New-York daily tribune., 1859-05-25
TIE CENTRAL RAILROAD ACCIDENT
LETTER FROM MR.. RANDALL.

To NE Editor of The y. y. Tribune
SIR: ! have read with surprise the statement OF NJ.
Buell. published in THE TRIBUNE of Friday, May 20,
1889 in regard to the late accident on the New-York
Central Railroad, about mile west of Jordan. Al
though the writer was an eyewitness, am sure
can show how bad his vision must have been on the
occasion. The accident was caused by one cor, not
" six or seven head OF cattle, as stated, attempting TO
cross the track between two cattle guards or road
crossings 2l5 feet apart, IN the public highway, ana
coming in contact with the stirup on the locomotive,
was whrled clear around and her head thrown be-
tween the tender and the baggage car, directly under
the forward wheel one side, which threw the car
from the track and il went 100 feet, when struck
a large stone, part Of the crossing, with such
force Is to break the coupling between the
notice TO the engineer that anything was wrong,
and he blew the whistle for the brakes The engineer
now saw the COW. She was behind pile OF ties lying
at the side of the road, some four feet high AT the
place here the stood the track OF the railroad
between two and three feet higher than the ground on
either sde There but the one COW near the spot,
and Mr.. Buell. could not have seen more In the road
near the track. Tile fences were all up-in good
order the cattleguerds complete; but the COW was r
the public highway. The owIer Of the COW was not
there, nor did tie Railroad Company keep fsgmsn
at this crossing. The Company had large quantity
OF wood, different times, near the place where the
accident occurred, and they had man TO watch i Tor
fear Of fire, and at the same time he watched the
crossing The wood was removed two months since.
and with il the man. The object Of man at road
crossing Is to prevent people lawfully using the high
wsy from coming in contact with the passing car.
But at this place, the track being elevated and the
roads straight there Is difficulty in travellers seeing
the cars long before they reach the crossing.
There at lea-t hundred crossings betoen But
fso and Albans, on the Central Road, where
needed Ia AVOID danger more ban at the place Of th,
accident. II people would keep their cattle from th-
highways, they should, tb- accident would not have
occurred. Every one -! th" wounded were prOherei
the telegraph. tne ot oa0rgc by myself t0 telegraph
their rcnd, aDd many, If not most Of them ayailed
themselves oi the pfoicr. II any paid, their
choice, anu unknown to the agents or officers Of the
Company. Every indi, .dual injured was properly
cared orproN ided with suitable rooms, attendance.
and nursc,, ~ the expense OF the Company-and have
from day {" iay expressed Themselves perfectly sas
fled with what ha- been done. Several Of them agre,
with the agents of the Company in stating that they
could not wherein the Company in the least III
laut in gard 10 tie accdcn. It had PROV ded proper
fences aud cattle guards against cattle AMI hs
machnc~y wa. perfect in al respects. The train was
uo, iug i,- n>al velocity. eyey empoye OF the
Corpany board WAS fully attending to hi, duty.
Swara'e, Man -, 1854 N. RANDALL