Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-01-17
Central Railroad Investigation.

The Boald Of Directors of the Virginia
Central Railtoad, Mtssrs. T.. Fenseine, i Pre-
sidtnt) Jacob Baylor, William O7ertbn, II.
b. Till, and William J Robertson Being
present, have held n meeting to i,cuir into
ali the circumstances co!hetttd with the
collision on the 25th Of December lest, snd
i2ake long report, the substance Of 4h;ch
we append. 1t is propS' To- say that due
nH.lto was given of the time Mt which this
Investigation was to take place, and that the
late superintendent, the Conductors, Engi-
neors and all others who knew any thing Of
The circumstances were invited to lie pres
cnt. Mr.. j. II. Timberlake declined to
, take part in the investigation, but express
ed determination to make a statement III
= the newspapers, to exonerate himself from
t blame. The Conductors and Engineers on
the collision trains, as well rs other per-
, sons, did appear, and made statements, the
t substance OF which we give, together with
the action of the Board Of Directors, as
= follows:
1t appears that the collision took place on
t the 10Th of December, 1856, about three
: quarters of mile above Melton's, the siding
at which the trains pass each other at Cor
louisville, and a little over three miles from
| that place. The exact speed of the trains
l could not be ascertaned, but as far az intor-
nation could be obtained en- that point, it
$ appeared that when they came in view of
each other, the up train was going at the
rate Of from six to ten miles, and the down
$ train at the rate Of about twenty five miles,
| or thereahouts, per hour. The collision took
place at point on the road, where, owing
to its curvature and cut, one train was hid
f from the other until they came too near TO-
gether to be stopped m time 70 prevent it,
A although all proper efforts aere l,ia.e to stop
: each Of them,
The schedule by which the tfains we're
running, provided that they sloald pass
each other at Melton at I0. Is A. VI ard
Il when the down train failed to arrive at that
time, that the up train should wait there
until ll20 A. NJ, when it was 10 go on
:. Both of the Conductors stated that they
! understood this rule, and knew that after
y II 20 \. NJ the up train was entitled 10
= the track until it got to GorGonsviiic and
' that the down train, therefore, had no right
to leave Gordonsville unless it had full time
> to reach Meltoa's before IL 90 They fur
j.. Their stated that, in their opinion, there was
:, . no greater difficulty in providing fer the
' trains to meet and pass each other with safe
. ty, at Melton's, than at any othtt point on
= the road. In which opinion, al others who
' said any thing on the subject eeaearred
6 It was further ascertained thai the Cen
: ductor of the up train prepared 10 star; frosn
4 Notions at II II, bat owing II sise fact
that his switch tender was ne. IA place at
the moment, it was / q When his train got
. on the main track and actually started 1t
: proceeded slowly, owing to its hayius to as
' cend p grade aud then pass ors a carve, and
had been in motion about three minutcs
when the collision occurred The UP train
whistled twice. once at lT.2f. when pre-
7 pairing to start and again at liza, when
| getting under way.
1 1t also appeared that persons At Melons,
t but not on the train, heard whistle which
Y seemed 10 them 80 he that of train at Cor
/ louisville, about the time the up train start
| ed from Mclton's. But all familiar with The
q subject agree in the opinion that i IL 1liaost
S impossible fer one on a train either letting
> off steam, or in motion, to hear the whistle
of another train And ii ID not appear
E which wayn.i Mia tEat !. tya;a was .nyToarb.
ms. nor a, ,be other' hand d;J i anresr
tba, tho collision ,y,s at,r;Lut.JIs - .,,,
failure ta snnnd the wbistle When :. vas
nroncr to do So
:, oon,5 No., b. asoou,.;az, ~ -, ....,,
~ eo",a "oI w Vt" VIC s",is
.es1s, u, WAY .le ''@a . 80 'oi'
a;t;aa Cow .ha O. 80 al - ,lo1.a 49,
N":s' 80, -, 'no On "N'' !"
"", ~ VIZ G'ss yeu'l'a - se''eqae 'tnV'
"t - ~ a., ~ &c az aeeo,V"S 80"
mS;eh y. '"e uo'a".'o. VI ae sa u s.,''"
w. ro,'S,,.n s ~ "l," .''o VOC, - "
W., IL aa af,a ~ I'm o'l " '0'"'
| 's ~ So ',o' '''ec ,'o eo'i's'o'
, :, Ihe oenooe'.I o' 'he ao~n tram says he
,uo"s'' ne wofs,o DC apie 10 ges o'i III tiino
W ,easn 'e,',n ~ 1e,o'e - ~ an" 'l'a' ne
ohe,.ioie eseu "ii ulnye"ee 10 sss TIE man
anu eassssass s'I ".ieh nat seea brought ny
'ho 4,'eAauaH''' sfSff' uT.aehed iroh II anu
coupled 20 ms own, ana 70 nave the passeh'
gers e,a'selrcu-''' inns was aono very
, 9olehiy, anu Wheh nc cr,ea AN ap"aSds
/ ,"' eishe s,sAu'es :" ehao@ MN u reash
Aucitoh oeiofe ii.--V tHat ne thought lie