, it came up
win grave train which was off the
rack and was delayed in consequence
about an -Four and a half When the
IRAN had got, under way again, freight
"ain WIS Irl advance, which it was obliged
10 follow as far as rinceton--thereby
loslD considerable more time.
Att A. NJ. the train left London. AZ
Ter ma oing run some three or four miles
iron that place, the cylinder-head of the
ioc omotive burst, which OF course brought
ne train to standstiIi An engine Was
Sent from London, which drew the train
back TO that place, where another engine
was attached, and tie train again started
for Windsor, going quite slow, the con-
ductor having given orders 10 the engineer
not to run at rapid rate as the night was
dark and foggy. When The tram left Lon
don the second time, it was about four
hours behind time.
A few minutes after o'clock, when
near Baptist Creek, the passengers train
which was proceeding at the rate OF about
% miles all hour, came in collision with
gravel train which was backing to-
wards the east at the rate Ut lO or ~
miles an hour. The gravel tram was
composed of Is cars, heavily loaded with
wet gravel. The shock produced by the
collision was tremendous. The second
class ears were smashed into atoms, and
nearly every person in them killed or
dreadfully injured. The first class car
was also badly smashed, and most of the {
passengers in the front part OF II met with 7
the same fate as the passengers IN the
second class cars.
The scene presented after the collision
was horrible one. lnermlxed with the
fragments of the broken cars, dead bodies
lay in profusion, many of them mansed {
in the most dreadful manner while from
out the heap of ruins proceeded the groans
and sbreks of the wounded.
The passengers who were so fortunate
as to escape uniniured Immediately setto
work to draw out the wounded and the
dead from the heap of ruins in which they
Law. Att o'clock A. NJ, the bodies OF
twenty-five men, eleven women and ten
children, had been brought to light, and
il was supposed that from ten TO twenty
others vet remained TO be discovered.
Twenty-one men and twenty women and
children were found to be badly injured
many of them fatally. Several of the
dead were crushed out of all human
shape, presenting notwithstanding sight.
Thu two second class cars, which bore
the main brunt of the collision, were filled
with emgrants, mostly Germans. The
first frst-class car, number OF the In
mates of which were killed and others
wounded, also contained some emlgrants.
The second, third and fourth hrsl-class
cars were somewhat injured, and some of
the passengers received some injuries, but
none, we understand, of dangerous
character.
Mr.. r. P Toms, of this city, who was
on board the iIl.fated train, and from ,
whom we derived the greatest portion oil
the foregoing melancholy particulars, IN
forms us that in the opinion of the pas
sengers no blame attaches TO either the
conductor or engineer of the passenger
train. The train was thrown behind time
by series of unfortunate circumstances
over which its officers had no control, and
every measure was taken by them 10 guard
against the occurrence of accident
From all the facts we have been able
10 ascertain, the fault of the accident rests
upon a Waterman, who fell asleep upon
his post, and, on waking informed the
master of the gravel train that the passen-
ger train had passed. Surprising this to
be the fact, the gravel train started, and in
short time came in collision with the
passenger train. Two men on the gravel
train were killed.
The engineer and fireman of the pas