The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-10-14
Accident ON the Ohio aud 1rississippi.

Accident ON the Ohio and Mississippi.
The Yincennes san gives the following
account of the sad accident on the Ohio and
Mississippi Railroad
One of the most appalling accidents that
we have ever had occasion to record on the
O. and NJ R. R., occurred ON Friday night,
between IL and II o'clock, on a bridge one
mile east of the Shoals, caused by the col
lison between two freight trains. 1t seems
that the train for the West was l6 minutes
on the time of the train for the East but
the engineer persuaded the conductor that
he could reach the next station before the
eastern train left, but instead c. accomplish
ing it, both trains met on the bridge referred
to-the Western train going at about 80
miles an hour The conclusion was of
course terrific. Both engines remained on
the track, but the tender of the Western
train was thrown straight into the air; and
Hattened out completely; the car next to 1t,
heavily ladened, was forced still higher
above the tender, standing on end; the next
car was also badly smashed up--in fact, all
the ears were more or less injured, and the
freight scattered in all directions. A good
portion of it was for this point. 4.sa
The most melancholy part of the disaster,
however, was the loss of life on the train.
A. Nj. Brown, the conductor, had his leg
nearly severed from his body--his shoulder
terribly crushed, and arm broken in three
places. He lived an hour and halt, and
finally expired in great agony. He had
been on the road but short time, and leaves
a family at Port Jervis, Pa. Geo. Redman,
engineer, was instantly killed. He was also
married, and was formerly employed on the
Little Miami road Marion Steele, fremen,
instantly killed. He-was a single man and
his mother lives in Illinoistown. Dan Ryan,
a brakesman, had the back of his head
crushed in, and never spoke afterwards. A
young man named - formerly
brakesman, was standing Immediately in
front Of the furnace of the engine; he was
thrown forward against the engine, and not
less than cord of wood fell upon him, bat
he escaped without serious injuries. His
escape from death is miraculous
No one was seriously injured on the train
going East When the engineer, Mr. James
Baker, found collision inevitable, he re-
versed his engine, whistlcd down the brakes,
and remained at his post until the "pilot y
struck the pier of the bridge-and then
jumped for his life He deserves great credit
for heroicaly remaining at his post until the
last moment and as long as there was a
hope of preventing the disaster. The fire.
man jumped Just before he reached the
bridges, down an eulbankment of somes20
feet but escaped without injury. The
brakesman was knocked from the train,
down steep embankment, bat was not in
jured.
From what we can learn, no blame can
he attached to the officers of the train for
the east The engineer was on time and
running cautiously, and when he first
caught sight of the advancing light he whis-
tied repeatedly, reversed his engine, and
when the collision occurred was going at
very slow rate of speed. The conductor on
the Western train was new man on the
road, and it is feared that he was mistaken
as to the stations. He was probably under
the impression that he was approaching
Willow Valley the point where the trains
should have metz instead of which he had
passed it, and was running on the timesof
the other train; This, at least, is the most
plausible cause for the disaster that we have
heard assigned. e-
The collision took place on tie Nc cJullum
bridget is a remarkable fact that the
bridge sustained this tremendous collision,
and the subsequent weight of engines and
cars piled three and four deep, without de-
hecting an inch from a straight line, and
without injury to any part.
Aside from the loss of life the danger
will not be SO large as reported. Eight
thousand dollars may suffice to repair ma
chinery and cars, and to indemnify the
owners of damaged goods.