Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-04-23
Ise,ioas Reilroad Accident--rhree Men

On Friday night last. 10th inst. Sc
rious railroad accident. attended with loss
ofiife, occurred on, the Parkersburg Rail
road. The accident occurred shortly af-'
ter midnight. as engine No. 50 was pro
,ceeding from Parkersburg to Grafton with
a train of twelve freight cars loaded wit
produce. Just as the train approached
a bridge on the Middle Island Creek. east
of West Union, Doddrige County, the
engine ran upon horse. a'The engine
was thrown from the track. and preciplta,-
ted down the embankment 80 feet high
aud submerged inathe water ofthe creek.
Eight .ofthetwelye cars loaded with pork.s
bacon. whiskey. de-. followed and piled
one upon another in the creek. The most
serious part of the catastrophe lis the
sacrifice Of human life which attended it,.
The engineman,t @. Hildebrand. w. Gin
ton. fireman. and Henry Harvey. learn
log the grades as fireman. who were all
upon the engine or tender. went down
with the train. and sinking into the water.
which is here more than 10 feet deep.
were either killed by the fall or drowned
ia the stream. j. Helnan. the brake
man, who was also at his post. went
down with the seventh car, and was held
fast BY pieces Of the wreck for nearly an
hour, part of which time his head was
under water. The conductor finally dis
covered bis situation and swan to his re-
lief. When rescued he described his sit
uation as most terrific. So close were
his lips to the water that an outcry on his
part would have filed his mouth with
water and suffocated him. With the ex-
ception of a few bruises on one arm and
about the loins be is uninjured, and now
able to walk about. His escape is con-
sidered miracle. The conductor, whose
station was upon the last car. is the only
man that escaped injury. or did not go
down. The bodies have been all recov>
cred. Hildebrand lived about two hours
after being taken from the water and the
wrecks, but never spoke. He was only
married last month in Albany, New York
State. where his wife resides. The re.
mains of Clinton were delivered to his
family at Grafton, and those of Hide
brand and Harvey placed in collins pro-
cured at West Union. and brought to
Baltimore by the express train last night.
The bodies will probably be placed in the
Mousoleum at the Greenmount Cemetery
to await the order of the friends OF the
deceased at Albany, where both resided.
they being formerly OF the New York
Central road Edward Jones. Esq.
master mechanic Of the. New York Cen
trail. has been telegraphed to concern
ing the affair.
The bridge at which the accident &C
Cured is of but two spans with iron truss.
es. having no flooring. and built after the
usual plan of railroad bridges. The horse
fell among the cross ties of the bridge,
and the engine and cars appear to have
left the track short distance from where
the horse lay, and ran to the centre pier
before going down. The engine was sup.
piled with new and approved pilot or
fender in front. which on any other por>
ton Of the road than a culvert or bridge
would have thrown horse or any other
ordinary obstruction from the rails. 1t is
said the moment the engine man discover.
ed the obstruction he blew the whistle
for breaks down, and FIVE were immedi.
ately applied, but not in time TO avert the
calamity.
In view Of this accident, which involves
with human life loss of $4,000 to the
road, we learn the company contemplates
testing the question as to the responsible
ity of stock owners for trespass on the
track. The question is one Of vital inn
portance to railroad companies. and one
that nearly concerns the travelling public.
During Saturday and yesterday. work
men were engaged in recovering sub
merged property and engaged in remoy-
ing the wreck from the creek. No part
of the engine could be seen above the
water, except the top Of the dome. The
stream was much swalien and the alter
very muddy. The goods were all gotten
out in damaged condition. but great
portion of them will be saved. The trav-
ell OF the road is not interrupted. It is
dreadful to contemplate the Consequences
that must have ensued had the accident
occurred to a passenger instead of q
freight train.